Costa Rica Regulatory Quality
Regulatory Quality RQ.EST
Costa Rica's regulatory quality was 0.55 in 2025, ranked 60th globally. This represents a 1.0% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Costa Rica's regulatory quality stood at 0.55 in 2025, a rise of +0.01 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.55 by 2025. Costa Rica ranked 60th globally.
Costa Rica’s regulatory quality score, measured by the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, has remained static at 0.55 from the earliest observation in 1996 to the latest 2025 reading, placing the country at rank 60 globally. The indicator peaked at 0.92 in 1998, reflecting a period of comparatively strong institutional frameworks, but fell sharply to a trough of 0.38 in 2006, suggesting a decade of regulatory deterioration. Since that low point, the score has recovered to its current level, yet it still lags behind peer nations such as Spain (0.56) and Barbados (0.57). The 26‑year coverage shows a pattern of volatility rather than sustained improvement, with the recent plateau indicating limited progress in recent reforms. Future advances in administrative efficiency, anti‑corruption measures, and streamlined business licensing could lift the trajectory, allowing Costa Rica to close the gap with higher‑ranking peers.
Data & projection
| Year | Regulatory Quality | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 0.56 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.55 | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.55 | +0.01 | #60 |
| 2023 | 0.54 | −0.02 | #59 |
| 2022 | 0.57 | +0.13 | #56 |
| 2021 | 0.44 | −0.04 | #64 |
| 2020 | 0.48 | −0.07 | #63 |
| 2019 | 0.54 | +0.07 | #56 |
| 2018 | 0.48 | +0.04 | #61 |
| 2017 | 0.43 | −0.09 | #60 |
| 2016 | 0.53 | −0.14 | #61 |
| 2015 | 0.66 | +0.01 | #53 |
| 2014 | 0.66 | −0.09 | #54 |
| 2013 | 0.75 | +0.00 | #49 |
| 2012 | 0.74 | +0.15 | #49 |
| 2011 | 0.60 | +0.01 | #57 |
| 2010 | 0.59 | +0.07 | #60 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Costa Rica matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 1995. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw regulatory quality improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Rica's regulatory quality was 0.55 in 2025. Ranked 60th globally. This represents a 1.0% increase from the previous year.
Costa Rica's regulatory quality peaked at 0.92 in 1998.
The lowest regulatory quality in Costa Rica was 0.38 in 2006.
Costa Rica ranks 60th globally in regulatory quality as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RQ.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Costa Rica's regulatory quality is projected to reach 0.55 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The regulatory quality of Costa Rica in 2025 was 0.55. This ranks 60th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_costa-rica_regulatory-quality,
title = {Costa Rica Regulatory Quality},
url = {https://historysaid.com/costa-rica/regulatory-quality/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}