Buying to rent out in Costa Rica? Don’t make a bad investment.

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Cover of Starting a Rental in Costa Rica: everything explained to maximize your income

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Cover of Starting a Rental in Costa Rica: everything explained to maximize your incomeWhat does a villa earn in Guanacaste, town by town? On a long lease, a 3-bedroom villa keeps about 2.8% of its price a year in Coco, against 1.5% in Tamarindo and 0.6% in the big resorts. Cheaper villas near the airport pay best.Gross or net: what does a rental really yield in Costa Rica? Ads promise 6.4% to 8.9% a year around San José. After costs and tax, an owner abroad keeps 2.8% to 3.9%, about the central bank’s 3% rate, and under 1% in Tamarindo.How many months a year does an Airbnb sit half-empty in Costa Rica? From 2 months in Santa Ana to 9 in Jacó, fewer than 40% of nights are booked. Even in the busiest areas, about 200 nights a year go unbooked.What does a 3-bedroom villa earn on Airbnb in Guanacaste? Guests pay about $36,000 to $56,000 a year. After every cost, Airbnb beats a long lease only in Tamarindo; in Coco and Flamingo the lease keeps more.Which costs do rental owners forget in Costa Rica? About $9,000 a year on a one-bedroom Airbnb, before any manager. Building fees, cleaning and wear from the salt air are the big ones; the tax return is due every month.How busy is an Airbnb in Costa Rica, month by month? The beach fills in the dry season: Tamarindo goes from 27% of nights in September to 62% in February.
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Updated November 2026·70+ pages·PDF

Starting a Rental in Costa Rica: everything explained to maximize your income

INSIDE THE GUIDE

  • Where rentals really pay off
  • What a rental earns once costs are paid
  • Airbnb or long-term: which wins where
  • The months your rental will sit empty
  • The costs owners always forget
  • How much of your rent goes to tax
  • What the rules allow on Airbnb
  • What buying costs before your first guest
  • Which areas to avoid as a landlord
  • How many years until it pays for itself
  • What you’ll lose when you sell
  • The classic mistakes that sink a rental
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Verified data with sourcesUpdated in November 2026