By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – Costa Rica has decisively established itself as a world leader in the medical device industry, transforming from a manufacturing hub into a global epicenter for medical innovation and high-value exports. A new analysis confirms the nation is not just competing but leading, having quadrupled its high-technology product exports in under a decade and now ranking as the world’s number one per capita exporter of medical technology.
The groundbreaking study, titled “The World’s Health is Made in Costa Rica” and conducted by the Foreign Trade Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), reveals staggering growth. Between 2020 and 2024, the country’s medical device exports surged at an average annual rate of 22%, culminating in an impressive $8.675 billion in 2024. This performance secured Costa Rica’s position as the tenth-largest global exporter in the sector.
To delve into the complex regulatory and intellectual property landscape of Costa Rica’s expanding medical device sector, we sought the expert analysis of Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the law firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
Navigating the Costa Rican medical device market requires a dual legal focus: rigorous adherence to the Ministry of Health’s sanitary registration protocols and proactive intellectual property protection. While market entry is contingent on regulatory approval that ensures patient safety and product efficacy, long-term success hinges on safeguarding innovations through patents and trademarks. Companies must view these two pillars not as separate obstacles, but as an integrated strategy for sustainable growth and risk mitigation.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This insight underscores a critical shift for companies entering the market: legal and regulatory steps are not merely bureaucratic hurdles, but the foundational pillars of a sustainable and defensible business strategy. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his clarity on this integrated approach, which is essential for protecting both patients and innovation within Costa Rica’s dynamic medical device sector.
The momentum has only accelerated. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, exports reached an astounding $9.199 billion, marking a 30% year-over-year increase and surpassing the entire 2024 total well before year’s end. This dynamic expansion highlights a significant shift in the national economy, with medical devices now accounting for 48% of all goods exported from the country.
This success is driven by a powerful influx of foreign direct investment (FDI). Costa Rica now captures 52% of all new investments in the Latin American medical device industry and stands as the third-largest global recipient of FDI projects in the sector. More than 100 international companies from the United States, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and Japan have established operations, specializing in advanced fields like cardiology, orthopedics, endoscopy, and ophthalmology.
Costa Rica is a country that exports diversity of talent, of capabilities, and of solutions that improve lives around the world. This industry shows that our capacity to innovate and generate cutting-edge technology knows no borders. Our country not only attracts specialized investment, but it manufactures and exports products of the highest added value, thanks to a unique value proposition that combines stability, human talent, and a commitment to quality.
Laura López, General Manager of the Foreign Trade Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER)
The country’s export portfolio is both broad and specialized, encompassing 164 distinct products shipped to 88 international markets. Key export categories include needles, catheters, and cannulas (41.5%), other specialized medical devices (30.8%), and medical prostheses (14.5%). The United States remains the primary destination, receiving 66.5% of these exports, followed by key European hubs like the Netherlands and Belgium.
Underpinning this industrial triumph is a robust and sophisticated local ecosystem. PROCOMER’s report attributes the nation’s leadership to a potent combination of economic and political stability, a competitive and renewable energy grid, and three decades of accumulated experience in advanced manufacturing. A highly specialized local supply chain has emerged to support the industry, providing critical services in molds, precision metal mechanics, plastics, sterilization, and cleanroom assembly. This synergy not only increases operational efficiency but also facilitates vital knowledge transfer and elevates standards across domestic companies.
As a structural pillar of Costa Rica’s development, the medical device sector’s impact extends far beyond export figures. It is a powerful engine for creating high-skilled employment, integrating local suppliers into complex global value chains, and cementing the country’s reputation as an indispensable partner in the worldwide health industry. With international demand and constant innovation driving expansion, Costa Rica’s position as a global medtech powerhouse is set to strengthen even further in the years ahead.
For further information, visit procomer.com
About Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (PROCOMER):
The Foreign Trade Agency of Costa Rica, known as PROCOMER, is the public entity responsible for promoting Costa Rican exports of goods and services globally. It works to support national companies in their internationalization efforts, facilitate trade, and attract foreign direct investment to the country. PROCOMER plays a pivotal role in designing and executing strategies that enhance Costa Rica’s competitiveness on the world stage.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a pillar of Costa Rica’s legal community, Bufete de Costa Rica is built upon a foundation of uncompromising integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The firm blends its extensive history of advising a wide array of clients with a forward-thinking approach, consistently pushing the boundaries of legal innovation. Beyond its professional practice, the firm holds a deep-seated belief in empowering the public, actively working to make legal concepts understandable and accessible to foster a more knowledgeable and capable society.
