Costa Rica vs Nicaragua
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $0 in Costa Rica and $115M in Nicaragua, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Nicaragua, by $115M.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Nicaragua has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1972.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Costa Rica | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0 | $115M |
| 2024 | $0 | $109M |
| 2023 | $0 | $103M |
| 2022 | $0 | $93.5M |
| 2021 | $0 | $92.7M |
| 2020 | $0 | $98M |
| 2019 | $0 | $94M |
| 2018 | $0 | $101M |
| 2017 | $0 | $107M |
| 2016 | $0 | $104M |
| 2015 | $0 | $119M |
| 2014 | $0 | $97.2M |
| 2013 | $0 | $89.9M |
| 2012 | $0 | $86.3M |
| 2011 | $0 | $64.7M |
| 2010 | $0 | $57.3M |
| 2009 | $0 | $54.2M |
| 2008 | $0 | $54.7M |
| 2007 | $0 | $57.8M |
| 2006 | $0 | $57.8M |
| 2005 | $0 | $55M |
| 2004 | $0 | $54.8M |
| 2003 | $0 | $61M |
| 2002 | $0 | $59.8M |
| 2001 | $0 | $47.1M |
| 2000 | $0 | $51.8M |
| 1999 | $0 | $45.1M |
| 1998 | $0 | $43.9M |
| 1997 | $0 | $51M |
| 1996 | $0 | $51.8M |
| 1995 | $0 | $57.6M |
| 1994 | $0 | $57.5M |
| 1993 | $0 | $56.6M |
| 1992 | $0 | $67.1M |
| 1991 | $0 | $100M |
| 1990 | $0 | $121M |
| 1989 | $0 | – |
| 1988 | $0 | – |
| 1987 | $0 | – |
| 1986 | $0 | – |
| 1985 | $0 | – |
| 1984 | $0 | – |
| 1983 | $0 | – |
| 1982 | $0 | – |
| 1981 | $0 | $192,500 |
| 1980 | $0 | $156,800 |
| 1979 | $0 | $137,700 |
| 1978 | $0 | $206,900 |
| 1977 | $0 | $172,900 |
| 1976 | $0 | $136,300 |
| 1975 | $0 | $102,400 |
| 1974 | $0 | $90,380 |
| 1973 | $0 | $70,860 |
| 1972 | $0 | $93,740 |
| 1971 | $0 | – |
| 1970 | $0 | – |
| 1969 | $0 | – |
| 1968 | $0 | – |
| 1967 | $0 | – |
| 1966 | $0 | – |
| 1965 | $0 | – |
| 1964 | $0 | – |
| 1963 | $0 | – |
| 1962 | $0 | – |
| 1961 | $0 | – |
| 1960 | $0 | – |
| 1959 | $0 | – |
| 1958 | $0 | – |
| 1957 | $0 | – |
| 1956 | $0 | – |
| 1955 | $0 | – |
| 1954 | $0 | – |
| 1953 | $0 | – |
| 1952 | $0 | – |
| 1951 | $0 | – |
| 1950 | $0 | – |
| 1949 | $0 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Costa Rica vs Nicaragua
Health
- Life expectancyCosta Rica: 80.8 years in 2023Nicaragua: 75 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCosta Rica: 1 per 100 live births in 2024Nicaragua: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCosta Rica: 6.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Nicaragua: 12.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterCosta Rica: 80.5% in 2022Nicaragua: 55.5% in 2020
- DepressionCosta Rica: 2.91% in 2017Nicaragua: 2.85% in 2017
- Suicide rateCosta Rica: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Nicaragua: 5.9 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCosta Rica: 5.11 million people in 2023Nicaragua: 6.82 million people in 2023
- Population growthCosta Rica: 0.49% a year in 2023Nicaragua: 1.36% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCosta Rica: 1.33 births per woman in 2023Nicaragua: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCosta Rica: 79.7% in 2025Nicaragua: 59.4% in 2025
- Median ageCosta Rica: 34.1 years in 2023Nicaragua: 25.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCosta Rica: 11.7% in 2023Nicaragua: 5.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateCosta Rica: 0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Nicaragua: -1.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCosta Rica: 0% of GDP in 2025Nicaragua: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personCosta Rica: $0 in 2025Nicaragua: $17 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCosta Rica: 0% of government spending in 2025Nicaragua: 2.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCosta Rica: 10,000 people in 2020Nicaragua: 12,000 people in 2020
- National powerCosta Rica: 0.03% of world capability in 2022Nicaragua: 0.04% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCosta Rica: 0.41% of the labour force in 2020Nicaragua: 0.41% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCosta Rica: 8 million TIV in 2019Nicaragua: 13 million TIV in 2019
- Arms exportsCosta Rica: 3 million TIV in 2009Nicaragua: 18 million TIV in 1993