| Attribute |
Costa Rica × | 
El Salvador × |
| Geography | | |
| Area (km²) | 51,100 | 21,041 |
| Continent | North America | North America |
| Land area (km²) | 51,060 | 20,721 |
| Water area (km²) | 40 | 320 |
| Land boundaries (km) | 661 | 590 |
| Border countries | | |
| Coastline (km) | 1,290 | 307 |
| Mean elevation (m) | 746 | 442 |
| Lowest point (m) | 0 | 0 |
| Highest point (m) | 3,819 | 2,730 |
| People | | |
| Population | 5,097,988 | 6,481,102 |
| Official languages | | |
| Religion | Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic |
| Government | | |
| Long country name | Republic of Costa Rica | Republic of El Salvador |
| Short country name | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
| Long local name | Republica de Costa Rica | Republica de El Salvador |
| Short local name | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
| Government type | Presidential republic | Presidential republic |
| Capital | San Jose | San Salvador |
| Economy | | |
| GDP (PPP) (USD) | 83,940,000,000 | 51,170,000,000 |
| GDP (OER) (USD) | 58,270,000,000 | 24,810,000,000 |
| GDP (real growth rate) (%) | 3.3 | 2.3 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) (USD) | 16,900 | 8,000 |
| Gross national saving (% of GDP) | 15.1 | 14.9 |
| Labor force | 2,229,000 | 2,774,000 |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 8.1 | 7 |
| Population below poverty line (%) | 21.7 | 32.7 |
| Budget revenues (USD) | 8,357,000,000 | 5,886,000,000 |
| Budget expenditures (USD) | 11,920,000,000 | 6,517,000,000 |
| Military expenditures (% of GDP) | - | 1.03 |
| Taxes and other revenues (% of GDP) | 14.3 | 23.7 |
| Budget surplus or deficit (% of GDP) | -6.1 | -2.5 |
| Public debt (% of GDP) | 48.9 | 67.9 |
| Inflation rate (%) | 1.6 | 1 |
| Central bank discount rate (%) | 3.5 | - |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate (%) | 11.37 | 6.47 |
| Stock of narrow money (USD) | 5,356,000,000 | 3,653,000,000 |
| Stock of broad money (USD) | 5,356,000,000 | 3,653,000,000 |
| Stock of domestic credit (USD) | 41,040,000,000 | 14,220,000,000 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares (USD) | 2,015,000,000 | 2,640,000,000 |
| Current account balance (USD) | -1,692,000,000 | -501,000,000 |
| Exports (USD) | 10,810,000,000 | 4,662,000,000 |
| Imports (USD) | 15,150,000,000 | 9,499,000,000 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold (USD) | 7,150,000,000 | 3,567,000,000 |
| External debt (USD) | 26,830,000,000 | 15,510,000,000 |
| National currency | Costa Rican colones | US Dollar |
| National currency (code) | CRC | USD |
| National currency (symbol) | ₡ | $ |
| National currency rate to USD | 573.5 | 1 |