Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) was 515.11 LCU per US$, period average in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
515.11 LCU per US$, period average
Change on year
down 5.3%
World rank
47th
of 209 countries
All-time high
647.14 LCU per US$, period average
in 2022
All-time low
6.62 LCU per US$, period average
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Official exchange rate in Costa Rica, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in LCU per US$, period average.
Analysis
In 2024, official exchange rate in Costa Rica stood at 515.11 LCU per US$, period average.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.3% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate in Costa Rica peaked at 647.14 LCU per US$, period average in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.62 LCU per US$, period average, in 1970.
Costa Rica ranks 47th of 209 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | LCU per US$, period average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.62 LCU per US$, period average | — |
| 1971 | 6.63 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 6.63 LCU per US$, period average | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 6.65 LCU per US$, period average | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 7.93 LCU per US$, period average | +19.3% |
| 1975 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +8.1% |
| 1976 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 21.76 LCU per US$, period average | +153.9% |
| 1982 | 37.41 LCU per US$, period average | +71.9% |
| 1983 | 41.09 LCU per US$, period average | +9.9% |
| 1984 | 44.53 LCU per US$, period average | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 50.45 LCU per US$, period average | +13.3% |
| 1986 | 55.99 LCU per US$, period average | +11.0% |
| 1987 | 62.78 LCU per US$, period average | +12.1% |
| 1988 | 75.8 LCU per US$, period average | +20.8% |
| 1989 | 81.5 LCU per US$, period average | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 91.58 LCU per US$, period average | +12.4% |
| 1991 | 122.43 LCU per US$, period average | +33.7% |
| 1992 | 134.51 LCU per US$, period average | +9.9% |
| 1993 | 142.17 LCU per US$, period average | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 157.07 LCU per US$, period average | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 179.73 LCU per US$, period average | +14.4% |
| 1996 | 207.69 LCU per US$, period average | +15.6% |
| 1997 | 232.6 LCU per US$, period average | +12.0% |
| 1998 | 257.23 LCU per US$, period average | +10.6% |
| 1999 | 285.69 LCU per US$, period average | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 308.19 LCU per US$, period average | +7.9% |
| 2001 | 328.87 LCU per US$, period average | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 359.82 LCU per US$, period average | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 398.66 LCU per US$, period average | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 437.94 LCU per US$, period average | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 477.79 LCU per US$, period average | +9.1% |
| 2006 | 511.3 LCU per US$, period average | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 516.62 LCU per US$, period average | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 526.24 LCU per US$, period average | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 573.29 LCU per US$, period average | +8.9% |
| 2010 | 525.83 LCU per US$, period average | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 505.66 LCU per US$, period average | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 502.9 LCU per US$, period average | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 499.77 LCU per US$, period average | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 538.32 LCU per US$, period average | +7.7% |
| 2015 | 534.57 LCU per US$, period average | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 544.74 LCU per US$, period average | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 567.51 LCU per US$, period average | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 576.97 LCU per US$, period average | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 587.29 LCU per US$, period average | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 584.9 LCU per US$, period average | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 620.78 LCU per US$, period average | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 647.14 LCU per US$, period average | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 544.05 LCU per US$, period average | -15.9% |
| 2024 | 515.11 LCU per US$, period average | -5.3% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 515.11 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 LCU per US$, period average, 515.1× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 515.11 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.7 LCU per US$, period average, 190.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Costa Rica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +153.9% | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | 21.76 LCU per US$, period average |
| 1982 | +71.9% | 21.76 LCU per US$, period average | 37.41 LCU per US$, period average |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.73 LCU per US$, period average | 6.62 LCU per US$, period average | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.99 LCU per US$, period average | 8.57 LCU per US$, period average | 81.5 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1990s | 181.07 LCU per US$, period average | 91.58 LCU per US$, period average | 285.69 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2000s | 443.87 LCU per US$, period average | 308.19 LCU per US$, period average | 573.29 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2010s | 538.36 LCU per US$, period average | 499.77 LCU per US$, period average | 587.29 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2020s | 582.4 LCU per US$, period average | 515.11 LCU per US$, period average | 647.14 LCU per US$, period average | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More population data for Costa Rica
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2884 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9965 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6681 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,703 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5224 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7399 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1 (2100)
- Population density 73.96 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 123,827 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is official exchange rate in Costa Rica?
- Official exchange rate in Costa Rica was 515.11 LCU per US$, period average in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest official exchange rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 647.14 LCU per US$, period average in 2022.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.62 LCU per US$, period average in 1970.
- How does Costa Rica rank for official exchange rate?
- Costa Rica ranks 47th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is official exchange rate rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release