Costa Rica vs United States
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: United States ranks higher
United States scores 87/100 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
United States leads
88
68
Political stability
United States leads
82
62
Business climate
United States leads
92
52
Financial maturity
United States leads
78
55
Growth outlook
United States leads
85
Macro snapshot
71
GDP (USD bn)
-27289.5 bn
27,360
3.8%
GDP growth (%)
+1.3 pp
2.5%
$13,200
GDP per capita (USD)
-66800.0
$80,000
1.8%
Inflation (%)
-1.3 pp
3.1%
4.5%
FDI (% of GDP)
+3.0 pp
1.5%
62%
Public debt (% of GDP)
-61.0 pp
123%
5.2
Population (M)
-329.8M
335
Costa Rica: strong sectors
- Technology7.0% of GDP72
- Tourism8.5% of GDP68
- Medical Devices6.0% of GDP65
- Agriculture5.5% of GDP55
United States: strong sectors
- Technology10.0% of GDP96
- Financial Services8.0% of GDP90
- Healthcare18.0% of GDP85
- Energy6.0% of GDP80
Frequently asked
Which is better for investment: Costa Rica or United States?
Our composite investment index gives Costa Rica a score of 60/100 and United States a score of 87/100. United States 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 United States?
Risk classification puts Costa Rica as moderate (Growing economy with manageable risks - suitable for diversified portfolios) and United States as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate).
Which has higher GDP growth: Costa Rica or United States?
Costa Rica is currently growing at 3.8% per year, vs 2.5% for United States. Costa Rica has the faster headline growth rate today.