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Costa Rica vs Uruguay
Side-by-side comparison of Costa Rica and Uruguay from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Costa Rica
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 205 years
Uruguay
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 201 years
In short
Uruguay scores 64.5 in the NationsTree Index (48th in the world) and Costa Rica scores 54.7 (71st), a gap of 9.7 points. Their trees are 7.9 m and 7.2 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Costa Rica has 52% more people than Uruguay. Uruguay is 3.4 times larger than Costa Rica by land area. The economy of Costa Rica is 34% larger than that of Uruguay (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Costa Rica 5.2 million and Uruguay 3.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $38,315 in Uruguay and $33,815 in Costa Rica (2025, international dollars). People in Costa Rica live on average 2.7 years longer (81.0 vs 78.3 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Costa Rica ranks higher in the world on 9 and Uruguay on 25. Costa Rica is clearly stronger in economy, trade and main industries. Uruguay is clearly stronger in military, infrastructure & digital and tourism.
As a nation, Costa Rica is the older of the two (statehood since 1821, 205 years), compared with Uruguay (since 1825). Over the last five years Uruguay improved faster (direction score 63 vs 50 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Costa Rica and Uruguay.
Costa Ricabetter
-0.1%
13th of 180
Uruguay
4.7%
136th of 180
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Costa Rica
99.8%
126th of 215
Uruguaybetter
100.0%
1st of 215
GDP growthEconomy
Costa Ricabetter
4.6%
61st of 210
Uruguay
1.8%
153rd of 210
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Costa Ricabetter
99%
1st of 193
Uruguay
94%
66th of 193
PhysiciansSociety & health
Costa Rica
2.69
67th of 174
Uruguaybetter
4.67
13th of 174
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Costa Rica overtook Uruguay in GDP (PPP) in 2012 and has stayed ahead since.
Uruguay overtook Costa Rica in the NationsTree Index in 1996 and has stayed ahead since.
Uruguay has been ahead of Costa Rica in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Costa Rica has been ahead of Uruguay in life expectancy and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
Costa RicaUruguay All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Costa Rica | Uruguay |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 51,100128th/216 · 2024 | 176,21590th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 50,560127th/216 · 2024 | 175,01690th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 5.2 m126th/217 · 2025 | 3.4 m133rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.45%143rd/217 · 2025 | -0.06%173rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 101.5104th/216 · 2024 | 19.4188th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 79.7%59th/217 · 2025 | 95.7%17th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 18.3%136th/217 · 2025 | 17.9%141st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 12.8%77th/217 · 2025 | 16.3%60th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $102.90 bn74th/210 · 2025 | $85.35 bn84th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $174.25 bn84th/199 · 2025 | $129.68 bn93rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $146.57 bn86th/199 · 2025 | $110.82 bn93rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $19,97075th/210 · 2025 | $25,21667th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $33,81576th/199 · 2025 | $38,31566th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $17,93072nd/201 · 2025 | $24,02061st/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.6%61st/210 · 2025 | 1.8%153rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.1%13th/180 · 2025 | 4.7%136th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 6.8%124th/187 · 2025 | 7.5%129th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 39.3%2001 | 65.3%36th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 60.4%116th/189 · 2025 | 65.6%128th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.4%116th/192 · 2025 | -3.4%116th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 3.4%124th/197 · 2025 | 6.4%98th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 19.9%127th/200 · 2025 | 16.9%149th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.6%56th/192 · 2025 | 10.0%101st/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 69.2%37th/200 · 2025 | 65.2%53rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $39.98 bn73rd/182 · 2025 | $23.10 bn88th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $33.59 bn78th/182 · 2025 | $19.33 bn95th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 38.8%87th/183 · 2025 | 27.1%119th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 32.6%124th/183 · 2025 | 22.6%160th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 71.5%110th/183 · 2025 | 49.7%145th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%147th/170 · 2024 | 1.3%112th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 64.9%48th/171 · 2024 | 18.9%107th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 32.3%45th/171 · 2024 | 65.3%18th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.4%123rd/171 · 2024 | 0.3%157th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 22.9%27th/168 · 2024 | 9.8%66th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.6%84th/191 · 2025 | -0.5%80th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 5.4%38th/196 · 2025 | 2.3%92nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.8%123rd/209 · 2021 | 1.9%97th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%108th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%106th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.01%81st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.75%62nd/209 · 2021 | 1.91%37th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 3.3%153rd/206 · 2024 | 12.4%85th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 22,23629th/183 · 2022 | 27,19023rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.1 m90th/194 · 2020 | 3.5 m50th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.48 bn59th/175 · 2020 | $1.09 bn67th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 7.4%71st/168 · 2020 | 7.7%70th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 324,00087th/107 · 2020 | 2.2 m49th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 81.047th/217 · 2024 | 78.365th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 10.479th/196 · 2024 | 7.457th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.6967th/174 · 2022 | 4.6713th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.1110th/145 · 2022 | 2.473rd/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 99%1st/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 52.4%112th/153 · 2024 | 63.3%96th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 121.8%14th/173 · 2024 | 119.1%17th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 70.9%17th/55 · 2022 | 71.7%16th/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 18.5%81st/217 · 2025 | 24.7%60th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.9%87th/193 · 2023 | 9.0%44th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 97.4%2011 | 98.9%15th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 55.0%2019 | 80.0%28th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.83362nd/193 · 2023 | 0.86248th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 45.5100th/108 · 2025 | 40.087th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.8%43rd/108 · 2025 | 0.2%18th/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.8%126th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 80.5%76th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 26.3%115th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 87.2%75th/186 · 2024 | 92.0%45th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 13647th/210 · 2024 | 14634th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 23.382nd/208 · 2024 | 33.049th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 8482001 | 1,49860th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 2.0 m82nd/161 · 2023 | 563,6322009 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.6382nd/203 · 2024 | 2.57103rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 34.2%72nd/212 · 2021 | 57.8%41st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 17.7101st/200 · 2023 | 10.952nd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 59.1%32nd/214 · 2024 | 11.5%162nd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,12187th/149 · 2024 | 1,95957th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 60.871st/205 · 2025 | 70.047th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 62.051st/207 · 2025 | 79.417th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 68.658th/207 · 2025 | 74.141st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 87.024th/207 · 2025 | 88.415th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 64.856th/205 · 2025 | 65.055th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 76.837th/205 · 2025 | 80.023rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 17.7127th/145 · 2023 | 11.2118th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $0.00154th/156 · 2025 | $1.95 bn66th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.0%154th/156 · 2025 | 2.3%48th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 0.0%152nd/154 · 2025 | 7.1%48th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 10,000131st/170 · 2020 | 22,000100th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.41%125th/168 · 2020 | 1.32%49th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 8.0 m2019 | 1.0 m150th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.0 m2009 | 1.0 m2000 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.34%71st/110 · 2023 | 0.70%51st/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1593rd/137 · 2024 | 1397th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 66192nd/197 · 2023 | 1,06087th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Costa Rica has the larger population: 5.2 m (2025) compared with 3.4 m for Uruguay (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Uruguay is larger: 176,215 km² (2024) compared with 51,100 km² for Costa Rica (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Costa Rica has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $174.25 bn intl. (2025) compared with $129.68 bn intl. for Uruguay (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Uruguay has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $38,315 intl. (2025) compared with $33,815 intl. for Costa Rica (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Costa Rica has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.0 years (2024) compared with 78.3 years for Uruguay (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Uruguay spends more on the military: $1.95 bn (2025) compared with $0.00 for Costa Rica (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Costa Rica or Uruguay?
Uruguay: 64.5 points (48th in the world); Costa Rica: 54.7 points (71st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Bolivia
Ecuador
Guatemala
Panama
Paraguay
Puerto Rico (US)
El Salvador
Guyana
HondurasSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Costa Rica vs Uruguay — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/costa-rica-vs-uruguay. Data as of 26 October 2026.