Population
El Salvador is higher
El Salvador records 6,338,193, about 1.24× the other value.
Country comparison
Costa RicavsEl Salvador
See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.
This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.
The biggest differences first
Surface area
Costa Rica is higher
Costa Rica records 51,100 km², about 2.43× the other value.
Nominal GDP
Costa Rica is higher
Costa Rica records $95.35 billion, about 2.70× the other value.
What stands out
Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.
Population
🇨🇷 Costa Rica5,129,910
🇸🇻 El Salvador6,338,193
El Salvador’s population is 24% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 1,208,283.
Surface area
🇨🇷 Costa Rica51,100 km²
🇸🇻 El Salvador21,040 km²
Costa Rica’s surface area is 143% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of 30,060 km².
Population density
🇨🇷 Costa Rica100 /km²
🇸🇻 El Salvador301 /km²
El Salvador’s population density is 200% higher than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 201 /km².
Nominal GDP
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$95.35 billion · 2024
🇸🇻 El Salvador$35.36 billion · 2024
Costa Rica’s nominal GDP is 170% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of $59.99 billion.
GDP per capita
🇨🇷 Costa Rica$18,587 · 2024
🇸🇻 El Salvador$5,580 · 2024
Costa Rica’s GDP per capita is 233% higher than that of El Salvador, a difference of $13,007.
Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.
Full side-by-side comparison
Capital
San Jose
San Salvador
Population
5,129,910
6,338,193
Surface area
51,100 km²
21,040 km²
Population density
100 /km²
301 /km²
Nominal GDP
$95.35 billion · 2024
$35.36 billion · 2024
GDP per capita
$18,587 · 2024
$5,580 · 2024
Region
Americas
Americas
Subregion
Central America
Central America
Currency
Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡
United States dollar · USD · $
Nationality
Costa Rican
Salvadoran
Phone code
+506
+503
Internet domain
.cr
.sv
ISO codes
CR / CRI
SV / SLV
Time zone
America/Costa_Rica
America/El_Salvador
Native name
Costa Rica
El Salvador
| Measure | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | San Jose | San Salvador |
| Population | 5,129,910 | 6,338,193 |
| Surface area | 51,100 km² | 21,040 km² |
| Population density | 100 /km² | 301 /km² |
| Nominal GDP | $95.35 billion · 2024 | $35.36 billion · 2024 |
| GDP per capita | $18,587 · 2024 | $5,580 · 2024 |
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Subregion | Central America | Central America |
| Currency | Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡ | United States dollar · USD · $ |
| Nationality | Costa Rican | Salvadoran |
| Phone code | +506 | +503 |
| Internet domain | .cr | .sv |
| ISO codes | CR / CRI | SV / SLV |
| Time zone | America/Costa_Rica | America/El_Salvador |
| Native name | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
Compare a different pair
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Country overviews
AI-assisted profile prose · methodologyAbout Costa Rica
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is a small but strikingly diverse nation celebrated for its lush rainforests, abundant wildlife, and a reputation as a global leader in eco‑tourism and sustainable living.
Full Costa Rica profile →About El Salvador
El Salvador, the smallest yet most densely populated nation in Central America, packs a vibrant mix of volcanic landscapes, colonial heritage, and a warm, resilient people into a compact 21,000‑square‑kilometer canvas.
Full El Salvador profile →Costa Rica & El Salvador: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose.
What is the population of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a recorded population of approximately 5,129,910 people.
How big is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica covers an area of about 51,100 km².
What is the population density of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a population density of roughly 100 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $95.35 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a GDP per capita of approximately $18,587.
What currency is used in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican colón (CRC), with the symbol ₡.
Where is Costa Rica located?
Costa Rica is located in Central America, Americas.
What are people from Costa Rica called?
People from Costa Rica are referred to as Costa Rican.
What is the phone calling code for Costa Rica?
The international dialing code for Costa Rica is +506.
What is the internet domain for Costa Rica?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Costa Rica is .cr.
What time zone is Costa Rica in?
Costa Rica uses the America/Costa_Rica time zone.
What is Costa Rica known for?
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is a small but strikingly diverse nation celebrated for its lush rainforests, abundant wildlife, and a reputation as a global leader in eco‑tourism and sustainable living.
What is the capital of El Salvador?
The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador.
What is the population of El Salvador?
El Salvador has a recorded population of approximately 6,338,193 people.
How big is El Salvador?
El Salvador covers an area of about 21,040 km².
What is the population density of El Salvador?
El Salvador has a population density of roughly 301 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of El Salvador?
El Salvador has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $35.36 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of El Salvador?
El Salvador has a GDP per capita of approximately $5,580.
What currency is used in El Salvador?
El Salvador uses the United States dollar (USD), with the symbol $.
Where is El Salvador located?
El Salvador is located in Central America, Americas.
What are people from El Salvador called?
People from El Salvador are referred to as Salvadoran.
What is the phone calling code for El Salvador?
The international dialing code for El Salvador is +503.
What is the internet domain for El Salvador?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for El Salvador is .sv.
What time zone is El Salvador in?
El Salvador uses the America/El_Salvador time zone.
What is El Salvador known for?
El Salvador, the smallest yet most densely populated nation in Central America, packs a vibrant mix of volcanic landscapes, colonial heritage, and a warm, resilient people into a compact 21,000‑square‑kilometer canvas.