globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Costa Rica and the United States

In 2024, Costa Rica exported $10.5 billion to the United States and imported $8.6 billion. Costa Rica ran a surplus of $1.8 billion with the United States, compared with a deficit of $1 billion in 2019. The United States was Costa Rica’s largest trading partner (38% of its trade), and Costa Rica was the United States’ 38th (0.4%).

Summary

Costa Rica → United States
$10.5billion
United States → Costa Rica
$8.6billion
Costa Rica’s balance
$1.8billion

Balance

Costa Rica’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between Costa Rica and the United States grew 5.7-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Costa Rica’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 10.5
  • Imports 8.6
  • Balance +1.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.8 billion$1.5 billion$305 million
1996$1.9 billion$1.6 billion$278 million
1997$2.5 billion$2.2 billion$242 million
1998$2.9 billion$3.6 billion-$682 million
1999$3.9 billion$2.6 billion$1.4 billion
2000$3.5 billion$3.1 billion$363 million
2001$2.9 billion$3.4 billion-$462 million
2002$3.4 billion$3.7 billion-$335 million
2003$3.6 billion$3.7 billion-$108 million
2004$3.6 billion$3.6 billion-$8 million
2005$3.7 billion$3.8 billion-$118 million
2006$4.2 billion$4.4 billion-$253 million
2007$4.2 billion$4.8 billion-$553 million
2008$4.4 billion$6 billion-$1.5 billion
2009$4.7 billion$3.9 billion$770 million
2010$7.1 billion$6.3 billion$723 million
2011$8.3 billion$8.3 billion$14 million
2012$9.7 billion$9.5 billion$253 million
2013$9.6 billion$9.1 billion$542 million
2014$4.8 billion$7.7 billion-$2.9 billion
2015$4.4 billion$6.1 billion-$1.7 billion
2016$4.4 billion$5.6 billion-$1.2 billion
2017$4.7 billion$6.3 billion-$1.6 billion
2018$4.9 billion$6.5 billion-$1.6 billion
2019$5.1 billion$6.1 billion-$1 billion
2020$5.3 billion$5.6 billion-$235 million
2021$6.5 billion$6.9 billion-$381 million
2022$7.3 billion$8.2 billion-$918 million
2023$9.3 billion$8.6 billion$730 million
2024$10.5 billion$8.6 billion$1.8 billion

What they sell each other

What Costa Rica sells to the United States

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Medical and dental instruments$4.4 billion · 42%
    30 thousand tonnes · Costa Rica’s destinations
  2. Orthopedic and hearing devices$1.2 billion · 11.8%
    819 tonnes
  3. Microchips$869 million · 8.3%
    320 tonnes · Costa Rica’s destinations
  4. Avocados, mangoes, pineapples and dates$835 million · 8%
    1.2 million tonnes
  5. Bananas$471 million · 4.5%
    744 thousand tonnes · Costa Rica’s destinations
  6. Coffee$144 million · 1.4%
    25 thousand tonnes · the United States’ sources
  7. New tires$139 million · 1.3%
    31 thousand tonnes · the United States’ sources
  8. Cassava and other roots$119 million · 1.1%
    105 thousand tonnes
  9. Massage and respiratory therapy devices$117 million · 1.1%
    4 thousand tonnes
  10. Cables and wire$113 million · 1.1%
    2 thousand tonnes · the United States’ sources

What the United States sells to Costa Rica

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Refined petroleum$1.9 billion · 22.1%
    2.4 million tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  2. Medical and dental instruments$559 million · 6.5%
    9 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Plastic pipes and hoses$256 million · 3%
    3 thousand tonnes
  4. Cameras and broadcast equipment$252 million · 2.9%
    802 tonnes
  5. Other plastic articles$227 million · 2.6%
    6 thousand tonnes
  6. Uncoated paper$194 million · 2.3%
    267 thousand tonnes
  7. Corn$150 million · 1.7%
    622 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  8. Natural gas and LPG$139 million · 1.6%
    237 thousand tonnes
  9. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$135 million · 1.6%
    983 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  10. Computers$135 million · 1.6%
    905 tonnes · the United States’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Golfito to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Golfito and Los Angeles is 2,696 nautical miles (4,993 km) long: ≈ 6–8 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$9.5 billion · 49.4%
  2. Air$9.7 billion · 50.6%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United States was Costa Rica’s largest trading partner (38% of its trade), and Costa Rica was the United States’ 38th (0.4%).

The United States in Costa Rica’s trade
37.6%
The United States’ rank among Costa Rica’s partners
1st
Costa Rica in the United States’ trade
0.4%
Costa Rica’s rank among the United States’ partners
38th

Compare with

Other partners of Costa Rica

Other partners of the United States

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.