Costa Rica vs Nicaragua: Share of adults who drank alcohol in last year
Costa Rica
40.3%
in 2020
Nicaragua
38.7%
in 2020
Costa Rica rank
100th
Nicaragua rank
101st
Share of adults who drank alcohol in last year over time
- Costa Rica
- Nicaragua
How they compare
Costa Rica currently reports 40.3% against 38.7% in Nicaragua, a difference of 1.6%.
Across all 21 years both countries report, Costa Rica has been ahead every year.
Costa Rica ranks 100th and Nicaragua ranks 101st of 187 countries.
Costa Rica has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | Nicaragua | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.0% | 38.4% | 2.6% | Costa Rica |
| 2010s | 40.0% | 39.0% | 0.9% | Costa Rica |
| 2020s | 40.3% | 38.7% | 1.6% | Costa Rica |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of adults who drank alcohol in last year, Costa Rica or Nicaragua?
- Costa Rica, at 40.3% against 38.7% in Nicaragua as of 2020.
- What is the difference in share of adults who drank alcohol in last year between Costa Rica and Nicaragua?
- 1.6%, with Costa Rica ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Nicaragua?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2020.
- How do Costa Rica and Nicaragua rank globally for share of adults who drank alcohol in last year?
- Costa Rica ranks 100th and Nicaragua ranks 101st of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of adults who drank alcohol in last year. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Adults are defined as those aged 15 years and older. Shown is the share of adults who have drunk any alcohol in the preceding 12 months.