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Costa Rica Government Spending

Government expenditure as % of GDP  GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS

28.28% −0.63% (-2.2%)
Year 2025 Rank #66 Global Peak 31.89% (2020) Source World Bank

Costa Rica Government Spending (1973–2025)

Overview

Costa Rica's government spending stood at 28.28% in 2025, a decline of +0.63% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 28.28% by 2025. Costa Rica ranked 66th globally.

Data & projection

Year Government Spending YoY change Rank
2026* trend 27.86% - -
2025* trend 28.28% - -
2025 28.28% −0.63% #66
2023 28.91% +0.15% #49
2022 28.76% −2.06% #54
2021 30.82% −1.07% #71
2020 31.89% +2.43% #73
2019 29.46% +0.54% #86
2018 28.92% +3.52% #86
2017 25.40% −1.75% #76
2016 27.15% −1.41% #84
2015 28.55% +1.82% #88
2014 26.74% +0.22% #80
2013 26.52% +0.57% #71
2012 25.94% +0.57% #71
2011 25.38% −0.24% #66
2010 25.61% +0.87% #65
Show all years (1973-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Orthodox Tightening Cycle
Inflation above 40%, lending rate above 30%, rate-inflation gap narrowing, reserves stable or rising. Signals credible monetary tightening.
Inflation 23.2% Rate 36.7% Gap +13.5pp Reserves YoY +16.9%
Occurred 311 times, 177 successful
Inflation
28.2%
Rate
19.4%
Gap
-8.8pp
Reserves YoY
+2.2%
Inflation
219.9%
Rate
61.7%
Gap
-158.2pp
Reserves YoY
+28.1%
Inflation
28.3%
Rate
24.3%
Gap
-4.0pp
Reserves YoY
+35.8%
Inflation
33.9%
Rate
17.8%
Gap
-16.1pp
Reserves YoY
+2.9%
Inflation
17.0%
Rate
20.8%
Gap
+3.8pp
Reserves YoY
+1.5%
Inflation
17.1%
Rate
15.3%
Gap
-1.8pp
Reserves YoY
+10.9%

Analysis

Costa Rica matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 1995. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw government spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Costa Rica's government spending?

Costa Rica's government spending was 28.28% in 2025. Ranked 66th globally. This represents a 2.2% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest government spending in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's government spending peaked at 31.89% in 2020.

What was the lowest government spending in Costa Rica?

The lowest government spending in Costa Rica was 15.06% in 1974.

How does Costa Rica rank in government spending?

Costa Rica ranks 66th globally in government spending as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for government spending?

The World Bank indicator code is GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected government spending of Costa Rica in 2025?

Costa Rica's government spending is projected to reach 28.28% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the government spending of Costa Rica in 2025?

The government spending of Costa Rica in 2025 was 28.28%. This ranks 66th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Costa Rica Government Spending. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/costa-rica/government-spending
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_costa-rica_government-spending, title = {Costa Rica Government Spending}, url = {https://historysaid.com/costa-rica/government-spending}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }