Nicaragua vs Costa Rica

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Equal-area projection, same scale · Natural Earth 1:50m

Population ✓Area ✓Population density ✓GDP (nominal) ✓GDP per capita (PPP) ✓Exports ✓Unemployment ✓Life expectancy ✓Median age ✓Birth rate ✓Urban population ✓

Population

Natural Earth · 2019

Nicaragua6,545,502Costa Rica5,047,561Nicaragua is 1.3× more populous

Area

computed · ≈

Nicaragua≈ 128,750 km²Costa Rica≈ 51,303 km²Nicaragua is 2.5× larger

Population density

derived

Nicaragua≈ 51 / km²Costa Rica≈ 98 / km²Costa Rica is 1.9× denser

GDP (nominal)

CIA World Factbook · 2024 est.

Nicaragua$19.69 billionCosta Rica$95.35 billionCosta Rica is 4.8× larger

GDP per capita (PPP)

CIA World Factbook · 2024 est.

Nicaragua$7,700Costa Rica$27,000Costa Rica is 3.5× higher

Exports

CIA World Factbook · 2024 est.

Nicaragua$8.14 billionCosta Rica$36.77 billionCosta Rica is 4.5× higher

Unemployment

CIA World Factbook · 2024 est.

Nicaragua4.6%Costa Rica7.9%Costa Rica is higher by 3.3 points

Life expectancy

CIA World Factbook · 2024 est.

Nicaragua74.7 yearsCosta Rica80.3 yearsCosta Rica is higher by 5.6 years

Median age

CIA World Factbook · 2025 est.

Nicaragua29.5 yearsCosta Rica36 yearsCosta Rica is higher by 6.5 years

Birth rate

CIA World Factbook · 2025 est.

Nicaragua16.07 per 1,000Costa Rica10.86 per 1,000Nicaragua is higher by 5.21 per 1,000

Urban population

CIA World Factbook · 2023

Nicaragua59.8%Costa Rica82.6%Costa Rica is higher by 22.8 points