Mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 136.03 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica is 136.03 per 100 people, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica peaked at 179.93 per 100 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places Costa Rica 46th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1992 | 0.0905 per 100 people | — |
| 1993 | 0.1331 per 100 people | +47.0% |
| 1994 | 0.2002 per 100 people | +50.4% |
| 1995 | 0.5248 per 100 people | +162.1% |
| 1996 | 1.27 per 100 people | +142.5% |
| 1997 | 1.72 per 100 people | +35.3% |
| 1998 | 2.85 per 100 people | +65.3% |
| 1999 | 3.54 per 100 people | +24.4% |
| 2000 | 5.37 per 100 people | +51.7% |
| 2001 | 8.16 per 100 people | +51.8% |
| 2002 | 12.33 per 100 people | +51.2% |
| 2003 | 18.8 per 100 people | +52.5% |
| 2004 | 21.98 per 100 people | +16.9% |
| 2005 | 25.84 per 100 people | +17.6% |
| 2006 | 33.41 per 100 people | +29.3% |
| 2007 | 34.43 per 100 people | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 42.49 per 100 people | +23.4% |
| 2009 | 43.34 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 68.67 per 100 people | +58.4% |
| 2011 | 90.09 per 100 people | +31.2% |
| 2012 | 115.31 per 100 people | +28.0% |
| 2013 | 150.8 per 100 people | +30.8% |
| 2014 | 147.27 per 100 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 156.4 per 100 people | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 171.17 per 100 people | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 179.93 per 100 people | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 171.36 per 100 people | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 144.51 per 100 people | -15.7% |
| 2020 | 142.48 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 140.79 per 100 people | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 136.52 per 100 people | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 133.53 per 100 people | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 136.03 per 100 people | +1.9% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 136.03 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 136.03 per 100 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 112.54 per 100 people, 1.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.03 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 3.54 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.62 per 100 people | 5.37 per 100 people | 43.34 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 139.55 per 100 people | 68.67 per 100 people | 179.93 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 137.87 per 100 people | 133.53 per 100 people | 142.48 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More infrastructure data for Costa Rica
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 6.98 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 610,457 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 11.9 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.119 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -3.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 610,457 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.36 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 6.98 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Costa Rica was 136.03 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 179.93 per 100 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Costa Rica rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Costa Rica ranks 46th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.