Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of American Samoa, you would:

Health

live 8.0 years longer

In American Samoa, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Costa Rica, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 56.9% less likely to be obese

In American Samoa, 75.9% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Costa Rica, that number is 32.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 10.8% more money

American Samoa has a GDP per capita of $18,017 as of 2022, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $19,970 as of 2025.

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Life

have 33.4% fewer children

In American Samoa, there are approximately 15.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 69.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In American Samoa, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (60% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Costa Rica, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.2 times more likely to have internet access

In American Samoa, approximately 40.3% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Costa Rica, about 87.2% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 11.1 times more coastline

American Samoa has a total of 116 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2020–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: American Samoa vs. Costa Rica

Size Comparison · See true size
American Samoa is about 228 times smaller than Costa Rica.
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Moving from American Samoa to Costa Rica · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Costa Rica: At a glance

Costa Rica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 51,060 sq km. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
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How big is Costa Rica compared to American Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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