If you lived in Mozambique instead of Costa Rica, you would:

Health

be 67.4% less likely to be obese

In Costa Rica, 32.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 10.7% of people as of 2024.

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be 19.2 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Costa Rica, 0.6% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 11.5% of people as of 2024.

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live 17.2 years less

In Costa Rica, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 64 years (60 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 92.6% less spent on your healthcare

Costa Rica spends $1,928 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mozambique spends $143 as of 2023.

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have 93.5% fewer doctors per person

Costa Rica has 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Mozambique has 1.8 as of 2022.

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have 45.7% less access to essential health services

Costa Rica scores 81 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mozambique scores 44 as of 2021.

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be 31.6% more likely to die by suicide

Costa Rica has a suicide rate of 8.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mozambique, it is 10.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 3.8 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Costa Rica, 17.1% live below the poverty line as of 2025. In Mozambique, however, that number is 65.0% as of 2022.

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make 96.9% less money

Costa Rica has a GDP per capita of $19,970 as of 2025, while in Mozambique, the GDP per capita is $627 as of 2025.

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Life

have 3.7 times more children

In Costa Rica, there are approximately 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mozambique, there are 37.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 4.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Costa Rica, approximately 24.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Mozambique, 99.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 37.1% less likely to be literate

In Costa Rica, the literacy rate is 98.0% as of 2021. In Mozambique, it is 61.7% as of 2022.

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be 4.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In Costa Rica, approximately 9.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Mozambique, on the other hand, 43.7 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 64.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Costa Rica, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Mozambique, that number is 36% of people on average (79% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 76.4% less likely to have internet access

In Costa Rica, approximately 87.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Mozambique, about 20.5% do as of 2024.

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be 33.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Costa Rica, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 67% of people on average (89% in urban areas, and 52% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 12.6% more on education

Costa Rica spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Mozambique spends 6.0% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 23.7% more on healthcare

Costa Rica spends 6.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mozambique, that number is 8.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 91.5% more coastline

Costa Rica has a total of 1,290 km of coastline. In Mozambique, that number is 2,470 km.

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Safety

be 29.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In Costa Rica, road accidents kill 15.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Mozambique, they kill 20.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 70.2% less strain on fresh water

Costa Rica withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mozambique withdraws 2% as of 2022.

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find 99.4% less home broadband

Costa Rica has 23.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mozambique has 0.1 as of 2024.

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use 82.9% less electricity

Costa Rica uses 2,282 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Mozambique uses 391 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 82.2% less CO2

Costa Rica emits 1.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mozambique emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 4.3 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Costa Rica, air pollution causes 15.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mozambique, it causes 64.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Mozambique: At a glance

Mozambique is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 786,380 sq km. Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid 1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between Frelimo and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. President GUEBUZA was reelected to a second term in October 2009. However, the elections were flawed by voter fraud, questionable disqualification of candidates, and Frelimo use of government resources during the campaign. As a result, Freedom House removed Mozambique from its list of electoral democracies.
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How big is Mozambique compared to Costa Rica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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