Inflation Costa Rica 2021

Average inflation: 1.7%

Current Inflation

Inflation is low at 1.7%, below the ECB target of 2%.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in November at 3.3%. The lowest inflation was in February at 0.4%.

Highest month
November: 3.3%
Lowest month
February: 0.4%
Difference
2.9 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Transport with an average of 9.3%. The lowest price increase was in Clothing and footwear with an average of -2.4%.

Highest increase
Transport: 9.3%
Lowest increase
Clothing and footwear: -2.4%

Historical Context

Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 1.7%.

5-year average
1.7%
10-year average
2.3%
All-time high (2005)
13.8%
All-time low (2016)
0%

Trend

Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2020, the difference is minimal (+1.0 percentage point).

Change vs. previous year
+1.0 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
November: +3.1 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 0.3% below the ECB target of 2.0%. Too low inflation may indicate economic weakness.

Purchasing Power

At this inflation rate, purchasing power gradually decreases. The impact on daily expenses is relatively limited.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €101.70 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2021

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
2.2%
+0.5vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
0.1%
-1.6vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
-2.4%
-4.0vs avg.
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Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
-1.5%
-3.2vs avg.
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Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
1.9%
+0.2vs avg.
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Health
1.6%
-0.1vs avg.
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Transport
9.3%
+7.6vs avg.
More details →
Communication
-1.2%
-2.9vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
2.6%
+0.9vs avg.
More details →
Education
-2.1%
-3.8vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
1.3%
-0.4vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
0.0%
-1.7vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2020
January 1.0% -0.6
February 0.4% -1.4
March 0.5% -1.4
April 1.2% +0.3
May 1.3% +0.7
June 1.9% +1.6
July 1.4% +1.6
August 1.7% +1.8
September 2.1% +1.8
October 2.5% +2.0
November 3.3% +3.1
December 3.3% +2.4
Average 1.7%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 11/01/2026.

See also