This guide plans to give you a very good idea of which are the best places to invest in Costa Rica based on key factors, such as the safety, the beauty, the geographical location, accessibility, and where other expats live.
In the end you’ll see there are two or three areas that seem like a better choice, as well as our recommendation based on location, smart investing, and quality of life.
Costa Rica Map
The first thing is to understand Costa Rica’s map. Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces (more or less like states, except they all report to the central government): Limon, Cartago, Puntarenas, Heredia, Alajuela, Guanacaste and the capital San José.
Each province is then broken down into “cantones”, which vary in quantity depending on the province, and each “canton” is broken down into districts. If you invest in Costa Rica, you will end up dealing a lot with the canton’s and district’s local governments, which is the are the ones charge of granting construction permits, environmental permits and water permits.
Costa Rica’s most populated area is called the GAM (greater metropolitan area), which is essentially in Costa Rica’s central valley, surrounded by mountains in all directions. It’s a place where the provinces of Alajuela, Heredia and mostly San Jose, meet. It’s also where most people live, with the best weather, since the mountains protect the region from heavy winds, it’s elevated enough to have a cooler temperature, and despite the heavy rains during winter, it rarely floods.
The coastal region of Limon tends to deal with heavy rains and flooding during times of the year, but it’s exceptionally beautiful. Nonetheless, Limon does have the highest crime rate in the country, according to local statistics. It’s important to note, that Limon is a big province, and these crime rates are high on very specific districts, which are far away from the most popular ones such as Cahuita, or where Puerto Viejo is located. You are generally safe there.
The coastal regions of Puntarenas and Guanacaste boast an exceptional climate, with warm temperatures year-round, less rain, and no floods. The crime rates are quite low (besides the typical petty crime), and investment opportunities are amazing. The only set back is that transportation in both regions is still inefficient.
Central Puntarenas has the advantage of being just one hour drive away from San Jose and Costa Rica’s main airport and hospitals, Guanacaste is a 4 hour drive from San Jose, but it does have the Liberia international airport, and thanks to Costa Rica’s free healthcare, you get very good hospitals nation wide. Both Puntarenas and Guanacaste have private hospitals which are good, and A LOT cheaper than in the United States of America.
Affordable And Safe Places To Live In Costa Rica
Affordability can be found everywhere if you search properly. The central valley has really, really affordable and safe areas, especially if you look into districts that aren’t a trendy, yet offer great peace and quiet and aren’t far from most local services. Still, it will require to drive, and Costa Rica’s public transportation isn’t the best.
Let’s break down some good affordable areas to live in the central valley based by province:
Alajuela
The entire province is very affordable with some famous cantones such as Atenas (voted to have the best climate in the world), Orotina (very close to the coast), Palmares and Grecia (massive industrial development is allowing the region to grow a lot).
Heredia
Further away from the central valley’s most populous cities, Heredia boasts some hidden gems. It has a cooler temperature, with a few more mountainous towns, and a more local vibe. Buying property here is more affordable.
The cantones of San Rafael, Santo Domingo and Barva have quickly become favorites. All thre have a very local vibe, are affordable and still close enough to everything you need.
San Jose
The capital city is also named San Jose, and it’s the main canton in the province. It is more expensive, chaotic, with lots of traffic, but also the busiest one, where most things happen and with premium hospitals and restaurants.
The three best cantones are Escazú (although not affordable), Curridabat (not affordable either) and Santa Ana, which is still affordable, perfectly located, yet with a warmer temperature that can be a bit heavy at times.
Guanacaste
Now let’s move towards the coast, and let’s analyze Guanacaste. The huge province to the north has become the most attractive place for investments. Why? The beaches are beautiful, it has a magical vibe, it’s the province that hosts the most tourists in the country, and it has an international airport.
Rather than breaking it down by cantones, we’ll mention the main towns that attract the most expats and tourists:
- Tamarindo
- Flamingo
- El Coco
- Nosara
These are the four biggest coastal towns in the region. We are excluding Santa Teresa and Jaco, which are both part of Puntarenas.
That said, those four mentioned above attract the most expats and tourists, they can offer a high quality of life, yet at the same time they are not affordable anymore to buy property and can be a bit loud and chaotic to some. Still, you will find great surfing, great golf courses close by, and even a marina in Flamingo. They are still a solid investment choice to build AirBnbs, have a vacation home or even live if you can afford it.
The hidden gems? Oh yeah, what you came for:
- Playa Negra
- Junquillal
- Playa Camaronal
- Samara
Playa Negra is perhaps the bes tregion at the moment. Only a 15 minute drive away from Tamarindo, it’s a beautiful surf town, next to both Junquillal and Playa Avellanas. These three beaches are forming what will likely be the next hot spot. They lack some of the infrastructure and basic services, but everything is a 15- or 20-minute drive away at Tamarindo: hospitals, large super markets, private international schools, golf courses and such.
However, you get the upside of affordable properties which will rise in value, probably by a lot, over the next few years, you get a quiet and very safe town with no crime whatsoever, some of the best local cuisine in the country (yes, there are famous restaurants there such as Villa Deeveena), and one of the best beaches to surf.
Playa Camaronal and Samara are two beaches very close to each other, and 30 minutes away from Nosara. Samara is a proper town, not really to surf, but to relax with family. The town has it all, from supermarkets to clinics and even schools. It’s up and coming and affordable.
Playa Camaronal, more than a town (because it’s not), is a beautiful beach with literally the best surf in the country, a 15-minute drive away from Samara, with ocean view property at crazy affordable prices.
Where Do Most Expats Live In Costa Rica?
According to Yahoo Finance, Costa Rica is seen as one of the 5 easiest countries for American’s to retire, and according to statistics from Costa Rican immigration, there are over 120,000 expats living in Costa Rica, with most in the central valley. The reason being, the accessibility, the services, as well as the affordable living.
However, recently, as stats show, there has been an increase in expats in Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and mostly the coastal regions. This comes as no surprise since the quality of life close to Costa Rica’s laid back and beautiful beaches is excellent. There is some downturns such as the inefficient transportation, the roads aren’t good, and some basic services are a bit of a drive away, however, it makes it up with quality of life, low crime rates, and property values rising.
Photo by Alexander Aguero on Unsplash
Where To Buy In Costa Rica?
That depends on what you want and what you need. However, investment wise, the best place to buy in Costa Rica at the moment is Guanacaste. It’s where the vales of properties are increasing year after year, where most tourists go, and the perfect place to rent AirBnbs, make money and enjoy the lifestyle.
As to which town or beach you want to invest, it’ll come down to budget and preferences, however, Playa Negra is at the moment (2024), the smartest investment in Costa Rica.
