Costa Rica: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
In , Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 6.84.
That's down 1.3% from 2024, the highest value since .
The global average for this indicator in 2025 was 6.73 . Costa Rica ranks #59 globally out of 182 reporting countries. Within Latin America & Caribbean, it ranks #14 of 31.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS) • Data as of 2025
Trend (2006–2025)
- 2008 · Global financial crisis
- 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic
Highlights
- Peak
- 16.43
- Trough
- 4.56
- 1-year change
- -1.3%
- 5-year change
- -58.4%
- -16.1% / yr
- 10-year change
- -18.7%
- -2.0% / yr
Historical Data — Last 10 Years
| Year | Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) |
|---|---|
| 6.8430 | |
| 6.9360 | |
| 8.3250 | |
| 11.3250 | |
| 15.1390 | |
| 16.4320 | |
| 10.8070 | |
| 9.0100 | |
| 7.7290 | |
| 8.0850 |
About Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Indicator code: SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS • Category: Labor & Business
Frequently asked questions
- What was Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025?
- In 2025, Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 6.84, according to World Bank Open Data.
- Is Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) rising or falling?
- Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) fell 1.3% from 2024 to 2025.
- How does Costa Rica rank globally on Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)?
- In 2025, Costa Rica ranked #59 out of 182 countries reporting Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate).
- How does Costa Rica's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) compare to the world average?
- The global average for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025 was 6.73, so Costa Rica is above the world average. Within Latin America & Caribbean, it ranks #14 of 31.
- What is Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) and how is it measured?
- Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), CC BY 4.0.