Freedom Score in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Freedom Score was 91 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Freedom Score in Costa Rica, 2002–2025
Source: Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, freedom score in Costa Rica stood at 91.
The figure is up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom score in Costa Rica peaked at 92 in 2004 and was at its lowest, 90, in 2002.
Costa Rica ranks 34th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Freedom Score in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 90 | — |
| 2003 | 90 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 92 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 92 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 91 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 90 | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 90 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 90 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 91 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 91 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 91 | +0.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 91 is above the median for high income countries, which is 90, 1.0× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 91 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 81, 1.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 91 | 90 | 92 | 8 |
| 2010s | 90.7 | 90 | 91 | 10 |
| 2020s | 91 | 91 | 91 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 34 Saint Lucia 91 compare
- 34 Spain 91 compare
- 37 Bahamas 90 compare
- 37 Cyprus 90 compare
- 37 Liechtenstein 90 compare
- 37 Lithuania 90 compare
- 37 Puerto Rico 90 compare
- 37 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 90 compare
More social development data for Costa Rica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 36,395 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 367 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 367 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0071 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom score in Costa Rica?
- Freedom score in Costa Rica was 91 in 2025, according to Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom score recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 92 in 2004.
- What is the lowest freedom score recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 90 in 2002.
- How does Costa Rica rank for freedom score?
- Costa Rica ranks 34th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom score rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Freedom House’s freedom score captures the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, a functioning government, freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Higher scores indicate more freedom.