LGBT+ Rights Index in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: LGBT+ Rights Index was 11.67 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in Costa Rica, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in Costa Rica is 11.67, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 141.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Costa Rica peaked at 11.67 in 2022 and was at its lowest, -1.31, in 1991.
That places Costa Rica 35th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
LGBT+ Rights Index in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -1.31 | — |
| 1992 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.5208 | -139.7% |
| 1999 | 0.5208 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.5208 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.5208 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.08 | +492.0% |
| 2003 | 3.08 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.08 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.08 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.08 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4.08 | +32.4% |
| 2008 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4.08 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4.83 | +18.4% |
| 2016 | 4.83 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4.83 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.21 | +69.8% |
| 2019 | 8.21 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.08 | +10.7% |
| 2021 | 9.08 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 11.67 | +28.4% |
| 2023 | 11.67 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 11.67 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 11.67 | +0.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 11.67 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.11, 1.2× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 11.67 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2, 5.8× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.9051 | -1.31 | 0.5208 | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.87 | 0.5208 | 4.08 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.13 | 4.08 | 8.21 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.81 | 9.08 | 11.67 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
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 lgbt+ rights index in Costa Rica?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Costa Rica was 11.67 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 11.67 in 2022.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.31 in 1991.
- How does Costa Rica rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Costa Rica ranks 35th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 141.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.