Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Costa Rica, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Costa Rica is 5.60 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 89.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Costa Rica peaked at 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 22.10 million BoP, current US$, in 1971.
Costa Rica ranks 46th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 26.34 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 22.10 million BoP, current US$ | -16.1% |
| 1972 | 25.85 million BoP, current US$ | +17.0% |
| 1973 | 37.70 million BoP, current US$ | +45.9% |
| 1974 | 46.31 million BoP, current US$ | +22.8% |
| 1975 | 69.02 million BoP, current US$ | +49.0% |
| 1976 | 61.95 million BoP, current US$ | -10.2% |
| 1977 | 62.50 million BoP, current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 48.60 million BoP, current US$ | -22.2% |
| 1979 | 43.50 million BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 1980 | 52.60 million BoP, current US$ | +20.9% |
| 1981 | 69.60 million BoP, current US$ | +32.3% |
| 1982 | 28.90 million BoP, current US$ | -58.5% |
| 1983 | 60.70 million BoP, current US$ | +110.0% |
| 1984 | 55.90 million BoP, current US$ | -7.9% |
| 1985 | 69.90 million BoP, current US$ | +25.0% |
| 1986 | 61.00 million BoP, current US$ | -12.7% |
| 1987 | 80.30 million BoP, current US$ | +31.6% |
| 1988 | 122.20 million BoP, current US$ | +52.2% |
| 1989 | 101.30 million BoP, current US$ | -17.1% |
| 1990 | 162.50 million BoP, current US$ | +60.4% |
| 1991 | 178.40 million BoP, current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 226.00 million BoP, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1993 | 246.70 million BoP, current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1994 | 297.60 million BoP, current US$ | +20.6% |
| 1995 | 336.90 million BoP, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1996 | 426.95 million BoP, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1997 | 409.44 million BoP, current US$ | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 614.50 million BoP, current US$ | +50.1% |
| 1999 | 619.47 million BoP, current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 723.43 million BoP, current US$ | +16.8% |
| 2001 | 621.85 million BoP, current US$ | -14.0% |
| 2002 | 723.17 million BoP, current US$ | +16.3% |
| 2003 | 774.39 million BoP, current US$ | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.9% |
| 2005 | 1.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.1% |
| 2006 | 1.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 2007 | 2.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.5% |
| 2008 | 2.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2009 | 1.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.7% |
| 2010 | 1.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.1% |
| 2011 | 2.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +43.3% |
| 2012 | 2.70 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 3.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.9% |
| 2014 | 3.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 2.96 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 2.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2017 | 2.92 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2018 | 3.01 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2020 | 2.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.7% |
| 2021 | 3.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +70.8% |
| 2022 | 5.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +45.1% |
| 2023 | 5.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 5.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.99 billion BoP, current US$, 1.9× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 938.47 million BoP, current US$, 6.0× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 44.39 million BoP, current US$ | 22.10 million BoP, current US$ | 69.02 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.24 million BoP, current US$ | 28.90 million BoP, current US$ | 122.20 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 351.85 million BoP, current US$ | 162.50 million BoP, current US$ | 619.47 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ | 621.85 million BoP, current US$ | 2.44 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.80 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.91 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.24 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.10 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 43 Guinea 7.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 44 Oman 6.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 45 Mozambique 5.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 47 Cambodia 5.10 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 48 Dominican Republic 4.92 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 49 Bulgaria 4.88 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Costa Rica
- 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)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0204 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Costa Rica?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Costa Rica was 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 5.60 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.10 million BoP, current US$ in 1971.
- How does Costa Rica rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Costa Rica ranks 46th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. Data are in current U.S. dollars.