Income inequality in Costa Rica has become even more problematic than in recent years. In fact, last year, it reached the highest levels seen in the country since 1987. It’s one of the most inequitable nations in Latin America.
The National Household Survey of the National Institute of Statistics shows Costa Rica as a divided society. There’s a huge divide, on one extreme groups with good jobs and access to housing and quality education and better living conditions in general, but on the other extreme those groups with debt, little to no academic training, and extreme difficulty finding jobs and quality housing, trying to just survive from one day to the next.
About three decades ago, Costa Rica was a society that valued social equity. In fact, it was core to public policy. Things have changed so much. There’s more social exclusion,
homicidal violence, unemployment, and problems with access to education.