Costa Rica has solidified its standing as a major global hub for foreign direct investment (FDI), securing a spot among the top 10 countries worldwide with the highest number of investment projects per capita, according to the latest study by fDi Intelligence.
According to the 2026 edition of the Greenfield FDI Performance Index—published by the specialized unit of the Financial Times—Costa Rica achieved 8th position globally, recording 18.1 greenfield FDI projects per million inhabitants based on project announcements made throughout 2025.
Key Takeaways at a Glance
Global Rank (Per Capita): #8 worldwide (18.1 projects per million people).
Performance vs. GDP: #4 worldwide (attracted 6.5 times more projects than expected for its economy size).
Regional Dominance: The only Latin American and Caribbean nation in the global top 20.
OECD Leader: Highest-ranked member country within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is Greenfield Investment?
Greenfield projects refer to foreign direct investments aimed at opening brand-new operational facilities or expanding existing ones. This metric specifically excludes corporate mergers, acquisitions, and equity buyouts.
Global Per Capita Leaders
The index measures a nation’s relative capacity to attract new business projects relative to its demographic size, rather than total dollar volume.
In the per capita rankings, the top spots are held by:
- 1st – 3rd: United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore
- 4th – 7th: Luxembourg, Ireland, Denmark, Malta
- 8th: Costa Rica
- 9th – 10th: Cyprus, Hong Kong
Outperforming Relative to GDP Size
Costa Rica’s success extends beyond population metrics. In the study’s main index—which evaluates a nation’s share of global greenfield investment against its share of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—Costa Rica secured 4th place worldwide.
With an index score of 6.5, Costa Rica attracted six-and-a-half times more foreign investment projects than expected given the actual size of its national economy. Globally, this category was led by the United Arab Emirates, followed by Namibia, Rwanda, and Costa Rica.
Understanding the Index Methodology
The Greenfield FDI Performance Index uses data compiled from fDi Markets alongside economic indicators from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Because the index focuses strictly on publicly announced investment projects, it does not directly capture actual capital disbursed, net job creation, corporate reinvestment levels, or total long-term macroeconomic impact. The study notes that relative performance indexes naturally favor agile, smaller economies when assessing efficiency in attracting capital relative to absolute global economic weight.
