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Immigrants in Costa Rica

608K foreigners live in Costa Rica — 12% of the country's population

#75 largest immigrant population in the world#10 in Latin America

Immigrants in Costa Rica by country

The 3 largest groups make up 80% of all immigrants

1Nicaraguans
423.4K69.6%
2Venezuelans
34K5.6%
3Colombians
30.8K5.1%
4Salvadorans
20.1K3.3%
5Americans
18.4K3.0%
6Panamanians
16.5K2.7%
7Cubans
8.3K1.4%
8Hondurans
5.7K0.9%
CountryImmigrants
Nicaragua423401
Venezuela34048
Colombia30809
El Salvador20131
USA18354
Panama16546
Cuba8336
Honduras5682
Peru5479
Hong Kong4758
Mexico4489
Guatemala3852
Spain3132
Italy3087
Germany2701
Chile2517
Argentina2125
Canada2038
Ecuador1842
Dominican Republic1589
France1262
Switzerland971
Russia866
Netherlands847
Brazil787
United Kingdom751
Bolivia533
Puerto Rico514
Uruguay451
Poland436
Belgium422
China420
Japan408
South Korea364
Jamaica314
Israel245
Ukraine224
Philippines202
Belize202
Sweden198
Austria183
Iran144
Romania142
Lebanon127
Paraguay119
Portugal113
Norway110
Hungary107
Bulgaria103
Haiti103
Australia95
Denmark91
South Africa81
India77
North Korea51
Trinidad and Tobago48
Greece47
Aruba46
Ireland42
Guyana40
North Macedonia37
Croatia34
Slovakia31
Finland31
Suriname28
Indonesia24
New Zealand24
Mongolia22
Iraq22
Luxembourg22
Saudi Arabia19
Algeria17
Myanmar17
Georgia17
Bahamas17
French Guiana17
Egypt16
Libya16
Jordan16
Syria16
Barbados16
Bermuda16
Uganda13
Cameroon13
Pakistan13
Lithuania13
Kenya11
Republic of Congo11
Nepal11
Singapore11
Turkey11
Cayman Islands11
Grenada11
Greenland11
Thailand10
Armenia10
US Virgin Islands10
Central African Republic7
Kazakhstan7
Belarus7
Dominica7
Guam7
Mozambique5
Tanzania5
Morocco5
Tunisia5
Afghanistan5
Bhutan5
Laos5
Malaysia5
Moldova5
Albania5
Gibraltar5
Liechtenstein5
Martinique5
Montserrat5
Madagascar4
Angola4
DR Congo4
Ivory Coast4
Nigeria4
Bangladesh4
Cambodia4
Azerbaijan4
Cyprus4
Oman4
Qatar4
Estonia4
Ethiopia1
Rwanda1
Somalia1
Zimbabwe1
Gabon1
Sudan1
Eswatini1
Benin1
Ghana1
Senegal1
Uzbekistan1
Macao1
Maldives1
Sri Lanka1
Vietnam1
Bahrain1
Iceland1
Latvia1
Monaco1
Saint Kitts and Nevis1
Saint Lucia1
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1
Saint Pierre and Miquelon1
Fiji1

By region of origin

93% of immigrants come from Latin America

608Ktotal

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Key facts

Immigrants in Costa Rica in numbers

Nicaraguans are the largest group by a wide margin

70% of all immigrants were born in Nicaragua, while the next group accounts for just 6%.

47% of all emigrants from Nicaragua live in Costa Rica

No other country has more people born in Nicaragua.

More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990

The largest group's share rose from 47% to 70%, and today that group is people born in Nicaragua.

The immigrant population has grown 21% since 2020

The number of foreigners living in Costa Rica rose from 503.8K to 608K in four years.

Immigration drives population growth

20% of the population growth of Costa Rica since 1990 came from immigrants.

1 in 16 people born in Nicaragua lives in Costa Rica

423.4K people born in Nicaragua live in Costa Rica — 6.12% of the population of Nicaragua.

Immigrant population in Costa Rica over time

Foreigners living in Costa Rica, by year

YearImmigrants
1990209203
1995203783
2000300251
2005318076
2010392094
2015397638
2020503841
2024608024

Largest groups over time

The 5 largest groups in Costa Rica, by year

Nicaraguans Venezuelans Colombians Salvadorans Americans
YearNicaraguansVenezuelansColombiansSalvadoransAmericans
19909915310304372562578586
19951316958344147260467301
20002300851054599588579667
2005268157691770864516336
20102880331362209651370112492
20152922321381212701390012673
202035085428214255301668215209
202442340134048308092013118354

Fastest-changing groups

How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year

Malagasy4+33%
Angolans4+33%
Congolese4+33%
Ivorians4+33%
Nigerians4+33%
Bangladeshis4+33%
Cambodians4+33%
Azerbaijanis4+33%

Share of each diaspora living in Costa Rica

Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Costa Rica

Nicaraguans
47%423.4K
Panamanians
8%16.5K
Colombians
1%30.8K
Salvadorans
1%20.1K
Americans
1%18.4K

Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)

Frequently asked questions

How many foreigners live in Costa Rica?

Around 608K immigrants live in Costa Rica — the world's #75 largest immigrant population.

What percentage of the population of Costa Rica are immigrants?

Immigrants make up around 12% of the population of Costa Rica — that's 608K out of a total population of 5.1M.

Where do most immigrants in Costa Rica come from?

Most immigrants in Costa Rica come from Nicaragua, Venezuela and Colombia — these three countries account for about 80% of all immigrants.

How many Nicaraguans live in Costa Rica?

Around 423.4K Nicaraguans live in Costa Rica — about 70% of all immigrants, the largest group.

Is the immigrant population in Costa Rica growing?

Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Costa Rica has grown from 397.6K to 608K, about 53%.

Where does the data on immigrants in Costa Rica come from?

The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Costa Rica. Their children born in Costa Rica are not included.

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Living in Costa Rica

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