Costa Rica’s unemployment rate rose to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 6.3% in the previous quarter and little changed compared to the same period a year earlier. The unemployment rate stood at 6.4% for men and 8.1% for women. Nationwide, the number of unemployed people was estimated at 164,000, including 92,000 men and 72,000 women. Meanwhile, the share of employed people classified as underemployed was estimated at 3.3%. The number of workers employed in informal jobs reached 824,000. source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos de Costa Rica

Unemployment Rate in Costa Rica increased to 7.10 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Costa Rica averaged 10.63 percent from 2010 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 24.00 percent in the second quarter of 2020 and a record low of 5.70 percent in the third quarter of 2025. This page provides - Costa Rica Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Costa Rica Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Costa Rica increased to 7.10 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Costa Rica is expected to be 7.10 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Costa Rica Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 7.90 percent in 2027 and 7.80 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-05 11:20 PM
Unemployment Rate
Q4 6.3% 5.7% 5.5%
2026-05-11 04:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Q1 7.1% 6.3% 6.5%
2026-09-18 03:20 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q2 7.1% 7.10%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 2155040.00 2183473.00 Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 54.10 54.50 percent Mar 2026
Population 5.19 5.16 Million Dec 2025
Unemployment Rate 7.10 6.30 percent Mar 2026


Costa Rica Unemployment Rate
In Costa Rica, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
7.10 6.30 24.00 5.70 2010 - 2026 percent Quarterly

News Stream
Costa Rica Unemployment Rate Rises in Q1 2026
Costa Rica’s unemployment rate rose to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 6.3% in the previous quarter and little changed compared to the same period a year earlier. The unemployment rate stood at 6.4% for men and 8.1% for women. Nationwide, the number of unemployed people was estimated at 164,000, including 92,000 men and 72,000 women. Meanwhile, the share of employed people classified as underemployed was estimated at 3.3%. The number of workers employed in informal jobs reached 824,000.
2026-05-11
Costa Rica Jobless Rate Drops to 6.3% in Q4
The unemployment rate in Costa Rica fell to 6.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025, down from 6.9% in the same period a year earlier. The number of unemployed individuals declined by 17.7 thousand to 147.5 thousand. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged down to 51.1% from 52.8%, as the number of employed individuals decreased by 47.9 thousand to 2.18 million. At the same time, the labor force participation rate declined to 54.5%, down from 56.7%.
2026-02-05
Costa Rica Q3 Jobless Rate Lowest Since 2010
The unemployment rate in Costa Rica fell to 5.7% in the third quarter of 2025, down from 6.6% in the same period last year. It marked the lowest unemployment rate since the data began in 2010, as the number of unemployed individuals decreased by 24.6 thousand to 134.5 thousand. Meanwhile, the employment rate declined to 51.7%, down from 53.5%, with the number of employed individuals falling by 48.8 thousand to 2.21 million. At the same time, the labor force participation rate dropped to 54.9%, down from 57.3%.
2025-12-18