Wage Cost

Country comparison

United States vs Costa Rica

Compare average wages, historical trends and everyday price levels across two economies. A common wage-year frame and a visible United States = 100 price benchmark keep the view comparable.

All Countries
United States$86,9772025 · PPP-adjusted annual wage

Overall Price Level: 100.00 · 2024

Data reviewed: August 2026

Costa Rica$44,4312024 · PPP-adjusted annual wage

Overall Price Level: 61.30 · 2024

Data reviewed: August 2026

Compare average wages, historical trends and everyday price levels across two economies. A common wage-year frame and a visible United States = 100 price benchmark keep the view comparable.

Wage trend comparison

How Wages Have Changed

$92k$77k$63k$49k$34k20152025PPP-adjusted annual wage (USD)

USD PPP, constant 2025 prices · click a legend name to hide it; at least one line remains.

Price Level Comparison

Compare Everyday Price Levels

Compare eight consumer price categories using the United States benchmark of 100.

OverallUnited States +38.7
FoodCosta Rica +7.0
ClothingUnited States +21.6
HousingUnited States +69.5
HealthUnited States +33.0
TransportUnited States +13.7
RecreationUnited States +20.8
RestaurantsUnited States +26.2
United States 100.00Costa Rica 61.30
Overall
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 61.30
Difference United States +38.70
Food
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 107.00
Difference Costa Rica +7.00
Clothing
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 78.40
Difference United States +21.60
Housing
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 30.50
Difference United States +69.50
Health
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 67.00
Difference United States +33.00
Transport
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 86.30
Difference United States +13.70
Recreation
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 79.20
Difference United States +20.80
Restaurants
United States 100.00
Costa Rica 73.80
Difference United States +26.20

Key Differences

Understanding United States and Costa Rica

United States records a higher 2025 PPP-adjusted annual wage than Costa Rica, while both countries have overall price levels below the U.S. benchmark in 2024. The page keeps the arithmetic difference visible but does not turn it into a causal explanation or a living-standard judgement.

Wage Comparison

United States shows the higher PPP-adjusted annual wage: $42,546 (95.8%) more than Costa Rica. Over the latest reported year, both economies recorded positive one-year wage changes (+1.67% and +0.00%). The widest price category gap is Housing at 69.5 index points, and both overall price levels sit below the U.S. benchmark of 100 in 2024. Wages are reported for 2025 (United States) and 2024 (Costa Rica), while prices cover 2024; the two datasets are labelled separately.

Price Profile

Both overall price indices remain below the United States benchmark. United States is marginally higher overall, while the largest category difference appears in Housing, where United States exceeds Costa Rica by 69.5 index points. Each value remains relative to the United States = 100 benchmark.

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Data Notes

Wage data: 2025 common-year PPP-adjusted annual wages. Price data: 2022–2024, United States = 100. Missing values display – without zero fill, interpolation, or automatic year fallback.

Data reviewed: August 2026