United States and Costa Rica
The United States–Costa Rica relationship has diplomatic and commercial precedents dating from the nineteenth century and today participates in the CAFTA-DR regional framework. Its history includes an interruption after the 1917 coup, when Washington did not recognize Federico Tinoco's government.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
The United States recognized Costa Rica on 24 April 1849 by authorizing negotiations with the country, and established relations on 24 March 1851.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between United States and Costa Rica totalled 24,492.5 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from United States to Costa Rica, at 2,081.8 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 24,492.51 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: United States to Costa Rica | 10,232.81 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Costa Rica to United States | 14,259.7 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: United States to Costa Rica | 0.47 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Costa Rica to United States | ||
| Investment stock: United States in Costa Rica | ||
| Investment stock: Costa Rica in United States |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: United States to Costa Rica
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Costa Rica to United States
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; complete calendar year; reporter USA. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: United States to Costa Rica
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | United States | Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 30.77 trillion USD2025 · WB | 102.9 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 90,026.52 USD2025 · WB | 19,970.1 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.16 %2025 · WB | 4.56 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 3.75–4 %2026-09-16 · Fed | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.7 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF | -0.07 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.4 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · BLS | |
| Unemployment | 4.2 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 6.84 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -6.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 123.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 60.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -3.63 %2025 · WB | -0.67 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 341,784,8572025 · WB | 5,152,9502025 · WB |
| Area | 9,831,510 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 51,100 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited States: 2025 · World BankCosta Rica: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited States: 2025 · World BankCosta Rica: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United States: 2025 · World BankCosta Rica: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)United States: 2026-09-16 · Federal funds target range · Federal Reserve
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United States: 2025 · Average annual change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07Costa Rica: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited States: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Published: 2026-09-11 · Headline year-on-year CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted; not monthly or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited States: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Costa Rica: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Costa Rica: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Costa Rica: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited States: 2025 · World BankCosta Rica: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeopleUnited States: 2025 · World BankCosta Rica: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited States: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOCosta Rica: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United States to Costa Rica
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 2,081.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 1,364.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 741.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 272.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 161.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 83.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 48.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.0562 M USD2025 · Source |
Costa Rica to United States
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 2,847.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 94.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 66.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 41.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 21.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.728 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.139 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | United States to Costa Rica | Costa Rica to United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,154.8 | 7,311.6 | 6,843.2 |
| 2022 | 17,634.8 | 8,525.4 | 9,109.4 |
| 2023 | 19,977.4 | 9,144.1 | 10,833.3 |
| 2024 | 21,682.7 | 9,676.8 | 12,005.9 |
| 2025 | 24,492.5 | 10,232.8 | 14,259.7 |
Connections between people
The first resident US representation in San José arrived in 1898. [1] [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United States living in Costa Rica | ||
| Residents from Costa Rica living in United States | ||
| Study and training: United States in Costa Rica | ||
| Study and training: Costa Rica in United States | ||
| Academic stays: United States in Costa Rica | ||
| Academic stays: Costa Rica in United States | ||
| Travel: United States to Costa Rica | ||
| Travel: Costa Rica to United States |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
The United States recognized Costa Rica on 24 April 1849 by authorizing negotiations with the country, and established relations on 24 March 1851. The treaty of friendship, commerce and navigation was signed on July 10, 1851, and entered into force on May 26, 1852. [1] [2]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for United States is 30,769.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 102.9 for Costa Rica (2025). The reference populations are 341.78 and 5.15 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of United States was 299.01 times that of Costa Rica in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
The first resident US representation in San José arrived in 1898. After the January 1917 coup, Washington did not recognize Tinoco's government; the legation closed in December 1918 and reopened in October 1920 after his fall. The mission became an embassy in 1943. Costa Rica is a party to CAFTA-DR alongside five other Central American and Caribbean countries: its regional dimension enables production chains and contains labor and transparency commitments, without turning regional figures into Costa Rican figures. [1] [2]
Regional trade framework
USTR identifies Costa Rica as a CAFTA-DR participant and explains its provisions on trade, investment, labor protection and transparency in government procedures. [2]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (United States and Costa Rica) totalled 24,492.5 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 10,232.8 million; those in the opposite direction, 14,259.7 million. The difference between the two flows was 4,026.9 million, in favour of Costa Rica. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [3]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from United States to the partner represented 0.47% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [3]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 14,154.8 million USD in 2021 and 24,492.5 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +73 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 24,492.5 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [4]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from United States to Costa Rica, at 2,081.8 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Costa Rica to United States, at 2,847.2 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [5]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Costa Rica — history of recognition and diplomatic relations with the United States
U.S. Department of State — Office of the Historian · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bilateral relations — USA-CRI
www.ustr.gov · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.