Q COSTARICA — With sustained growth driven primarily by reinvestments, Costa Rica, a leading global hub for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), once again surpassed US$5 billion in FDI, reaching US$5.1218 billion at the close of 2025, according to figures from the Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) —Costa Rica’s Central Bank.
This result marks the second consecutive year above that threshold, after 2024 was also revised upward to US$5.1135 billion.
This performance occurred within a complex international environment, characterized by changes in the global investment dynamics.
One of the most significant elements of the period was the growth in reinvestments, which increased by 26% to $4.328 billion, becoming the main component of FDI.
This trend reflects the continuity of operations and the confidence of companies already established in the country.
In contrast, new capital reached US$895 million, a decrease of 18%, in line with the global decline in greenfield investment projects.
By sector, manufacturing led the flows with US$3.8973 billion, driven by reinvestments in the medical device industry.
Increases were also recorded in agriculture, the financial system, and real estate, while sectors such as commerce, tourism, services, and agribusiness showed declines.
The Free Trade Zone Regime accounted for 66.4% of total investment, followed by the Permanent Regime, tourism, the real estate sector, and the financial system.
Also noteworthy is the growth in investment outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (Gran Area Metropolitana – GAM), especially in free trade zones, where it increased by 24.3%.
Regarding the origin of capital, the United States continues to lead with 54.8%, followed by Switzerland, Mexico, and Colombia.
Between 2023 and 2025, the country attracted 175 new companies and more than 500 reinvestments.
In just 13 recent projects, investments exceeding US$833 million and the generation of more than 12,000 jobs are projected, reinforcing the trend of growth and territorial expansion of foreign investment in Costa Rica.