Despite global market pressures—including rising international tariffs and geopolitical tension in the Middle East—Costa Rica has secured a spot among the top 10 countries worldwide for receiving the highest number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects per million inhabitants.
According to data released by the Trade and Investment Promoter of Costa Rica (Procomer), the country ranked 8th globally in the 2026 edition of the Greenfield FDI Performance Index, compiled by fDi Intelligence (a division of the Financial Times).
Global and Regional Standings
The 2026 index highlights small to mid-sized global economies that attract investment far above their expected baseline based on GDP:
| Rank | Country | Projects per Million Inhabitants |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 134.6 |
| 2 | Qatar | 55.4 |
| 3 | Singapore | 54.5 |
| 4 | Luxembourg | 49.9 |
| 5 | Ireland | 37.3 |
| 6 | Denmark | 22.7 |
| 7 | Malta | 19.5 |
| 8 | Costa Rica | 18.1 |
| 9 | Cyprus | 17.3 |
| 10 | Hong Kong | 15.0 |
Key Achievements
- Latin America Leader: Costa Rica is the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean to rank within the global top 20. El Salvador follows as the second highest in the region, ranking 38th.
- OECD Benchmark: It leads all member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) included in the report, standing as the only OECD nation inside the top 15.
- Economic Overperformance: Costa Rica attracted 6.5 times more foreign investment projects than the size of its domestic economy would suggest.
“Once again, Costa Rica demonstrates its capacity to attract high-value investment. These results reflect companies’ trust in our human talent, legal certainty, innovation, and sustainability, but their true significance lies in what they help build: more quality jobs, supply chain linkages, and expanded opportunities.”
— Laura López, General Manager of Procomer
Local Economic Challenges: A Sudden Free-Zone Slowdown
While FDI volume remains a strong suits, domestic indicators reveal underlying economic friction. A decline in manufacturing output within the medical equipment and electronic component sectors has cooled economic growth across special tax regimes.
According to the Monthly Indicator of Economic Activity (IMAE) published by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR):
- Monthly Growth Drops: Overall economic activity slowed to 3.5% by the end of May.
- Free Trade Zone Friction: Free-zone regimes grew by 3.8%—marking a significant 12.8 percentage point drop compared to the double-digit growth recorded during the same period in 2025.
While Costa Rica continues to draw international capital, policymakers and business leaders are closely watching whether the manufacturing slowdown in free trade zones will impact long-term momentum through the second half of the year.
