Costa Rica ranks No. 1 in Latin America for foreign direct investment (FDI) performance in the 2026 Greenfield FDI Performance Index, published by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times.

The index measures how well countries attract foreign direct investment relative to the size of their economies. Costa Rica was the top performer in Latin America and the only country in the region to make the global top 20.

“The Central American economy attracted 6.5 times the number of FDI projects that its GDP would suggest,” the index states. “It ranked fourth overall, maintaining its place near the top of global rankings.”

El Salvador ranked second in Latin America, with an index score of 2.25 and a No.38 ranking worldwide. Colombia followed with a score of 2.01, ranking No.43 globally.

In the Americas, Costa Rica also ranked well above Canada, which posted an index score of 1.8 and ranked No.50 worldwide. The United States had an index score of 0.47 and ranked No.90 globally.

“North America, which only includes the US and Canada, was a mixed bag. Canada performed better than its economy’s size would suggest, attracting 1.8 times as many FDI projects per unit of GDP. It scored higher than the US (0.47),” experts said. “The US retained its position as the world’s largest destination for FDI projects, but its outsized economy ensured its index score was below 1.”

The United Arab Emirates ranked first worldwide. However, the study measures FDI performance only for 2025 and therefore does not reflect the effects of the 2026 U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

The 2026 Greenfield FDI Performance Index analyzed data from 98 countries that recorded at least 10 projects during 2025. The index compares each country’s share of global greenfield investment announcements, including new physical operations and expansions, with its share of global gross domestic product.

Among the most recent international companies investing in Costa Rica is Newmont, a Denver-based U.S. company and the world’s largest gold mining corporation. The company opened its Global Delivery Center (GDC) in Costa Rica and launched a new operation that will create approximately 400 jobs this year.

In related economic developments, Costa Rica’s exports increased 7% during the first half of 2026, reaching a record of more than $11.7 billion, according to new figures released by the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX).

COMEX is the government agency responsible for overseeing Costa Rica's foreign trade and investment strategy.

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What strategy should Costa Rica implement to attract more foreign direct investment?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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