The Central Bank of Costa Rica published the March 2026 Monthly Index of Economic Activity, showing national output grew 4.6 percent year on year on the trend-cycle series. This was 0.2 percentage points faster than in the same month a year earlier, and brought average growth in the first quarter to 4.7 percent compared with 2025. By production regime, activity in the definitive regime grew 3.8 percent and accounted for 76.9 percent of the overall increase in the index. That acceleration was linked to stronger private and public construction, higher output in accommodation and food services, and a recovery in agriculture, particularly short-cycle crops. Activity in special regimes rose 5.3 percent and contributed 23.1 percent of total growth, but this represented a deceleration of 10 percentage points from March 2025, reflecting a base effect from exceptionally strong growth in 2025, slower exports of medical products in the first quarter, and company exits during 2025.
Central Bank of Costa Rica 2026-05-12
Central Bank of Costa Rica reports March economic activity growth of 4.6 percent as special regimes decelerate
The Central Bank of Costa Rica reported that the March 2026 Monthly Index of Economic Activity rose 4.6 percent year on year on the trend-cycle series, bringing average first-quarter growth to 4.7 percent compared with 2025. Definitive regime activity grew 3.8 percent, driven by construction, accommodation and food services, and a recovery in agriculture, while special regimes rose 5.3 percent but decelerated sharply due to base effects, slower medical product exports, and company exits in 2025.