Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) was 4,322 million current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
4,322 million current US$
Change on year
up 14.1%
World rank
56th
of 224 countries
All-time high
4,322 million current US$
in 2024
All-time low
162.4 million current US$
in 1990
Years of data
35
1990–2024
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in Costa Rica, 1990–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in million current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Costa Rica is 4,322 million current US$, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.1% on the previous year and up 47.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Costa Rica peaked at 4,322 million current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 162.4 million current US$, in 1990.
That places Costa Rica 56th out of 224 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | million current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 162.4 million current US$ | — |
| 1991 | 178.4 million current US$ | +9.9% |
| 1992 | 226 million current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1993 | 246.7 million current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1994 | 297.6 million current US$ | +20.6% |
| 1995 | 336.9 million current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1996 | 427 million current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1997 | 406.9 million current US$ | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 611.7 million current US$ | +50.3% |
| 1999 | 619.47 million current US$ | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 666.94 million current US$ | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 608.65 million current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2002 | 824.63 million current US$ | +35.5% |
| 2003 | 692.11 million current US$ | -16.1% |
| 2004 | 975.91 million current US$ | +41.0% |
| 2005 | 1,364 million current US$ | +39.8% |
| 2006 | 1,702 million current US$ | +24.8% |
| 2007 | 2,088 million current US$ | +22.7% |
| 2008 | 2,320 million current US$ | +11.1% |
| 2009 | 1,444 million current US$ | -37.8% |
| 2010 | 1,684 million current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2011 | 2,461 million current US$ | +46.2% |
| 2012 | 2,258 million current US$ | -8.3% |
| 2013 | 2,741 million current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2014 | 2,927 million current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 2,752 million current US$ | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 2,204 million current US$ | -19.9% |
| 2017 | 2,778 million current US$ | +26.1% |
| 2018 | 2,487 million current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 2,812 million current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2020 | 1,763 million current US$ | -37.3% |
| 2021 | 3,231 million current US$ | +83.3% |
| 2022 | 3,164 million current US$ | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 3,788 million current US$ | +19.7% |
| 2024 | 4,322 million current US$ | +14.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 4,322 million current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,309 million current US$, 1.3× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 4,322 million current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 592.29 million current US$, 7.3× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 351.31 million current US$ | 162.4 million current US$ | 619.47 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,269 million current US$ | 608.65 million current US$ | 2,320 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,510 million current US$ | 1,684 million current US$ | 2,927 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,253 million current US$ | 1,763 million current US$ | 4,322 million current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 53 Dominican Republic 4,523 million current US$ compare
- 54 Cambodia 4,395 million current US$ compare
- 55 Croatia 4,377 million current US$ compare
- 57 Ethiopia 3,984 million current US$ compare
- 58 Caribbean 3,921 million current US$ compare
- 59 Côte d'Ivoire 3,802 million current US$ compare
- 59 Cote d'Ivoire 3,802 million current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Costa Rica
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 11.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.74 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 115.71 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.5968 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0042 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 84.49 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Costa Rica?
- Foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in Costa Rica was 4,322 million current US$ in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 4,322 million current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 162.4 million current US$ in 1990.
- How does Costa Rica rank for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows?
- Costa Rica ranks 56th out of 224 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States dollars). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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