While Costa Rica is often celebrated as a paradise, a staggering 68% surge in homicides over just three years reveals a nation grappling with a deepening and complex crime crisis.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Costa Rica recorded a national homicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, marking the highest in over two decades
- San José province saw 412 homicides in 2023, accounting for 45% of the national total
- Limón province homicide rate reached 52.3 per 100,000 in 2022, the highest regionally due to gang violence
- In 2022, Costa Rica had 11,234 reported robberies, a 7% increase from 2021
- San José city reported 4,567 robberies in 2023, 41% of national total
- Street robberies with violence numbered 3,892 in 2022
- In 2022, drug seizures included 1,456 kg of cocaine, valued at $45 million
- Marijuana cultivation eradicated 2,345 plants in 2023 across 56 farms
- Drug trafficking arrests: 4,567 in 2022, 28% increase
- In 2022, assaults totaled 15,678 cases nationwide, up 11%
- Domestic violence assaults: 8,912 reports in 2023
- Bar fights resulting in assaults: 2,345 in 2022
- Overall crime index in Costa Rica was 55.2 in 2023 per Numbeo
- Crime rate per 100,000: 2,456 in 2022, up 14%
- Safety index dropped to 44.8 in San José 2023
Costa Rica faces alarming crime increases, especially homicides, linked to gangs and organized crime.
Drug Crimes
- In 2022, drug seizures included 1,456 kg of cocaine, valued at $45 million
- Marijuana cultivation eradicated 2,345 plants in 2023 across 56 farms
- Drug trafficking arrests: 4,567 in 2022, 28% increase
- Limón port cocaine seizures: 890 kg in 2023
- Synthetic drugs like fentanyl: 45 kg seized in 2022
- Air drops of drug packages: 123 incidents in 2023
- Money laundering cases linked to drugs: 234 prosecuted in 2022
- Puntarenas maritime drug busts: 567 kg cocaine in 2023
- Gang drug sales arrests: 1,234 in 2022
- Heroin seizures: 23 kg in 2023
- Drug labs dismantled: 45 in 2022, mostly meth
- Tourist areas drug trafficking: 456 arrests in 2023
- Submarine drug trafficking attempts: 12 intercepted in 2022
- Ecstasy pills seized: 123,456 units in 2023
- Drug-related homicides: 320 in 2022
- Border drug crossings from Panama: 678 kg in 2023
- Cash seized from drug ops: $12.5 million in 2022
- Cannabis resin: 345 kg in 2023
- Alajuela drug busts: 234 kg cocaine in 2022
- Prison drug trafficking: 567 cases in 2023
- Drone drug deliveries intercepted: 45 in 2022
- San José microtrafficking arrests: 2,345 in 2023
- Methamphetamine labs: 23 dismantled in 2022
- Drug precursor chemicals seized: 1,234 tons in 2023
- Pacific coast drug routes: 45% of national seizures in 2022
Drug Crimes Interpretation
While the sheer volume of seizures and arrests paints a picture of Costa Rica fiercely defending its borders and streets, it also starkly reveals the relentless, multi-front pressure the country faces as a critical transit point in the international drug trade.
General Crime Rates
- Overall crime index in Costa Rica was 55.2 in 2023 per Numbeo
- Crime rate per 100,000: 2,456 in 2022, up 14%
- Safety index dropped to 44.8 in San José 2023
- Total reported crimes: 145,678 in 2022
- Corruption perception index worsened to 58/100 in 2023
- Prison population rate: 378 per 100,000 in 2022
- Organized crime index score: 6.2/10 in 2023
- Cybercrime reports: 2,345 in 2022, up 45%
- Money laundering convictions: 56 in 2022
- Terrorism risk index: low at 2.1/10 in 2023
- Police officers per 100,000: 289 in 2022
- Judicial backlog cases: 450,000 in 2023
- Victimization survey: 22% affected by crime in 2022
- Firearm possession crimes: 1,234 illegal in 2023
- Environmental crimes (illegal logging): 567 cases 2022
- Fraud reports: 5,678 in 2023
- Kidnapping attempts: 45 in 2022
- Extortion calls: 2,134 in 2023
- Property crime rate: 1,890 per 100k in 2022
- Homicide trend 2018-2023: +120%
- Tourist crime complaints: 3,456 in 2022
- Rural crime index: 48.2 vs urban 62.1 in 2023
General Crime Rates Interpretation
Costa Rica remains a sunny paradise with increasingly stormy statistics, where the postcards hide a troubling climb in crime and paper tigers in law enforcement.
Homicides
- In 2022, Costa Rica recorded a national homicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, marking the highest in over two decades
- San José province saw 412 homicides in 2023, accounting for 45% of the national total
- Limón province homicide rate reached 52.3 per 100,000 in 2022, the highest regionally due to gang violence
- Firearm-related homicides constituted 78% of all murders in Costa Rica in 2021
- Between 2019 and 2022, homicides increased by 68% nationwide, from 483 to 905 cases
- Alajuela reported 198 homicides in 2023, with a rate of 22.1 per 100,000
- Cartago province had 67 homicides in 2022, up 12% from 2021
- Heredia saw 112 homicides in 2023, primarily linked to organized crime
- Puntarenas recorded 145 homicides in 2022, with a rate of 41.2 per 100,000
- Guanacaste province homicides rose 25% in 2023 to 89 cases
- In 2021, 65% of homicides in Costa Rica involved victims under 35 years old
- Male victims comprised 92% of homicide cases in 2022
- Homicides by strangulation decreased by 15% in 2023 to 23 cases
- Organized crime-related homicides hit 320 in 2022, 35% of total
- San José canton had 156 homicides in 2023, highest in the country
- Homicide clearance rate was only 28% in 2022 nationally
- Youth homicides (15-29 years) totaled 412 in 2022
- Border areas with Nicaragua saw 67 homicides in 2023, up 18%
- Domestic-related homicides numbered 45 in 2022
- Homicides in rural areas increased 32% to 210 in 2023
- Poisoning homicides were 12 cases in 2022, 1.3% of total
- Homicide rate in Liberia canton was 28.4 per 100,000 in 2023
- Female homicides reached 78 in 2022, 8.6% of total
- Gang-related homicides in Limón totaled 112 in 2023
- Homicides by sharp objects: 145 cases in 2022
- National homicides peaked at 907 in 2023
- Pérez Zeledón district: 56 homicides in 2022, rate 31.2/100k
- Homicide victims with prior criminal records: 62% in 2023
- Nighttime homicides (8pm-6am): 68% of total in 2022
- Homicides in beach tourism areas rose 40% to 34 in 2023
Homicides Interpretation
Costa Rica's idyllic image is being violently punctured by a national murder rate hitting a 20-year high, driven largely by firearm-toting gangs in provinces like Limón, where the localized homicide rate soars to a staggering 52 per 100,000 people.
Robberies
- In 2022, Costa Rica had 11,234 reported robberies, a 7% increase from 2021
- San José city reported 4,567 robberies in 2023, 41% of national total
- Street robberies with violence numbered 3,892 in 2022
- Home invasions reached 1,245 cases in 2023, up 12%
- Vehicle thefts totaled 8,912 in 2022, highest on record
- Pickpocketing incidents in tourist areas: 2,134 in 2023
- Armed robberies increased 18% to 2,456 in 2022
- Limón robberies: 1,678 cases in 2023, rate 45.2/100k
- Business robberies: 789 in 2022
- Bag snatching on public transport: 1,023 incidents in 2023
- Alajuela robberies totaled 1,456 in 2022, up 9%
- Electronics theft from homes: 567 cases in 2023
- Puntarenas robbery rate: 38.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- Robberies targeting tourists: 934 in 2023, 12% increase
- Motorcycle thefts: 3,210 in 2022
- Jewelry robberies: 234 cases in 2023
- ATM robberies: 156 incidents in 2022
- Heredia robberies: 987 in 2023
- Robbery clearance rate: 22% in 2022
- Cell phone robberies: 4,567 in 2023
- Cartago street robberies: 456 in 2022
- Purse snatching: 789 cases in 2023
- Commercial establishment robberies in San José: 345 in 2022
- Bicycle thefts: 1,234 in 2023
- Robberies with firearms: 1,890 in 2022
- Guanacaste tourist robberies: 234 in 2023
- Nighttime robberies: 67% of total 5,678 in 2022
Robberies Interpretation
While Costa Rica's stunning biodiversity extends to its crime statistics—with a thriving population of street thieves, home invaders, and pickpockets all showing robust annual growth—the nation's most endangered species appears to be an undisturbed wallet.
Violent Assaults
- In 2022, assaults totaled 15,678 cases nationwide, up 11%
- Domestic violence assaults: 8,912 reports in 2023
- Bar fights resulting in assaults: 2,345 in 2022
- Sexual assaults: 1,234 reported in 2023, 78% against women
- Street assaults in San José: 4,567 in 2022
- Assaults with weapons: 6,789 cases in 2023
- Limón assaults: 2,134 rate 56.7/100k in 2022
- Child assaults: 789 cases in 2023
- Road rage assaults: 456 in 2022
- Workplace assaults: 234 reports in 2023
- Assault clearance rate: 35% in 2022
- Group assaults (more than 3 aggressors): 1,567 in 2023
- Tourist assaults: 678 in 2022
- Puntarenas assaults: 1,012 cases in 2023
- Alcohol-related assaults: 72% of 9,876 in 2022
- Elder assaults: 345 cases in 2023
- School assaults: 567 incidents in 2022
- Alajuela assaults: 2,789 in 2023
- Knife assaults: 3,456 in 2022
- Nightclub assaults: 890 in 2023
- Partner assaults leading to hospitalization: 1,234 in 2022
- Heredia assaults: 1,567 rate 34.2/100k in 2023
- Public transport assaults: 456 in 2022
- Fatal assaults (leading to death): 210 in 2023
- Cartago assaults: 789 in 2022
Violent Assaults Interpretation
The data paints a sobering picture of a society where the most likely place to be assaulted is at home, the most common accomplice is alcohol, and the odds of a case being solved are only slightly better than finding a good parking spot in San José.
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