Infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.8345 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
119th
of 199 countries
All-time high
8.54 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
0.7164 deaths per 100 live births
in 2016
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica, 1950–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica is 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica peaked at 8.54 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.7164 deaths per 100 live births, in 2016.
Costa Rica ranks 119th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.54 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 8.53 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 1952 | 8.49 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 8.44 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 8.34 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1955 | 8.17 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1956 | 7.93 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1957 | 7.57 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1958 | 7.15 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1959 | 6.76 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1960 | 6.47 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1961 | 6.31 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 6.27 deaths per 100 live births | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 6.28 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 6.3 deaths per 100 live births | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 6.29 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 6.17 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1967 | 6 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 5.82 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 5.64 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 5.4 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1971 | 5.08 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1972 | 4.68 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1973 | 4.24 deaths per 100 live births | -9.3% |
| 1974 | 3.76 deaths per 100 live births | -11.4% |
| 1975 | 3.29 deaths per 100 live births | -12.4% |
| 1976 | 2.85 deaths per 100 live births | -13.5% |
| 1977 | 2.45 deaths per 100 live births | -13.8% |
| 1978 | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | -12.7% |
| 1979 | 1.92 deaths per 100 live births | -10.5% |
| 1980 | 1.77 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1981 | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 1.66 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.66 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 1.64 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 1.61 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 1.56 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1987 | 1.48 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1988 | 1.39 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 1.32 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1990 | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 1.21 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 1.18 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 1.14 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.09 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 1.07 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 1.03 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 0.9941 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 0.9593 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 0.9323 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 0.9091 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 0.8911 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 0.8783 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 0.8688 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.8617 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.8558 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.8436 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 0.8251 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 0.804 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 0.7834 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 0.7597 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 0.7396 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 0.7237 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.7164 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 0.7176 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 0.7248 deaths per 100 live births | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 0.7383 deaths per 100 live births | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 0.7541 deaths per 100 live births | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 0.7734 deaths per 100 live births | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 0.7925 deaths per 100 live births | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 0.8138 deaths per 100 live births | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births | +2.5% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births, 2.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.08 deaths per 100 live births, 77% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.99 deaths per 100 live births | 6.76 deaths per 100 live births | 8.54 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.16 deaths per 100 live births | 5.64 deaths per 100 live births | 6.47 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.58 deaths per 100 live births | 1.92 deaths per 100 live births | 5.4 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.58 deaths per 100 live births | 1.32 deaths per 100 live births | 1.77 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.14 deaths per 100 live births | 1.03 deaths per 100 live births | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8994 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8436 deaths per 100 live births | 0.9941 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7533 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7164 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8251 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7936 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7541 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 116 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.9322 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 117 Tunisia 0.9082 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 118 Nicaragua 0.8396 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 120 Barbados 0.8338 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 121 Sao Tome and Principe 0.8151 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 122 Brunei 0.7979 deaths per 100 live births compare
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)
- 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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0259 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Costa Rica was 0.8345 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 8.54 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7164 deaths per 100 live births in 2016.
- How does Costa Rica rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Costa Rica ranks 119th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .