Low pay rate in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Low pay rate was 8.13 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Low pay rate in Costa Rica, 1995–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for low pay rate in Costa Rica is 8.13, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 21.9% on the previous year and down 62.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low pay rate in Costa Rica peaked at 23 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 8.13, in 2025.
Costa Rica ranks 76th of 84 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Low pay rate in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 22.1 | — |
| 2000 | 20.6 | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 21.3 | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 21.5 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 21.5 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 20.3 | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 20.9 | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 23 | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 19.8 | -13.9% |
| 2008 | 19.5 | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 21.5 | +10.3% |
| 2010 | 16.68 | -22.4% |
| 2012 | 16.92 | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 17.36 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 19.54 | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 21.55 | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 22.27 | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 13.21 | -40.7% |
| 2018 | 12.99 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 13.73 | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 13.21 | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 12 | -9.2% |
| 2022 | 10.76 | -10.3% |
| 2023 | 10.19 | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 10.41 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 8.13 | -21.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.1 | 22.1 | 22.1 | 1 |
| 2000s | 20.99 | 19.5 | 23 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.14 | 12.99 | 22.27 | 9 |
| 2020s | 10.78 | 8.13 | 13.21 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More gender data for Costa Rica
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 838.24 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -2.49 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 24,787 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 25,901 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 25,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 26,214 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 25,387 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 26,504 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 25,723 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 26,841 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low pay rate in Costa Rica?
- Low pay rate in Costa Rica was 8.13 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest low pay rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 23 in 2006.
- What is the lowest low pay rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.13 in 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank for low pay rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 76th out of 84 countries with data for 2025.
- Is low pay rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Low pay rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This measure of earnings dispersion refers to the proportion of employees whose hourly earnings at all jobs were less than two-thirds of median hourly earnings. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.