Dietary composition by country in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Dietary composition by country was 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.01 kilocalories per day per capita
Change on year
down 12.6%
World rank
147th
of 191 countries
All-time high
21.56 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1976
All-time low
0 kilocalories per day per capita
in 1982
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Dietary composition by country in Costa Rica, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilocalories per day per capita.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita for dietary composition by country in 2023.
That represents a change of down 12.6% on the previous year and down 52.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, dietary composition by country in Costa Rica peaked at 21.56 kilocalories per day per capita in 1976 and was at its lowest, 0 kilocalories per day per capita, in 1982.
That places Costa Rica 147th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Dietary composition by country in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | kilocalories per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 2 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 2 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.9994 kilocalories per day per capita | -50.0% |
| 1965 | 0.998 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 0.9969 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 0.9949 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 0.9938 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 0.9926 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 1.98 kilocalories per day per capita | +99.6% |
| 1971 | 0.9886 kilocalories per day per capita | -50.1% |
| 1972 | 1.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +99.5% |
| 1973 | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita | +49.7% |
| 1974 | 1.96 kilocalories per day per capita | -33.5% |
| 1975 | 9.81 kilocalories per day per capita | +399.5% |
| 1976 | 21.56 kilocalories per day per capita | +119.9% |
| 1977 | 8.82 kilocalories per day per capita | -59.1% |
| 1978 | 1.96 kilocalories per day per capita | -77.8% |
| 1979 | 0.9817 kilocalories per day per capita | -50.0% |
| 1980 | 1.96 kilocalories per day per capita | +100.1% |
| 1981 | 0.983 kilocalories per day per capita | -50.0% |
| 1982 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | -100.0% |
| 1983 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1984 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1985 | 0.9844 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1986 | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita | +200.0% |
| 1987 | 1.97 kilocalories per day per capita | -33.3% |
| 1988 | 1.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | -100.0% |
| 1990 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1991 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1992 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1993 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1994 | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1995 | 0.9838 kilocalories per day per capita | — |
| 1996 | 1.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +100.4% |
| 1997 | 2.96 kilocalories per day per capita | +50.4% |
| 1998 | 3.97 kilocalories per day per capita | +33.8% |
| 1999 | 3.98 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 3.99 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 5.02 kilocalories per day per capita | +25.4% |
| 2003 | 6.05 kilocalories per day per capita | +20.4% |
| 2004 | 5.05 kilocalories per day per capita | -16.4% |
| 2005 | 5.07 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 7.11 kilocalories per day per capita | +40.4% |
| 2007 | 5.09 kilocalories per day per capita | -28.4% |
| 2008 | 5.1 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 5.11 kilocalories per day per capita | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 4.98 kilocalories per day per capita | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 5.5 kilocalories per day per capita | +10.4% |
| 2012 | 4.79 kilocalories per day per capita | -12.9% |
| 2013 | 4.23 kilocalories per day per capita | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 5.38 kilocalories per day per capita | +27.2% |
| 2015 | 4.36 kilocalories per day per capita | -19.0% |
| 2016 | 3.36 kilocalories per day per capita | -22.9% |
| 2017 | 3.24 kilocalories per day per capita | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 3.86 kilocalories per day per capita | +19.1% |
| 2019 | 3.44 kilocalories per day per capita | -10.9% |
| 2020 | 3.43 kilocalories per day per capita | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.45 kilocalories per day per capita | -28.6% |
| 2022 | 2.3 kilocalories per day per capita | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita | -12.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for high income countries, which is 17.56 kilocalories per day per capita, 11% of the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 22.57 kilocalories per day per capita, 9% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Dietary composition by country in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +399.5% | 1.96 kilocalories per day per capita | 9.81 kilocalories per day per capita |
| 1986 | +200.0% | 0.9844 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.33 kilocalories per day per capita | 0.9926 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.3 kilocalories per day per capita | 0.9817 kilocalories per day per capita | 21.56 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.08 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.95 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.39 kilocalories per day per capita | 0 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.98 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.16 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.99 kilocalories per day per capita | 7.11 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.31 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.24 kilocalories per day per capita | 5.5 kilocalories per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.55 kilocalories per day per capita | 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita | 3.43 kilocalories per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 144 Turkmenistan 2.33 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 145 Angola 2.33 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 146 Lithuania 2.2 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 148 Turkey 1.71 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 149 Kenya 1.68 kilocalories per day per capita compare
- 150 Senegal 1.63 kilocalories per day per capita compare
More reference data data for Costa Rica
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2987 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.406 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3161 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0907 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is dietary composition by country in Costa Rica?
- Dietary composition by country in Costa Rica was 2.01 kilocalories per day per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest dietary composition by country recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 21.56 kilocalories per day per capita in 1976.
- What is the lowest dietary composition by country recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilocalories per day per capita in 1982.
- How does Costa Rica rank for dietary composition by country?
- Costa Rica ranks 147th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is dietary composition by country rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Dietary composition by country. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.