Skip to main content
Country comparison

Costa RicavsGuatemala

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

Population

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records 18,406,359, about 3.59× the other value.

Surface area

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records 108,890 km², about 2.13× the other value.

Nominal GDP

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records $113.20 billion, about 1.19× the other value.

What stands out

Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.

Population

🇨🇷 Costa Rica5,129,910
🇬🇹 Guatemala18,406,359

Guatemala’s population is 259% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 13,276,449.

Surface area

🇨🇷 Costa Rica51,100 km²
🇬🇹 Guatemala108,890 km²

Guatemala’s surface area is 113% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 57,790 km².

Population density

🇨🇷 Costa Rica100 /km²
🇬🇹 Guatemala169 /km²

Guatemala’s population density is 68% higher than that of Costa Rica, a difference of 68.6 /km².

Nominal GDP

🇨🇷 Costa Rica$95.35 billion · 2024
🇬🇹 Guatemala$113.20 billion · 2024

Guatemala’s nominal GDP is 19% larger than that of Costa Rica, a difference of $17.85 billion.

GDP per capita

🇨🇷 Costa Rica$18,587 · 2024
🇬🇹 Guatemala$6,150 · 2024

Costa Rica’s GDP per capita is 202% higher than that of Guatemala, a difference of $12,437.

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

Guatemala City

Population

5,129,910

18,406,359

Surface area

51,100 km²

108,890 km²

Population density

100 /km²

169 /km²

Nominal GDP

$95.35 billion · 2024

$113.20 billion · 2024

GDP per capita

$18,587 · 2024

$6,150 · 2024

Region

Americas

Americas

Subregion

Central America

Central America

Currency

Costa Rican colón · CRC · ₡

Guatemalan quetzal · GTQ · Q

Nationality

Costa Rican

Guatemalan

Phone code

+506

+502

Internet domain

.cr

.gt

ISO codes

CR / CRI

GT / GTM

Time zone

America/Costa_Rica

America/Guatemala

Native name

Costa Rica

Guatemala

Compare a different pair

Keep one country, change both, or start a completely new comparison.

Choose two countries to compare

Tip: open a menu and type a country name to jump through the list.

About 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 Guatemala

Guatemala, nestled between Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, blends highland mystique with lush lowland tropics, making it a focal point of Central American culture and history.

Full Guatemala profile →

Costa Rica & Guatemala: 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 Guatemala?

The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City.

What is the population of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a recorded population of approximately 18,406,359 people.

How big is Guatemala?

Guatemala covers an area of about 108,890 km².

What is the population density of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a population density of roughly 169 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $113.20 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a GDP per capita of approximately $6,150.

What currency is used in Guatemala?

Guatemala uses the Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ), with the symbol Q.

Where is Guatemala located?

Guatemala is located in Central America, Americas.

What are people from Guatemala called?

People from Guatemala are referred to as Guatemalan.

What is the phone calling code for Guatemala?

The international dialing code for Guatemala is +502.

What is the internet domain for Guatemala?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Guatemala is .gt.

What time zone is Guatemala in?

Guatemala uses the America/Guatemala time zone.

What is Guatemala known for?

Guatemala, nestled between Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, blends highland mystique with lush lowland tropics, making it a focal point of Central American culture and history.