Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Costa Rica Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Costa Rica Property Pack
If you're thinking about buying property in Costa Rica, you're probably wondering whether 2026 is the right time to make your move or if you should wait.
In this article, we break down the current housing prices in Costa Rica and give you data-backed insights to help you decide.
We constantly update this blog post with the latest market information, so you always have fresh numbers to work with.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Costa Rica.
So, is now a good time?
As of early 2026, buying property in Costa Rica is a "rather yes" decision, but only if you shop selectively and negotiate hard on asking prices.
The strongest signal is that Costa Rica's macroeconomic backdrop looks stable, with growth around 4% and inflation under control, which means there's no sign of a crash brewing.
Another strong signal is that mortgage credit in Costa Rica remains healthy at around 5.5 trillion colones, showing that financed buyers (not just speculators) are driving the market.
Other important signals include moderate benchmark rates (the TBP sits in the mid-single digits), soft construction cost inflation, and steady tourism arrivals that support demand in beach markets.
The best strategy is to target high-liquidity neighborhoods like Escazu, Santa Ana, or proven coastal towns like Tamarindo and Nosara, and to treat asking prices as starting points for negotiation rather than final numbers.
This is not financial or investment advice, we don't know your personal situation, and you should always do your own research before making any property purchase.
Is it smart to buy now in Costa Rica, or should I wait as of 2026?
Do real estate prices look too high in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, property prices in Costa Rica don't show classic bubble warning signs at a national level, but some specific submarkets (especially beach towns popular with foreigners and luxury segments in the capital) do look stretched compared to what local incomes can support.
One clear on-the-ground signal is that many USD-priced listings in areas like Tamarindo, Nosara, and parts of Escazu are sitting longer on the market than they did during the post-2020 surge, which suggests buyers are pushing back on aggressive asking prices.
Another telling sign is that the gap between asking prices and final sale prices has widened in foreign-demand-heavy areas, meaning sellers are often accepting bigger discounts than they expected, which points to some overpricing in those pockets.
You can also read our latest update regarding the housing prices in Costa Rica.
Does a property price drop look likely in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of a broad national property price drop in Costa Rica looks low, though selective price cuts in overpriced segments remain plausible over the next 12 months.
If prices were to move, we estimate the plausible range for Costa Rica would be somewhere between a 5% decline in the most overheated luxury pockets and a 5% to 8% gain in undersupplied family-home segments, with most of the market staying relatively flat.
The single most important factor that would increase the odds of a price drop in Costa Rica would be a sharp tightening in credit conditions, either through higher benchmark rates or stricter lending standards that would squeeze out local buyers.
However, this scenario looks unlikely in the near term because the Central Bank has kept inflation targeting steady (around 3% plus or minus one percentage point) and the banking system remains well-capitalized with no signs of stress.
Finally, please note that we cover the price trends for next year in our pack about the property market in Costa Rica.
Could property prices jump again in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of a renewed price surge in Costa Rica is medium, with the strongest potential in beach-and-lifestyle corridors where foreign demand can reignite quickly.
If conditions align favorably (falling rates, strong tourism, continued foreign confidence), we estimate Costa Rica property prices could rise by 8% to 12% in the hottest coastal markets, while the broader middle market would likely see more modest gains of 3% to 5%.
The single biggest demand-side trigger that could push prices higher in Costa Rica would be a meaningful drop in benchmark interest rates, because even a small decline in the TBP (the key local rate) translates directly into better mortgage affordability and tends to bring sidelined buyers back into the market fast.
Please also note that we regularly publish and update real estate price forecasts for Costa Rica here.
Are we in a buyer or a seller market in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the Costa Rica property market sits closer to balanced-to-buyer-leaning territory, meaning buyers generally have more negotiating leverage than they did during the post-pandemic surge, especially on overpriced listings.
While Costa Rica doesn't publish an official "months-of-inventory" figure like some markets do, the practical equivalent suggests somewhere around 6 to 9 months of supply in most segments, which typically means neither side has a strong upper hand, but motivated sellers need to price realistically.
Looking at price reductions, a meaningful share of USD-priced listings (especially in coastal areas and high-end GAM neighborhoods) have been adjusted downward, which suggests that sellers are having to meet buyers halfway more often than in 2021 or 2022.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Costa Rica. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
Are homes overpriced, or fairly priced in Costa Rica as of 2026?
Are homes overpriced versus rents or versus incomes in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, homes in Costa Rica look fairly priced for foreign-currency buyers but stretched for local-income buyers in many desirable areas, which creates a split market where affordability depends heavily on where your earnings come from.
The price-to-rent ratio in Costa Rica's premium areas (like Escazu, Santa Ana, or Tamarindo) often runs high, sometimes above 25 or even 30, which means it can take over 25 years of rent to cover the purchase price, a level that usually signals buying is expensive relative to renting.
On the price-to-income side, with average Costa Rican household income around 1.2 million colones per month (roughly 14.5 million colones per year), homes in popular areas often cost 15 to 20 times annual income or more, which is well above the 3 to 5 times multiple considered affordable in most markets.
Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Costa Rica.
Are home prices above the long-term average in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Costa Rica property prices appear moderately above pre-pandemic levels in nominal terms, but the country lacks an official national house price index, so we have to triangulate using construction costs, listing trends, and macro indicators.
Over the past 12 months, asking prices in Costa Rica have been relatively flat to slightly up in most segments, which is a slower pace than the rapid gains seen in 2021 and 2022 and closer to the long-run historical norm.
When adjusted for inflation, Costa Rica property prices are likely near or slightly above their prior cycle peak, but not dramatically so, because inflation has been moderate and construction cost pressures actually eased in 2024 (INEC reported negative changes in building price indexes).
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What local changes could move prices in Costa Rica as of 2026?
Are big infrastructure projects coming to Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the biggest infrastructure project poised to affect Costa Rica property prices is the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) electric train, which has secured full financing and could meaningfully reshape commuting patterns and neighborhood desirability across San Jose and surrounding areas.
The GAM electric train project has passed the funding stage with support from BCIE, the European Union, and the Green Climate Fund, and construction is expected to progress through the late 2020s, with the full system likely operational by the early 2030s.
For the latest updates on the local projects, you can read our property market analysis about Costa Rica here.
Are zoning or building rules changing in Costa Rica as of 2026?
The most important zoning discussion in Costa Rica right now centers on urban renewal in San Jose's historic core, where local authorities are debating how to repurpose vacant buildings and encourage residential development in the city center.
As of early 2026, any zoning changes in Costa Rica would likely have a modest but positive effect on prices in targeted areas, because increased density allowances or streamlined permitting could unlock new supply while also raising the profile of revitalized neighborhoods.
The areas most affected by these potential rule changes in Costa Rica would be San Jose's downtown and immediate surroundings (like parts of Barrio Amon or La California), where vacant or underused buildings could be converted into housing if regulations become more flexible.
Are foreign-buyer or mortgage rules changing in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, there is no major foreign-buyer restriction or mortgage rule overhaul on the horizon in Costa Rica, and the bigger swing factors for prices remain credit conditions and rental regulations rather than purchase bans or new taxes.
Costa Rica has historically been welcoming to foreign property buyers (who can own land directly), and we see no credible proposals for foreign buyer taxes, quotas, or bans being actively considered at the national level.
On the mortgage side, the most relevant ongoing factor is the benchmark TBP rate set by the Central Bank, which influences local lending terms, plus the rental adjustment index published by MIVAH, which constrains how fast landlords can raise rents and therefore affects investor returns.
You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Costa Rica.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Costa Rica versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
Will it be easy to find tenants in Costa Rica as of 2026?
Is the renter pool growing faster than new supply in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, renter demand in Costa Rica's prime areas appears to be keeping pace with or slightly outpacing new rental supply, especially in the GAM's executive rental nodes and in coastal markets where tourism and remote workers drive demand.
The clearest demand signal in Costa Rica comes from continued urban job concentration in the Greater Metropolitan Area (around San Jose, Heredia, and Alajuela), plus steady tourism arrivals that feed short-term and medium-term rental demand in beach towns.
On the supply side, CFIA construction statistics show that building activity remains active, so there is new rental stock coming online, but it is concentrated in certain segments (especially mid-to-high-end condos), which means some pockets may tip into oversupply while family-oriented rentals stay tight.
Are days-on-market for rentals falling in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, days-on-market for rentals in Costa Rica's best areas (like Escazu, Santa Ana, Rohrmoser, and Curridabat) generally run between 30 and 60 days for well-priced units, while overpriced or awkwardly located rentals can sit for 90 days or longer.
The gap between "best areas" and weaker areas in Costa Rica is significant: in top GAM locations with good access to jobs, schools, and amenities, rentals move noticeably faster, while secondary neighborhoods or beach towns in shoulder season can see much longer vacancy periods.
One common reason days-on-market falls in Costa Rica is the seasonal surge in demand, whether from high tourist season in beach areas (December through April) or from corporate relocation cycles in the GAM when companies bring in expat employees at the start of the year.
Are vacancies dropping in the best areas of Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, vacancies in Costa Rica's best-performing rental areas (Escazu, Santa Ana, Rohrmoser, Curridabat in the GAM, and Tamarindo, Nosara, and Playas del Coco on the coast) appear stable-to-tight, with quality units in good locations filling relatively quickly.
In these top areas, estimated vacancy rates tend to run lower than the overall Costa Rica market average, because they attract the most resilient tenant pools: corporate expats, embassy staff, higher-income local professionals, and long-stay tourists in beach zones.
One practical sign that these "best areas" are tightening first in Costa Rica is when landlords in Escazu or Rohrmoser start receiving multiple inquiries within the first week of listing, and when premium beach rentals in places like Tamarindo get booked for the entire high season months in advance.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current rent levels in Costa Rica.
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Am I buying into a tightening market in Costa Rica as of 2026?
Is for-sale inventory shrinking in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, for-sale inventory in Costa Rica is not clearly shrinking at a national level, and we have to be honest that the country lacks a centralized MLS-style inventory count, so tracking this precisely is difficult.
Our best estimate suggests Costa Rica's months-of-supply sits somewhere in the 6 to 9 month range for most segments, which is closer to balanced than tight, though truly premium or unique properties (great views, walkable locations, or scarce beachfront) do move faster.
One reason inventory is not shrinking dramatically in Costa Rica is that sellers continue to list, often at ambitious USD prices, but buyer traffic has normalized after the pandemic-era rush, so listings accumulate rather than get snapped up immediately.
Are homes selling faster in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, homes in Costa Rica are not selling dramatically faster than last year, with median time-to-sell for correctly priced properties likely running around 60 to 120 days depending on the segment and location.
Compared to a year ago, selling times in Costa Rica appear roughly stable or slightly longer for overpriced listings, while well-priced homes in high-demand neighborhoods (like Escazu, Santa Ana, or proven beach markets) continue to move within a reasonable timeframe.
Are new listings slowing down in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, we don't see strong evidence of new listings dramatically slowing down in Costa Rica, though we should note that comprehensive listing flow data is not publicly available, so our confidence here is moderate.
The seasonal pattern in Costa Rica typically sees more listings appear during the dry season (roughly December through April) when the country attracts more foreign visitors and buyer interest peaks, with activity slowing somewhat during the rainy season.
One plausible reason new listings might slow in Costa Rica would be if sellers who locked in low colones-denominated mortgages decide to stay put rather than sell and re-enter a higher-rate environment, though this "rate lock-in" effect is less pronounced here than in markets like the United States.
Is new construction failing to keep up in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, new construction in Costa Rica appears to be keeping pace overall, though the match between what gets built and what buyers need varies by segment, with some luxury condo projects potentially overbuilt while entry-level family housing remains undersupplied.
Recent trends in Costa Rica construction activity, as tracked by CFIA, show that permitting and building have remained active, and construction cost pressures actually eased in 2024 (INEC reported negative price changes in building indexes), which removes one potential supply bottleneck.
The biggest constraint on new construction in Costa Rica tends to be the mismatch between what developers want to build (high-margin luxury units) and what most local buyers can afford, plus environmental and permitting complexity in certain coastal and protected areas.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Costa Rica compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Will it be easy to sell later in Costa Rica as of 2026?
Is resale liquidity strong enough in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, resale liquidity in Costa Rica is "good enough" if you buy something that appeals to both locals and foreigners, but noticeably weaker if your property targets only a narrow buyer type or sits in an oversupplied segment.
Median days-on-market for resale homes in Costa Rica's most liquid neighborhoods (Escazu, Santa Ana, Rohrmoser, Curridabat, and proven beach markets) typically runs around 60 to 90 days for realistically priced properties, which is within a healthy liquidity range for a smaller market like Costa Rica.
The property characteristic that most improves resale liquidity in Costa Rica is location near employment centers, international schools, or established tourism hubs, because these features ensure a steady pool of qualified buyers (whether corporate expats, local professionals, or foreign retirees) whenever you decide to sell.
Is selling time getting longer in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, selling time in Costa Rica has stabilized after the faster-paced 2021-2022 period, and overpriced listings are sitting longer while correctly priced homes in good locations still sell within a few months.
The current median days-on-market in Costa Rica likely runs somewhere between 60 and 120 days for most residential listings, with a realistic range from as fast as 30 days for hot properties to 180 days or more for overpriced or niche listings.
One clear reason selling time can lengthen in Costa Rica is affordability pressure: when asking prices in USD climb too high relative to what local-income buyers can finance or what foreign buyers consider good value, sellers end up chasing the market down with price cuts.
Is it realistic to exit with profit in Costa Rica as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of selling a Costa Rica property with a profit is medium to high if you buy selectively, negotiate well at entry, and hold for at least 5 to 7 years, but much lower if you overpay or flip quickly.
The estimated minimum holding period to realistically exit with profit in Costa Rica is around 5 to 7 years, which gives you time to absorb transaction costs, ride out any short-term market softness, and benefit from longer-term demand growth.
Total round-trip costs in Costa Rica (buying plus selling) typically run around 8% to 12% of the property value, which translates to roughly 40,000 to 60,000 USD (or about 37,000 to 55,000 EUR) on a 500,000 USD home when you factor in transfer taxes, legal fees, notary costs, and agent commissions.
The single factor that most increases your profit odds in Costa Rica is buying below market, either through strong negotiation, off-market deals, or targeting motivated sellers, because that built-in equity cushion protects you against transaction costs and market fluctuations.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Costa Rica, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) | It's the central bank and the official source for rates, inflation, and key economic indicators. | We used it to understand the "cost of money" and the macro backdrop driving housing demand. We also used it to judge whether financing conditions in early 2026 are supportive or restrictive. |
| BCCR Tasa Basica Pasiva (TBP) | TBP is a widely used benchmark in Costa Rica and is published by the central bank with a defined methodology. | We used it as the best quick proxy for local mortgage-rate direction in colones. We used the level and trend to assess whether waiting is likely to become cheaper or more expensive. |
| INEC ENAHO 2025 | INEC is Costa Rica's official statistics agency, and ENAHO is the standard reference for household incomes. | We used it to estimate affordability using household income data. We used those income levels to compute price-to-income "sanity check" ranges. |
| INEC Consumer Price Index (IPC) | It's the official inflation release used across government and finance in Costa Rica. | We used it to judge whether rent and living-cost pressure is rising or easing. We also used it to interpret whether nominal price growth is actually real growth after inflation. |
| INEC Building Price Index | It's an official INEC release with clear, dated construction cost results. | We used it to verify that construction-related price pressures were not accelerating. We used it as evidence that replacement cost inflation was not forcing prices sharply higher. |
| CFIA Construction Statistics | CFIA is the professional body tied to permitting and publishes standardized construction activity data. | We used it to judge whether new supply is ramping up or slowing down. We used it as a reality check on oversupply risk versus undersupply. |
| Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) | ICT is the official tourism authority and compiles arrivals using migration data. | We used it because tourism demand strongly affects coastal residential markets. We used it to gauge whether demand drivers in beach towns are strengthening or cooling. |
| MIVAH Rent Adjustment Reference | It's the housing ministry's official reference for the legal maximum annual rent adjustment. | We used it to understand rent-growth constraints and whether rent inflation is accelerating. We used it to stress-test landlord expectations for near-term rent increases. |
| SUGEF Financial Indicators | SUGEF is the financial supervisor and is the official source for regulated-system indicators. | We used it to ground our discussion of credit conditions and lending health. We used it to avoid relying on anecdotal claims about banks tightening or loosening. |
| Asociacion Bancaria Costarricense (ABC) | It aggregates banking-system figures and explicitly cites SUGEF-based numbers. | We used it to size the mortgage market and confirm demand is meaningfully financed through the formal system. We used it as an indicator of whether credit is expanding in colones. |
| BANHVI Housing Statistics | BANHVI is the official housing finance institution for subsidies and publishes long-run program stats. | We used it to understand the social-housing pipeline and its effect on entry-level supply and demand. We used it to avoid treating Costa Rica as one single luxury-only market. |
| World Bank Costa Rica MPO | It's a World Bank macro snapshot with consistent cross-country methodology. | We used it to triangulate the external position and FDI strength that influence foreign-buyer confidence. We used it to support our crash risk assessment under external shocks. |
| OECD Economic Outlook (Costa Rica) | OECD provides standardized analysis and Costa Rica is covered in its official outlook publications. | We used it to cross-check growth and risk assumptions against a second high-quality institution. We used it to avoid anchoring everything on a single domestic forecast. |
| EU Delegation (GAM Train Update) | It's an official institutional update about a major infrastructure project, not a rumor. | We used it to identify a concrete catalyst that could shift neighborhood demand in Greater San Jose. We used it to separate funded projects from nice ideas. |
| Encuentra24 Price Statistics | It's a large marketplace and clearly states it's measuring published listing prices per square meter. | We used it only as a secondary temperature check for asking-price direction. We used it to complement official sources that don't publish a national home price index. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Costa Rica. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.