External health expenditure in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: External health expenditure was 0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
External health expenditure in Costa Rica, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 0.0% for external health expenditure in 2023.
That represents a change of down 63.1% on the previous year and down 71.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Costa Rica peaked at 1.3% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
Costa Rica ranks 141st of 177 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External health expenditure in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.1% | — |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +13.4% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -69.3% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -13.4% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -31.0% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -23.5% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -49.6% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +48.0% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +102.5% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -25.8% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | -38.6% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -50.9% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -38.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -38.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -73.6% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +345.4% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +88.8% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -88.4% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -83.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | +12923.3% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -65.8% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -35.3% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -63.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 0.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.9%, 1% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External health expenditure 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +12923.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | +345.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More health data for Costa Rica
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.78 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,632 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 35 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -3.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0248 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -3.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure in Costa Rica?
- External health expenditure in Costa Rica was 0.0% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 2001.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does Costa Rica rank for external health expenditure?
- Costa Rica ranks 141st out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 71.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from external sources. External sources compose of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country. External sources either flow through the government scheme or are channeled through non-governmental organizations or other schemes.