- It represents 54.9% of Costa Rica’s total exports of medical devices.
- Human talent and innovation are fundamental pillars for competing in the international market.
Alajuela, March 10, 2025. Coyol Free Zone continues to consolidate its position as a key driver of Costa Rica’s economic and social growth, with foreign sales of US$4.44 billion in 2023. The figures show an increase of 31% compared to 2022 and 382% compared to 2015.
This dynamism is brought together by the 34 multinational companies, including 7 of the Top 30 global, which houses the free zone, from strategic sectors such as Life Sciences, Semiconductors and Smart Manufacturing.
After a solid 18-year trajectory, Coyol Free Zone, together with these companies, has managed to adapt and maintain itself as a reference in increasingly demanding global markets, such as the medical device sector, which represents the majority of its exports.
With a 54.9% share of the country’s medical device exports (US$4,186 million in 2023), this free trade zone not only reinforces its role as a hub for the production and export of high value-added products, but also boosts Costa Rica’s leadership in the global medical device industry.
These products, which transcend our borders to improve the quality of life of thousands of people around the world, position the country as a benchmark in innovation and high-tech exports.
According to the figures, by 2023, the companies based in this park will create 23,976 direct, formal, quality, highly specialized and well-paid jobs.
Carlos Wong, Managing Director of CODE Development Group, a co-developer of Coyol Free Zone, emphasized that the true value of these results lies in human talent and innovation. “These are two fundamental pillars that allow us to offer tailor-made solutions, foster economic growth and the competitiveness of the companies that decide to operate in the country.”
“As leaders in the development of industrial parks in Costa Rica, our commitment is to offer world-class real estate solutions and state-of-the-art infrastructure that support the successful operation of our clients. This has allowed Coyol Free Zone to attract strategic investments and consolidate itself as the main Life Sciences ecosystem in the country, where companies innovate in a dynamic and constantly changing environment”, said Wong.
Generator of quality employment
Coyol Free Zone not only contributes significantly to foreign sales of high value-added products, but also stands out for its capacity to generate quality employment.
As of 2023, of the almost 24 thousand direct jobs generated by the companies located in this Free Zone, 54% were held by women, reflecting Coyol Free Zone’s commitment to labor inclusion and female equality. This figure represents 12.84% of the total free zone population and 1.14% of the country’s total employment.
This highly specialized human talent, combined with the competitive advantages offered by Costa Rica, facilitates the attraction of investments, promotes technology transfer, diversifies foreign trade, and reinforces the importance of free zones as main export engines, with high value-added products and advanced technology.
“At Coyol Free Zone we are proud to be a key driver of exports of high value-added products, and a driver of quality employment in the country,” added Wong.
Exports on the rise
Coyol Free Zone is responsible for one third (35.1%) of all exports under the Free Zone Regime in the Manufacturing segment.
Its share of net exports as a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown significantly: in 2015 it represented 0.99% of Costa Rica’s GDP, while in 2023 it reached 3.34%. The figures reflect a continuous expansion in relation to the growth of the national economy. This evolution has been accompanied by high labor productivity, which is equivalent to 2.9 times the national average (1.9 times more than the national productivity).
“Coyol Free Zone continues to demonstrate a growing impact on the country’s economy. This data reflects our commitment to economic development and our capacity to continue promoting its growth with exports, the generation of quality employment, and important productive linkages with participants in the national market,” said Wong.
Impact of Coyol Free Zone on the Costa Rican Economy during 2023:
| Indicator | Value |
| Total Exports | US$4.44 billion |
| Share in Free Zone Exports – Manufacture Segment | 35.1% |
| Net Exports of CFZ / Costa Rica GDP | 3.34% |
| Net Exports of CFZ / Total Exports of CFZ | 65.1% |
| Share in Exports of Medical Devices | 54.9% |
| Number of Jobs | 23,976 |
| Share in Free Zone Employment | 12.84% |
| Share in Total Employment | 1.14% |
Source: Independent Consultant
About Coyol Free Zone
Coyol Free Zone is the leading medical device export park in Costa Rica, with exports of over US$4.44 billion per year, which is equivalent to 35.1% of exports in the manufacturing segment of the country’s Free Zone Regime.
It was named the Best Free Trade Zone in the Americas for the fourth consecutive year, and recognized in the Top 10 Free Trade Zones in the World, as well as the Most Sustainable Free Trade Zone in the Americas by fDI Intelligence in 2024.
It is also the Best Free Zone in Latin America and the Caribbean for the fourth consecutive year, the Most Innovative Free Zone of the Year, and the Best Business Center for Life Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing, according to The European magazine.