Population in largest city in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Population in largest city was 1.50 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.50 million
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
104th
of 153 countries
All-time high
1.50 million
in 2025
All-time low
229,792
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Costa Rica, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in Costa Rica is 1.50 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Costa Rica peaked at 1.50 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 229,792, in 1960.
That places Costa Rica 104th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 229,792 | — |
| 1961 | 240,155 | +4.5% |
| 1962 | 251,001 | +4.5% |
| 1963 | 262,364 | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 274,348 | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 286,844 | +4.6% |
| 1966 | 299,928 | +4.6% |
| 1967 | 313,608 | +4.6% |
| 1968 | 327,933 | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 342,870 | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 358,509 | +4.6% |
| 1971 | 374,861 | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 391,984 | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 409,364 | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 424,290 | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 439,760 | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 455,817 | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 472,413 | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 489,638 | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 507,491 | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 526,020 | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 545,173 | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 565,050 | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 585,653 | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 606,945 | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 627,401 | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 648,576 | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 670,465 | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 693,125 | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 716,486 | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 740,667 | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 765,665 | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 791,543 | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 818,220 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 845,835 | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 874,383 | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 903,935 | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 934,400 | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 965,936 | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 998,537 | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 1.03 million | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 1.05 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 1.06 million | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 1.08 million | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.10 million | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 1.11 million | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 1.13 million | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 1.15 million | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.17 million | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 1.18 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 1.20 million | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.22 million | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.24 million | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.26 million | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 1.28 million | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 1.30 million | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 1.32 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.34 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 1.36 million | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.38 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.40 million | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 1.42 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 1.44 million | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.46 million | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 1.48 million | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 1.50 million | +1.4% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 1.50 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.80 million, 83% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 1.50 million is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.02 million, 50% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 282,884 | 229,792 | 342,870 | 10 |
| 1970s | 432,413 | 358,509 | 507,491 | 10 |
| 1980s | 618,489 | 526,020 | 716,486 | 10 |
| 1990s | 863,912 | 740,667 | 998,537 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.11 million | 1.03 million | 1.18 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.29 million | 1.20 million | 1.38 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.45 million | 1.40 million | 1.50 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More urban development data for Costa Rica
- Population in the largest city 36.6% (2025)
- Population density 99.99 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 17.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2916 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.50 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 28.63 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 32.51 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Costa Rica?
- Population in largest city in Costa Rica was 1.50 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 1.50 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 229,792 in 1960.
- How does Costa Rica rank for population in largest city?
- Costa Rica ranks 104th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.