Costa Rica: Adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Costa Rica's adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI) rose 1.89 percentage points on 2020 (from 14.89% to 16.78%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was −0.18 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.81 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.87 percentage points in 1985 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.72 percentage points in 1991. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 30% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2021, Costa Rica had the 98th highest value of the 132 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Costa Rica in the 2021 ranking

• United States — 95th of 132: 17.87%
• Montenegro — 96th of 132: 17.1%
• Armenia — 97th of 132: 16.97%
• Kenya — 99th of 132: 16.66%
• South Africa — 100th of 132: 16.5%
• Moldova — 101st of 132: 16.41%

What this measures

Gross savings are the difference between gross national income and public and private consumption, plus net current transfers. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) which is the total income earned by all residents within an economic territory during an accounting period. It is equal to gross domestic product plus earned income receivable from abroad minus earned income payable abroad.

Limitations: Because gross savings is calculated as a residual it includes errors, which may not be offsetting, in its components.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 45 values

Adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 14.55% (2020)
• Argentina — 22% (2021)
• Aruba — 15.42% (2021)
• Bahamas, The — 7.94% (2021)
• Barbados — 5.61% (2017)
• Belize — 27.12% (2021)
• Bolivia — 14.23% (2021)
• Brazil — 17.93% (2021)
• Chile — 19.88% (2021)
• Colombia — 13.77% (2021)

More economic policy & debt data for Costa Rica

• Total reserves, including gold (current US$) — US$17.09 billion (2025)
• Total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) — US$17.09 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$14.42 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 7.26 trillion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$11.4 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 7 trillion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 14.01% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (current US$)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Costa Rica's adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI)?

16.78% in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1977?

It is down 0.39 percentage points from 17.17% in 1977. The highest value was 24.83% in 1986 and the lowest 12.08% in 1979.

How does Costa Rica rank?

98th highest of 132 economies with data for 2021.

Is the latest change in adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI) unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2021, Costa Rica's adjusted savings, gross savings (% of GNI) rose 1.89 percentage points on 2020 (from 14.89% to 16.78%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was −0.18 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.81 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NY.ADJ.ICTR.GN.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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