Subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Subsidies and other transfers was 14.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
14.9%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
138th
of 152 countries
All-time high
32.4%
in 1994
All-time low
0.3%
in 1989
Years of data
37
1987–2023

Subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica, 1987–2023

01020301987200520231987: 0.646 % of expense1988: 0.579 % of expense1989: 0.27 % of expense1990: 20.8 % of expense1991: 20.2 % of expense1992: 20.7 % of expense1993: 26.8 % of expense1994: 32.4 % of expense1995: 25.9 % of expense1996: 24.5 % of expense1997: 27.9 % of expense1998: 28.6 % of expense1999: 27.6 % of expense2000: 27.3 % of expense2001: 28.5 % of expense2002: 26.6 % of expense2003: 24 % of expense2004: 25.5 % of expense2005: 27.6 % of expense2006: 25.5 % of expense2007: 28.2 % of expense2008: 24.9 % of expense2009: 22.5 % of expense2010: 21.3 % of expense2011: 22.5 % of expense2012: 22.2 % of expense2013: 22.1 % of expense2014: 21.7 % of expense2015: 23.5 % of expense2016: 21.1 % of expense2017: 23.9 % of expense2018: 22.4 % of expense2019: 8.5 % of expense2020: 16.1 % of expense2021: 14.9 % of expense2022: 15.3 % of expense2023: 14.9 % of expense

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.

Analysis

Costa Rica recorded 14.9% for subsidies and other transfers in 2023.

The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 32.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica peaked at 32.4% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1989.

Costa Rica ranks 138th of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.

Subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Costa Rica, 1987 to 2023.
Year % of expense Change
1987 0.6%
1988 0.6% -10.4%
1989 0.3% -53.4%
1990 20.8% +7597.7%
1991 20.2% -2.8%
1992 20.7% +2.7%
1993 26.8% +29.3%
1994 32.4% +21.0%
1995 25.9% -20.2%
1996 24.5% -5.4%
1997 27.9% +14.0%
1998 28.6% +2.3%
1999 27.6% -3.5%
2000 27.3% -0.9%
2001 28.5% +4.3%
2002 26.6% -6.8%
2003 24.0% -9.6%
2004 25.5% +6.1%
2005 27.6% +8.4%
2006 25.5% -7.7%
2007 28.2% +10.4%
2008 24.9% -11.4%
2009 22.5% -10.0%
2010 21.3% -5.1%
2011 22.5% +5.5%
2012 22.2% -1.1%
2013 22.1% -0.6%
2014 21.7% -1.7%
2015 23.5% +8.4%
2016 21.1% -10.5%
2017 23.9% +13.2%
2018 22.4% -6.3%
2019 8.5% -62.2%
2020 16.1% +90.6%
2021 14.9% -7.8%
2022 15.3% +2.8%
2023 14.9% -2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.5% 0.3% 0.6% 3
1990s 25.5% 20.2% 32.4% 10
2000s 26.1% 22.5% 28.5% 10
2010s 20.9% 8.5% 23.9% 10
2020s 15.3% 14.9% 16.1% 4

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 135 Bhutan 15.9% compare
  2. 136 Equatorial Guinea 15.3% compare
  3. 137 Seychelles 15.1% compare
  4. 139 Belize 14.8% compare
  5. 140 Timor-Leste 14.1% compare
  6. 141 Denmark 13.3% compare

See the full ranking of 192 places →

More public sector data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica?
Subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica was 14.9% in 2023, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 32.4% in 1994.
What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1989.
How does Costa Rica rank for subsidies and other transfers?
Costa Rica ranks 138th out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Subsidies and other transfers in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/subsidies-and-other-transfers-percent-of-expense/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense)
Unit
% of expense
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
192 places, 4,500 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.