Costa Rica vs Japan
A data-driven side-by-side: investment score, economy, business climate, political stability, and tax, to help you decide where to invest, incorporate, or relocate.
Overall: Japan ranks higher
Japan scores 82/100 on our composite investment index, ahead of Costa Rica at 60/100. This blends economic strength, political stability, business climate, financial maturity, and growth outlook. Read the breakdown below to see where each country actually leads.
Category breakdown
58
Economic strength
Japan leads
80
68
Political stability
Japan leads
88
62
Business climate
Japan leads
85
52
Financial maturity
Japan leads
72
55
Growth outlook
55
Macro snapshot
71
GDP (USD bn)
-4159.5 bn
4,230
3.8%
GDP growth (%)
+2.8 pp
1.0%
$13,200
GDP per capita (USD)
-20800.0
$34,000
1.8%
Inflation (%)
-0.9 pp
2.7%
4.5%
FDI (% of GDP)
+3.7 pp
0.8%
62%
Public debt (% of GDP)
-193.0 pp
255%
5.2
Population (M)
-118.8M
124
Costa Rica: strong sectors
- Technology7.0% of GDP72
- Tourism8.5% of GDP68
- Medical Devices6.0% of GDP65
- Agriculture5.5% of GDP55
Japan: strong sectors
- Technology8.0% of GDP88
- Automotive5.0% of GDP85
- Manufacturing20.0% of GDP82
- Financial Services6.0% of GDP78
Frequently asked
Which is better for investment: Costa Rica or Japan?
Our composite investment index gives Costa Rica a score of 60/100 and Japan a score of 82/100. Japan ranks higher overall, but the right answer depends on your sector and risk tolerance. See the category breakdown above.
Is Costa Rica a safer market than Japan?
Risk classification puts Costa Rica as moderate (Growing economy with manageable risks - suitable for diversified portfolios) and Japan as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate).
Which has higher GDP growth: Costa Rica or Japan?
Costa Rica is currently growing at 3.8% per year, vs 1.0% for Japan. Costa Rica has the faster headline growth rate today.