Lindora Park Free Zone in Costa Rica

Why Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is a thriving destination for foreign direct investment. A transnational company should establish operations in Costa Rica for several strategic reasons, such as:

1. Costa Rica skilled workforce

Costa Rica boasts a highly educated and bilingual population, especially in technical fields such as engineering, IT, and life sciences. The government has invested heavily in education and training programs aligned with global business needs. For instance, Costa Rica invests over 7% of its GDP in education, resulting in a literacy rate of 96%.

2. Political and economic stability

Costa Rica is one of the most stable democracies in Latin America, with a strong legal system and a long tradition of peace (Costa Rica has no army since 1948). This stability reduces business risk. The country has a long history of democratic stability, with a multiparty political system and regular rotations of power through credible elections.

3. Costa Rica strategic location

Located between North and South America, Costa Rica offers easy access to major markets, particularly the United States, with which it shares a free trade agreement (CAFTA-DR).

Costa Rica has several key seaports that support both commercial and passenger (cruise) operations. These are located on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts:

Caribbean Coast Ports

  • Location: Limón province
  • Use: One of the oldest and most important ports in Costa Rica
  • Type: Commercial and cruise
  • Managed by: JAPDEVA (Junta de Administración Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente Atlántica)
  • Main exports: Bananas, pineapples, coffee, and container cargo
  • Location: Just west of Puerto Limón
  • Use: Costa Rica’s main container terminal on the Caribbean side
  • Managed by: APM Terminals (modern private terminal)
  • Facilities: State-of-the-art container port (inaugurated in 2019)
  • Website: https://www.apmterminals.com/en/moin

Pacific Coast Ports

  • Location: Puntarenas province (Pacific side)
  • Use: Largest and most important commercial port on the Pacific coast
  • Managed by: Sociedad Portuaria de Caldera (private operator)
  • Main operations: Bulk cargo, containers, general goods
  • Website: https://www.portuariacaldera.com
  • Location: City of Puntarenas
  • Use: Primarily a cruise ship port and tourism hub
  • Managed by: INCOP (Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico)
  • Note: Smaller cargo activity compared to Caldera
  • Location: Southern Pacific Coast (near the border with Panama)
  • Use: Small-scale cargo and cruise ships; used for regional commerce and tourism
  • Managed by: INCOP

Costa Rica has two major international airports and several smaller ones:

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)

  • Location: Alajuela, near the capital city San José
  • Main use: Primary gateway to the Central Valley and capital region
  • Airlines: Serves major international carriers including United, American, Delta, JetBlue, Avianca, Iberia, and more
  • Website: https://sjoairport.com

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR)

  • Location: Liberia, Guanacaste province (Pacific northwest region)
  • Main use: Gateway to beach and resort destinations like Tamarindo, Papagayo, and Nosara
  • Airlines: Welcomes flights from the U.S., Canada, and Europe
  • Website: https://www.liberiacrairport.com

Other Regional Airports with Limited International Service:

These serve mostly regional or charter flights:

  • Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) – Located in Pavas, San José; used for private and domestic flights.
  • Limón Airport (LIO) – On the Caribbean coast; currently serves mainly domestic routes.
  • Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP) and Tamarindo Airport (TNO) – Serve popular tourist destinations via domestic flights.

4. Robust Free Trade Zone Regime

Costa Rica offers tax incentives through its Free Trade Zone (FTZ) program, attracting companies in sectors like medical devices, electronics, and shared services. This includes tax exemptions for a set period, duty-free imports, and simplified export procedures.

5. Strong life sciences and technology clusters

Costa Rica is a global hub for medical devices and advanced manufacturing. Over 90 multinational life sciences companies operate there, including 13 of the world’s top 20 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), according to CINDE.

6. Costa Rica is committed to sustainability

Costa Rica is internationally recognized for its environmental leadership, running mostly on renewable energy and promoting sustainable business practices. The country has generated over 98% of its electricity from renewable sources since 2014.

7. Proven track record with multinationals

Companies like Intel, HP, Amazon, and Microsoft have chosen Costa Rica for shared services, R&D, and manufacturing. Their success stories show the country’s capacity to support complex and large-scale operations.