Costa Rica is a country with miles of coastal beaches, mountains, tropical rainforests, and modern cities at your fingertips. This beautiful country offers amazing choices for every lifestyle.
Here are tangible reasons that make Costa Rica a serious contender among preferred expat destinations:
- Economic and political stability,
- High quality of life,
- Low cost of living,
- Tropical climate,
- The friendliness of its people, and very important for working abroad, its
- Technological infrastructure.
Country Data
| Population | 5,204,411 (estimated 2022) |
| Capital City | San Jose |
| Climate | Tropical and subtropical; with a dry season (December to April); and a rainy season (May to November); warm temperatures at sea level and cooler in the higher cities. |
| Time Zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| Language | Spanish (official), Recognized regional languages (Mekatelyu, Bribri, Patois) |
| Local Currency | Costa Rican Colon (CRC) |
| Religion | 72.6% Christianity (47.5% Roman Catholic (official), 22.5% Protestant, 2.6% Other Christian), 27.0% No religion, 0.4% Others |
Main Cities
| City | Population | Average temperature | Altitude |
| San Jose | 322,155 | 62⁰F – 88⁰F | 3,100 ft |
| Alajuela | 276,694 | 64⁰F – 84⁰F | 2,800 ft |
| Cartago | 151,744 | 60⁰F – 77⁰F | 4,700 ft |
The Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) includes the conurbations of the four largest cities in that country, namely
- San José,
- Alajuela,
- Cartago, and
- Heredia
with a combined population of about 3,200,000 in an area of 790 square miles.
Climate
Costa Rica features a mainly tropical climate, with warm to high temperatures throughout the year. It also has a variety of microclimates such as tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savannah and temperate climate.
Pleasant beach temperatures range from the 70s F (lower 20s C) to mid-80s F (mid to upper 20s C). But if you prefer cooler weather, the Andes region in the cities at about 8,000 feet have the thermometer between 60s F (mid teens C) up to the 70s F.