Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Costa Rica vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 178 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Costa Rica
cri
Leads on 86 of 178 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 82 of 178 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 12.7 times as many people as Costa Rica (65.49 million vs 5.18 million). South Africa's economy is 3.8 times the size of Costa Rica's ($424.75 billion vs $110.67 billion GDP).

Comparing Costa Rica and South Africa: Costa Rica leads on Televisions (525,000) against South Africa (6); Costa Rica leads on Radios (980,000) against South Africa (17); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Costa Rica (16,000). Across 178 compared metrics, Costa Rica wins on 86 and South Africa wins on 82.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration23.29 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)87.17 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)85.4 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 85% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed23.29 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score73.09 points75.71 points★
Radios980,000★17
Televisions525,000★6
Waterways730NA

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.74B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars110.67B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)15.67 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume20.26M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate71.35 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3.5 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)11.37 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index69.2★59.6
Electricity Consumption9.81207.1★
Electricity Exports643★16.55
Electricity from Fossil Fuels1885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants64★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables18★10
Electricity Imports807★10.56
Electricity Installed Capacity3.5850.02★
Electricity Production10.79234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)30.73 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate53.46 %55.4 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-10.92 %9.52 %★
Gender Wage Gap-10.92 %★9.52 %
Gini Index Coefficient47.263★
Gross Fixed Investment19.9★19.5
Gross National Saving15.116.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage54.1 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries28,443.41 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.1 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate-0.07 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)-0.4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.6 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Number of AI Patents Filed1 patents6 patents★
Oil Consumption47,000553,000★
Oil Exports2,08754,930★
Oil Imports44,110521,400★
Oil Production263192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line25.5 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)13.93 % of GDP★11.46 % of GDP
Public Debt48.9★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.34 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends7.45 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption53,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports51,320195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances0.8★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million462.47 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.34 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)2.39★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.46 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.46 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues13.926★
Top Exporting Countries36.74B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.43 %★-0.51 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.72 %★2.26 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.72 %★2.26 %
Unemployment Rate7.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate57.66 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate19.95 %★59.93 %

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)287,922★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate3,517.97 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature23.34 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions7.91★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Global Precipitation Distribution3,314.33 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributionroughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one fifth of the populationthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation25.83 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage26.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.31 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources113★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization3.41 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)196★85.66
Agricultural land16,651.72 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km51,0601.21M★
Coastline Length (km)1,290 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita382.59 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land1,01516,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country54.31 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions79★
Corruption Perception Index58 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score58 index★41 index
Independence1531★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate395 per 100,000286 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception5841★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water80.5 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults26.8 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate93 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)39.46★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.8★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders81 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.45 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita2,112.89 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score84 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy81 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.23 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence8.72 %★16.64 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.13 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)24 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density3.07 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)25.7 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending24.13 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS16,0007.8★
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)4.86 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors2.69★0.79
Underweight Children Under 52.9★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)10,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)40.93 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.63★0.42
Life expectancy at birth84.75 years★71.98 years
Median age of population35.68 years★29 years
Population Change24,088.1 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density101.38 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population5.18M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.92★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsA-B★A
Beer Consumption per Capita2.46 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)10.86 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate70.9 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate9.99 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.24 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)6.2 % of GDP★6 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.33M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)60.47 %★26.59 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate23.29 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.41 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.59★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate2.3627.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.01 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.46 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)168.93★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling9.12 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio16.98 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization74.2 %79.63 %★
Physician Density2.69 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.75 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums1.68 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio12.68★30.33
Total deaths26,826 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)63.4 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.3 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration974.7 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate7.18 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.97 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population64.35 millions★53.77 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.48★0.37
Airports132573★
Civil Air Travel1190★
Heliports849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita5.62B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇨🇷 Costa Rica🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate3.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Costa Rica vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Costa Rica or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 12.7 times as many people as Costa Rica (65.49 million vs 5.18 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Costa Rica or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 3.8 times the size of Costa Rica's ($424.75 billion vs $110.67 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Costa Rica or South Africa?▾

Costa Rica is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $21,381 in Costa Rica vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Costa Rica comparisons

More South Africa comparisons