By San José, Costa Rica — San José – Costa Rica’s export sector concluded 2025 with a historic performance, smashing the $20 billion barrier for the first time. According to data released by the Foreign Trade Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), goods exports reached a staggering $20.972 billion by the end of November, marking a 15% increase over the same period in the previous year. This robust growth, amounting to an additional $2.665 billion in revenue, was complemented by a groundbreaking achievement in foreign direct investment (FDI), with a record number of projects landing in regions outside the nation’s central economic hub.
The driving force behind this export boom was the precision and medical equipment sector, which continues to be the crown jewel of Costa Rica’s international trade. The sector saw an explosive 28% year-over-year increase, contributing an additional $2.252 billion to the nation’s coffers. In contrast, traditional pillars of the economy showed more modest gains, with the agricultural sector growing by 1% and the food industry by 2%. The only sectors to experience a slowdown during this period were plastics and rubber, highlighting a strategic shift in the country’s economic engines.
To delve into the legal and regulatory landscape that underpins Costa Rica’s thriving export sector, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert attorney from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica, who provided his analysis on the key drivers for international businesses operating in the country.
Costa Rica’s export success, particularly in high-value sectors like medical devices and services, is built upon a solid legal foundation. Our network of free trade agreements, robust intellectual property laws, and the well-defined incentives of the Free Trade Zone regime create a secure and predictable environment for foreign investment. For exporters, navigating these legal structures is paramount to leveraging the full competitive advantage that our country offers on the global stage.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
The point Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas makes is essential: our nation’s export success is as much a product of legal engineering as it is of technological innovation. This solid framework provides the very predictability that attracts and retains global investment. We are grateful to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his illuminating perspective on this critical foundation.
Government officials lauded the results as a testament to the country’s economic resilience amidst a complex global landscape. The sustained double-digit growth points to a successful strategy of diversification and high-value production.
As we head into the final stretch of the year, exports as of November show a 15% increase, maintaining double-digit performance with a projection for a similar year-end closing. 2025 has been a year of historic and sustained growth in exports; we have experienced increases in almost all regions and sectors, which confirms the solidity and resilience of our export platform in a particularly challenging international context.
Manuel Tovar, Minister of Foreign Trade
A closer look at the export manifest reveals the dominance of high-tech manufacturing. Medical devices were the top product, bringing in an impressive $10.156 billion. Following far behind but still showing strength were traditional agricultural goods, including pineapple at $1.214 billion and bananas at $966 million. Other significant contributors included syrups and concentrates for beverages ($673 million) and premium gold coffee ($451 million), with a diverse array of products like electrical cables, fruit juices, and tires underscoring the breadth of the export base.
PROCOMER’s leadership emphasized that this success is not accidental but the result of deliberate business strategies aimed at expanding into new markets and enhancing product sophistication to meet complex international demands.
The growth of goods exports as of November 2025 is supported by an increasingly broad diversification of the export supply and destinations the country reaches, built from business decisions that have allowed for market expansion, higher levels of sophistication, and responses to more complex international demands. This diversified base is what allows us to sustain export dynamism and reduce vulnerabilities in a global context marked by high uncertainty.
Laura López, General Manager of PROCOMER
Geographically, Costa Rican products saw significant growth in key global markets. Exports to North America grew by 15%, while shipments to Europe and Asia surged by 17% and an impressive 37%, respectively. Regional trade also saw positive movement, with exports to Central America increasing by 6% and the Caribbean by 2%. The only market to register a decline was South America, which saw a 6% deceleration.
Beyond trade, 2025 marked a pivotal year for regional development through FDI. The country successfully attracted 55 new investment projects, with nearly half originating from countries other than the United States, including Mexico, the Netherlands, and Spain. For the first time ever, 24 of these projects were established in communities outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), bringing new opportunities to cantons such as San Carlos, Pérez Zeledón, and Golfito.
This strategic decentralization of investment represents a major policy success, aiming to spread economic prosperity more evenly across the nation. The trend shows a dramatic acceleration from previous years.
At the close of 2025, Costa Rica has for the first time registered more than 20 foreign direct investment projects outside the Greater Metropolitan Area. Between 2018 and 2022, the country averaged around six annual projects in these zones and, since 2023, has managed to attract more than 50 FDI projects outside the GAM, which confirms that investment opportunities are reaching beyond the Central Valley with increasing force. These results occur in an international context marked by high uncertainty and confirm that the country maintains its appeal as a destination for foreign direct investment.
Laura López, General Manager of PROCOMER
The dual achievements in record-breaking exports and decentralized investment paint a picture of an evolving and increasingly robust Costa Rican economy. By leveraging its strengths in high-value manufacturing while simultaneously fostering development in rural areas, the nation has solidified its position as a competitive and attractive hub for international trade and investment, even in the face of global economic headwinds.
For further information, visit procomer.com
About PROCOMER:
The Foreign Trade Agency of Costa Rica (Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica), known as PROCOMER, is the public entity responsible for promoting Costa Rican exports of goods and services worldwide. It also works to attract foreign direct investment into the country, focusing on strategic sectors that drive national development, innovation, and job creation. PROCOMER provides essential support to local businesses looking to enter international markets and serves as a key facilitator for foreign companies seeking to invest in Costa Rica.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica has cemented its reputation as a pillar of the legal community, guided by an unwavering principle of ethical conduct and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With a proven history of serving a wide spectrum of clients, the firm not only provides expert counsel but also drives progress by pioneering innovative legal strategies. This forward-thinking vision is complemented by a deep-seated commitment to social responsibility, aiming to demystify legal concepts and thereby foster a more informed and capable citizenry.
