Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population was 13.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
13.9%
Change on year
down 9.7%
World rank
85th
of 139 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 2021
All-time low
12.2%
in 2015
Years of data
10
2015–2024

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica, 2015–2024

0510152015201920242015: 12.22016: 12.92017: 13.72018: 14.52019: 15.32020: 15.92021: 16.22022: 16.22023: 15.42024: 13.9

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2024, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica stood at 13.9%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.7% on the previous year and up 13.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica peaked at 16.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 2015.

That places Costa Rica 85th out of 139 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Costa Rica, 2015 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2015 12.2%
2016 12.9% +5.7%
2017 13.7% +6.2%
2018 14.5% +5.8%
2019 15.3% +5.5%
2020 15.9% +3.9%
2021 16.2% +1.9%
2022 16.2% +0.0%
2023 15.4% -4.9%
2024 13.9% -9.7%

Costa Rica compared with similar countries

  • Costa Rica's 13.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.9%, 1.6× the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • Costa Rica's 13.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 29.6%, 47% of the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 13.7% 12.2% 15.3% 5
2020s 15.5% 13.9% 16.2% 5

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 82 Romania 15.2% compare
  2. 83 Australia 15.1% compare
  3. 84 Azerbaijan 14.6% compare
  4. 86 Finland 13.3% compare
  5. 87 Estonia 13.1% compare
  6. 88 Belize 12.8% compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica?
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica was 13.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2021.
What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 2015.
How does Costa Rica rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population?
Costa Rica ranks 85th out of 139 countries with data for 2024.
Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-moderate-or-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent-2/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
174 places, 1,683 data points, 2014–2025
Last refreshed