Highest scoring goals
Where Costa Rica is closest to the targets behind the goal, in the 2023 data.
All countries / Costa Rica
Costa Rica
73.6
SDG Index score, 2023 report
0–100, higher is better
0–100, higher is better
#52
of 166 countries worldwide
#35
of 38 in OECD
+1.8
points since 2015, when the goals were adopted
(71.8 → 73.6)
+5.1
points since 2000 (68.5 → 73.6)
79.2
average of the 38 countries in OECD
17/17
goals assessed in the 2023 data
SDG Index score, 2000–2022
The overall index for Costa Rica, against its region and the world.
Lowest scoring goals
Where the greatest distance is left to cover, in the 2023 data.
- 10. Reduced Inequalities 19.3
- 2. Zero Hunger 53.9
- 14. Life Below Water 56.3
Most progress since 2015
Largest gain in goal score since the goals were adopted.
Went backwards
Goals scoring lower than they did in 2015.
All 17 goals
Each card shows the 2023 score, where it sits among the countries assessed on that goal, and how the score has moved since 2015.
Goal 1
No Poverty
93.8
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- #75 of 151 countries
- #35 of 37 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- -0.7 since 2015
Goal 2
Zero Hunger
53.9
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
- #126 of 166 countries
- #37 of 38 in region
- Bottom quartile
- -1.1 since 2015
Goal 3
Good Health and Well-being
88.3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- #34 of 166 countries
- #30 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- +3.1 since 2015
Goal 4
Quality Education
99.2
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- #11 of 166 countries
- #7 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- +15.1 since 2015
Goal 5
Gender Equality
82.0
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- #22 of 166 countries
- #17 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- +4.7 since 2015
Goal 6
Clean Water and Sanitation
74.5
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- #48 of 166 countries
- #32 of 38 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +0.3 since 2015
Goal 7
Affordable and Clean Energy
85.5
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- #11 of 166 countries
- #8 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- -0.5 since 2015
74.4
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- #75 of 166 countries
- #34 of 38 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- -1.8 since 2015
59.6
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- #63 of 166 countries
- #36 of 38 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +10.8 since 2015
Goal 10
Reduced Inequalities
19.3
Reduce inequality within and among countries
- #139 of 149 countries
- #37 of 38 in region
- Bottom quartile
- -1.3 since 2015
90.9
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- #16 of 166 countries
- #11 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- -1.6 since 2015
77.0
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- #111 of 166 countries
- #5 of 38 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- -0.7 since 2015
Goal 13
Climate Action
89.8
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- #91 of 166 countries
- #2 of 38 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- -0.4 since 2015
Goal 14
Life Below Water
56.3
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- #99 of 126 countries
- #26 of 32 in region
- Bottom quartile
- -0.9 since 2015
Goal 15
Life on Land
65.1
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
- #89 of 166 countries
- #26 of 38 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- -0.9 since 2015
73.8
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- #42 of 166 countries
- #29 of 38 in region
- Top quartile
- -1.4 since 2015
Goal 17
Partnerships for the Goals
67.0
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
- #57 of 166 countries
- #24 of 38 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +6.1 since 2015
Costa Rica OECD average all-country average — both taken over the countries assessed on each goal
Summary
Written by a language model from the scores above. Treat it as a reading of the table, not as a source.
About these numbers
- Goal scores run from 0 to 100 and measure distance to target: 0 is the worst outcome observed and 100 means the target has been reached on the indicators behind that goal. They are built to be compared across countries, not across goals.
- The headline score is the published figure. It is the average of all 17 goals, with any goal a country is not assessed on filled in at its region's average for that goal — so for a country with a gap, the 17 numbers below will not average to it.
- The headline score and rankings come from the Sustainable Development Report 2023. The 2000–2022 trends come from the SDG Index 2000-2022, so the two can differ slightly for the same goal.
- Rankings cover the 166 countries in the report. World, regional and income aggregates are excluded from every ranking.
- Comparison markers on each card are unweighted averages of the countries assessed on that goal. The published regional and world aggregates are weighted differently and appear only on their own profile pages.
- Quartile labels describe position within this dataset. They are not the Sustainable Development Report's own dashboard ratings, which are calculated per indicator.
- Get this profile as JSON →
Costa Rica achieved an SDG Index score of 73.6 in 2023, reflecting an overall positive direction of travel as its score rose from 68.5 in 2000. The country performs exceptionally well in Goal 4 (Quality Education), which is its highest-scoring area, while Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) represents its lowest performance. Despite these advancements, Costa Rica’s overall progress trails its regional peers, ranking 35th in the OECD with a score below the regional average of 79.2. While certain sectors like industry and innovation have seen significant growth, challenges remain in addressing inequality and hunger to match the broader performance of its OECD neighbors.