Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 20.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica is 20.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica peaked at 40.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.6%, in 1992.
Costa Rica ranks 40th of 160 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8.3% | — |
| 1991 | 10.9% | +30.9% |
| 1992 | 7.6% | -30.6% |
| 1993 | 8.2% | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | +39.2% |
| 1996 | 12.2% | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 11.7% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 11.8% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 13.4% | +13.9% |
| 2000 | 11.0% | -18.3% |
| 2001 | 13.2% | +20.7% |
| 2002 | 14.1% | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 14.5% | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 13.8% | -7.9% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | -21.9% |
| 2008 | 10.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 17.6% | +63.5% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 21.9% | +29.0% |
| 2012 | 22.4% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 21.3% | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 23.9% | +12.4% |
| 2015 | 22.0% | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 21.2% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 20.4% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 24.9% | +21.8% |
| 2019 | 31.1% | +24.8% |
| 2020 | 40.1% | +29.1% |
| 2021 | 38.8% | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 30.4% | -21.7% |
| 2023 | 24.2% | -20.2% |
| 2024 | 20.7% | -14.7% |
| 2025 | 20.1% | -2.8% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 20.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.4× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 20.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.1%, 1.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.4% | 7.6% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.5% | 10.8% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.6% | 17.0% | 31.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.0% | 20.1% | 40.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More work & labour data for Costa Rica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9977 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.61 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,205 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 569.35 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,908 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,868 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,776 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Costa Rica was 20.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 40.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.6% in 1992.
- How does Costa Rica rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Costa Rica ranks 40th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.