MigrantoCosta Rican Diaspora
51K Costa Ricans live abroad — the #164 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 61% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Panama | 14218 |
| Nicaragua | 11707 |
| Canada | 5117 |
| Mexico | 4592 |
| Colombia | 2070 |
| Italy | 1840 |
| Guatemala | 1373 |
| Chile | 1067 |
| Venezuela | 1012 |
| Peru | 912 |
| El Salvador | 901 |
| Honduras | 895 |
| Puerto Rico | 835 |
| Argentina | 719 |
| Australia | 674 |
| Brazil | 462 |
| Ecuador | 431 |
| Norway | 356 |
| Dominican Republic | 345 |
| Haiti | 277 |
| Denmark | 220 |
| Bolivia | 181 |
| Cayman Islands | 157 |
| Hungary | 116 |
| Guinea | 108 |
| Jamaica | 102 |
| Finland | 86 |
| Bahamas | 59 |
| Greece | 39 |
| Luxembourg | 33 |
| Iceland | 27 |
| Slovakia | 17 |
| Estonia | 12 |
| Bulgaria | 11 |
| Slovenia | 6 |
| Liechtenstein | 4 |
| Cyprus | 1 |
| Latvia | 0 |
By destination region
Latin America is the leading destination region at 83%
42.3K
5.1K
2.8K
674
108
1
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Costa Rica.
Panama is the primary destination for emigrants
Panama attracts 28% of all emigrants from Costa Rica, while the second-largest destination receives just 23%.
Emigration has accelerated notably since 2020
The emigrant population grew 17% from 43.5K to 51K, indicating an acceleration in emigration flows following COVID and recent geopolitical shifts.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 22922 |
| 1995 | 22763 |
| 2000 | 26493 |
| 2005 | 30258 |
| 2010 | 34241 |
| 2015 | 39023 |
| 2020 | 43504 |
| 2024 | 50982 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Panama | Nicaragua | Canada | Mexico | Colombia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3919 | 5959 | 1225 | 1929 | 326 |
| 1995 | 4155 | 4727 | 1622 | 2050 | 497 |
| 2000 | 4654 | 6948 | 2127 | 2185 | 646 |
| 2005 | 5121 | 9343 | 2854 | 2330 | 840 |
| 2010 | 6629 | 9989 | 4299 | 2500 | 1099 |
| 2015 | 7760 | 10772 | 4743 | 3104 | 1440 |
| 2020 | 9320 | 11281 | 4672 | 3900 | 1810 |
| 2024 | 14218 | 11707 | 5117 | 4592 | 2070 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Costa Rica as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Costa Rica
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Costa Ricans move to?
Most Costa Ricans have moved to Panama, Nicaragua and Canada — these three countries account for about 61% of all Costa Ricans living abroad.
How many Costa Ricans live abroad?
Around 51K Costa Ricans live abroad, making it the #164-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Costa Rica lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Costa Rica lives abroad — that's 51K out of a total population of 5.1M.
How has emigration from Costa Rica changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Costa Rica has grown from 39K to 51K people, a growth of about 31%.
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