OBJECTIVES:  The economic burden of myocardial infarction (MI) in the Latin American region has not been previously quantified. This research assessed the economic burden of MI in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela. METHODS:  To estimate the cost of MI by country, an incidence approach was used. Costs were estimated for the year 2015 and included health system expenditures, productivity losses (absenteeism, lower workforce participation, premature mortality) and informal care costs, and deadweight losses associated with government expenditures. Data inputs for costs, including prevalence and incidence, were based on secondary data sources informed by a targeted literature review including country specific grey literature and databases. The study also appraised the value of the loss of healthy life, measured in disability adjusted life years (DALYs), using global burden of disease disability weights. All inputs were triangulated using semi-structured interviews with clinicians, insurers and health administrators. RESULTS:  MI was found to affect approximately 756,492 people (0.2% of the adult population, average of 64.2 years old) in selected Latin American countries in 2015 leading to significant wellbeing loss, estimated at 2.6 million DALYs, and economic burden, estimated at USD12.6 billion in 2015. Health system expenditures accounted for USD8.2 billion (65%) and productivity costs USD4.4billion (35%) of the total financial burden of MI. On average, health system expenditure represented 0.17% of total gross domestic product (GDP) across the nine countries with Brazil (0.29%), Colombia (0.28%) and El Salvador (0.30%) spending more than the average. Total financial costs averaged 0.28% of GDP. CONCLUSIONS:  MI imposes a significant burden to the health system and society in Latin America. Health system expenditure accounts for the majority of the burden of MI in the region. Prevention and appropriate management of MI may result in substantial wellbeing benefits and economic savings.