Military spending in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Military spending was 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
601.28 million constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 3.8%
World rank
103rd
of 172 countries
All-time high
601.28 million constant 2022 US$
in 2023
All-time low
6.56 million constant 2022 US$
in 1924
Years of data
104
1920–2023
Military spending in Costa Rica, 1920–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in Costa Rica is 601.28 million constant 2022 US$, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 104 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.8% on the previous year and up 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Costa Rica peaked at 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.56 million constant 2022 US$, in 1924.
That places Costa Rica 103rd out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 7.00 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1921 | 7.63 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.1% |
| 1922 | 6.80 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.9% |
| 1923 | 6.67 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1924 | 6.56 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1925 | 7.53 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.7% |
| 1926 | 8.25 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.6% |
| 1927 | 8.65 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1928 | 9.10 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1929 | 9.37 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1930 | 9.38 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 1931 | 9.22 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1932 | 9.70 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1933 | 9.13 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1934 | 9.85 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.9% |
| 1935 | 9.71 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.4% |
| 1936 | 9.08 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.5% |
| 1937 | 8.33 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.3% |
| 1938 | 9.28 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1939 | 9.34 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1940 | 11.65 million constant 2022 US$ | +24.7% |
| 1941 | 12.97 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1942 | 14.28 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.1% |
| 1943 | 15.82 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.8% |
| 1944 | 18.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.6% |
| 1945 | 18.66 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.9% |
| 1946 | 15.20 million constant 2022 US$ | -18.6% |
| 1947 | 13.79 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.2% |
| 1948 | 25.45 million constant 2022 US$ | +84.5% |
| 1949 | 15.85 million constant 2022 US$ | -37.7% |
| 1950 | 13.34 million constant 2022 US$ | -15.9% |
| 1951 | 12.99 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.6% |
| 1952 | 14.23 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.5% |
| 1953 | 14.87 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.5% |
| 1954 | 15.40 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 17.20 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.7% |
| 1956 | 19.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.7% |
| 1957 | 19.73 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 19.48 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1959 | 18.49 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.1% |
| 1960 | 17.77 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.9% |
| 1961 | 18.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1962 | 18.75 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 17.93 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.4% |
| 1964 | 17.98 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 18.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 19.03 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 20.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.5% |
| 1968 | 25.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +22.8% |
| 1969 | 27.44 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.1% |
| 1970 | 27.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 33.56 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.7% |
| 1972 | 32.98 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 34.39 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 38.63 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.3% |
| 1975 | 42.43 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.8% |
| 1976 | 50.67 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.4% |
| 1977 | 56.37 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.2% |
| 1978 | 58.42 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 62.74 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.4% |
| 1980 | 56.55 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.9% |
| 1981 | 48.94 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.4% |
| 1982 | 47.32 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 53.35 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.7% |
| 1984 | 53.71 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 54.22 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 56.06 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 50.99 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1988 | 50.91 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 57.20 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.3% |
| 1990 | 59.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 62.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 88.33 million constant 2022 US$ | +41.2% |
| 1993 | 87.81 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 75.82 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.7% |
| 1995 | 76.65 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 81.79 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 91.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.7% |
| 1998 | 105.02 million constant 2022 US$ | +15.0% |
| 1999 | 106.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 122.23 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.3% |
| 2001 | 127.51 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 135.38 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 137.69 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 144.17 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 133.69 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 152.22 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 182.66 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.0% |
| 2008 | 199.22 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 232.35 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.6% |
| 2010 | 262.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.1% |
| 2011 | 314.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.5% |
| 2012 | 386.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +23.0% |
| 2013 | 458.65 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.8% |
| 2014 | 476.81 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 476.67 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 486.08 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 507.34 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 543.25 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 589.17 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 554.57 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 561.87 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 579.48 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is 6.50 billion constant 2022 US$, 9% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 509.92 million constant 2022 US$, 1.2× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | +84.5% | 13.79 million constant 2022 US$ | 25.45 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 7.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 6.56 million constant 2022 US$ | 9.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1930s | 9.30 million constant 2022 US$ | 8.33 million constant 2022 US$ | 9.85 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1940s | 16.18 million constant 2022 US$ | 11.65 million constant 2022 US$ | 25.45 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1950s | 16.53 million constant 2022 US$ | 12.99 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.73 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.18 million constant 2022 US$ | 17.77 million constant 2022 US$ | 27.44 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 43.80 million constant 2022 US$ | 27.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 62.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 47.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 57.20 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 83.57 million constant 2022 US$ | 59.55 million constant 2022 US$ | 106.89 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 156.71 million constant 2022 US$ | 122.23 million constant 2022 US$ | 232.35 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 450.09 million constant 2022 US$ | 262.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 589.17 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 574.30 million constant 2022 US$ | 554.57 million constant 2022 US$ | 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 100 Democratic Republic of Congo 640.30 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 101 Botswana 639.15 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 102 Turkmenistan 609.92 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 104 Honduras 583.42 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 105 Zimbabwe 578.61 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 106 Afghanistan 571.73 million constant 2022 US$ 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 military spending in Costa Rica?
- Military spending in Costa Rica was 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 601.28 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.56 million constant 2022 US$ in 1924.
- How does Costa Rica rank for military spending?
- Costa Rica ranks 103rd out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 104 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.