Investment property in Costa Rica: what to buy and what it costs
A studio in a residential complex with a pool in Santa Ana
$90,000
A 45 m² studio in a residential complex with a pool, a gym and security in Santa Ana, a sunny western suburb of San José. A room with a kitchen, a bathroom and a balcony with a mountain view. The business district with the offices of international companies and shopping centres is 10 minutes away, the centre of the capital about half an hour. Studios here are rented by young professionals and office staff.
A one-bedroom apartment with a balcony and a mountain view in Santa Ana
$130,000
A 65 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room with a kitchen and a balcony in a gated complex with a pool in Santa Ana. The valley is warm and dry all year round, so the balcony is a second living room. Supermarkets, restaurants and international schools are nearby, and San José airport is about 25 minutes away.
A one-bedroom apartment in Escazú for investor residency
$160,000
A 70 m² apartment with a bedroom, a study nook and a balcony in a complex with a pool and security in Escazú, the most prestigious suburb of San José, home to diplomats, company executives and expat families. The price is above the $150,000 threshold, so the purchase gives the right to an investor residence permit.
A two-bedroom family apartment in a complex with a garden
$180,000
A 90 m² apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room with a kitchen and a terrace in Santa Ana. The complex has a pool, a playground, a garden and security, with international schools nearby. Such apartments are rented long-term by the families of international company staff, and the purchase meets the investor residency threshold.
A studio near the beach in the resort town of Tamarindo
$190,000
A 45 m² studio with a kitchen and a balcony in a complex with a pool in Tamarindo, a resort town on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste known for its surf beaches and sunsets. The beach is a few minutes' walk away, Liberia international airport about an hour. The studio is let to tourists by the night, and the dry season from December to April is the high season.
A two-bedroom apartment in a tower with a view over the San José valley
$340,000
A 95 m² apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large balcony on an upper floor of a tower in San Rafael de Escazú. The building has a pool, a gym, a coworking space and 24-hour security, with restaurants and shopping centres below. The balcony looks over the lights of the San José valley and the mountains around it.
A one-bedroom apartment in a complex with a pool near Tamarindo beach
$300,000
A 70 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room with a kitchen and a terrace in a complex with a pool and a garden in Tamarindo. The beach and the centre with restaurants and surf schools are a few minutes away. The apartment is let to tourists by the night, and the complex's management company handles check-ins and cleaning.
A two-bedroom apartment with a bay view in Playas del Coco
$420,000
A 100 m² apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a terrace overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo in Playas del Coco, a seaside town 30 minutes from Liberia airport. The complex has a pool and security, with the beach, a marina and restaurants nearby. The apartment can be let to tourists, and for a family it works as a home by the ocean all year round.
What properties investors buy in Costa Rica
Above are the most interesting offers selected by our experts. A manager will find a property for your requirements.
Apartments for sale in the suburbs of San José and the beach towns of Guanacaste, yields, taxes on buying and owning, investor residency.
The Costa Rican housing market runs in dollars: prices are quoted and deals are settled in dollars, and a foreigner buys an apartment on the same terms as a citizen. In the suburbs of San José a square metre costs about $2,000 in Santa Ana and $2,200-3,500 in Escazú, and in the beach towns of Guanacaste on the Pacific coast about $4,200. A studio in Santa Ana costs $90,000, a one-bedroom apartment in Escazú $160,000. Rental income is effectively taxed at 12.75%, and an investment of $150,000 or more in property gives an investor residence permit.
This page covers apartments near the capital and by the ocean: studios and apartments in Santa Ana and Escazú, home to families and staff of international companies, apartments for holiday lets in Tamarindo and Playas del Coco, prices by district, rental yields, taxes and residency rules. A manager will confirm what is for sale today and the exact price.
The market in brief
Prices and rules as of 2026.
How much an apartment costs in Costa Rica in 2026
Home prices in Costa Rica are quoted and paid in dollars, so the colón exchange rate hardly affects the price of an apartment. In the valley around San José Santa Ana is the most affordable and Escazú the most expensive, with a square metre in new towers reaching $3,500. Homes on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste cost noticeably more than in the capital: in the beach towns a square metre costs about $4,200, and right on the water more. Before the deposit buyers compare not only the price per square metre but also the monthly complex fees, which are higher by the sea than in the city.
| District | Per m² | 80 m² apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Escazú, San José suburbs | ~$2,200-3,500 | ~$180,000-280,000 |
| Santa Ana, San José suburbs | ~$2,000 | ~$160,000 |
| Guanacaste, beach towns | ~$4,200 | ~$340,000 |
| Whole country, apartments | ~$2,100 | ~$170,000 |
Data for 2026: dollars rounded up.
What yield renting out gives
The gross yield from long-term rent in San José is about 8.4% a year before tax. Apartments in Santa Ana and Escazú are rented long-term by the staff of international companies and expat families, and apartments by the beaches of Guanacaste are let to tourists by the night: the high season is the dry months from December to April.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| Income from letting a home | 15% after a 15% deduction for expenses, effectively 12.75% of the rent |
| Gain on sale | 15%; for property bought before 1 July 2019, 2.25% of the sale price can be paid instead |
| Annual property tax | 0.25% of the registered value |
| Luxury home tax | a further 0.25-0.55% a year for homes over $320,000 |
Data for 2026: the yield is the San José average; countries are compared in the rental yield table.
Tax on rent from an apartment in Costa Rica is paid in Costa Rica, whether or not the owner lives there. Rates and examples are on the page taxes in Costa Rica.
What costs to add to the property price
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property transfer tax | 1.5% of the registered value |
| National Registry fees and notary | together with the transfer tax about 3.5-4% of the price |
| Complex maintenance fee | monthly, on the complex's budget, higher by the sea |
Data for 2026. The money for the purchase is paid into an escrow account before the deal, and the bank checks its origin, so the transfer is prepared in advance. A manager calculates the total for a specific property.
In Costa Rica the registry and the status of coastal land are checked before the deposit
Mistakes cost more than the tax: a plot in the coastal zone under a concession that a foreigner cannot hold, a mortgage or a seizure in the registry, the previous owner's property tax and complex fee debts, an apartment under $150,000 when the goal is investor residency. Murblz support removes these risks: we find a property for the budget and goal, check the registry and the status of the land, take the escrow and the deal through the notary to title registration and prepare the investor residency documents.
The cost of support depends on the purchase budget and the goal - investment, residency or a home for yourself; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Does buying give a residence permit
Yes, an investor residence permit. Under Law No. 9996 on attracting investors, rentiers and pensioners, an investment of $150,000 or more in property gives the right to a temporary residence permit for 2 years with renewal; after 3 years you can apply for permanent residency and after 7 years for citizenship. You do not have to live in the country full time. The apartments in Escazú, Santa Ana, Tamarindo and Playas del Coco from the cards from $160,000 meet the threshold, and a manager will send other properties from $150,000 to the chat.
Temporary status is renewed every 2 years. After approval the investor registers with the public health insurance fund and pays a monthly contribution, without which the permit is not renewed, and keeps the property: selling it ends investor status. Rules and documents are on the page Costa Rica residence permit by investment.
How we find a property
- Budget and goal: investment, investor residency or a home for yourself. The manager clarifies the district and how you will pay.
- A selection of real properties: apartments with the seller's price, floor area, the complex fee and a yield calculation.
- Checks in the National Registry: the owner, mortgages and seizures, property tax debts, the status of the land - titled ownership or a concession in the coastal zone.
- A remote deal by power of attorney: an escrow account, the contract at a notary, title registration and the investor residency documents if needed.
The manager sends the selection to the chat, with sellers' prices on the date of the selection.
Options in other countries
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More on buying in this country:
- Property in Costa Rica for foreigners: rules, taxes and the deal
- Costa Rica residence permit by investment from $150,000
- Taxes in Costa Rica
- Cost of living in Costa Rica
- San José: what to see and whether to move there
- Costa Rica: all programs
All countries and budgets compared - on the page Investment property abroad.
FAQ
How much does an apartment in Costa Rica cost in 2026?
Can foreigners buy property in Costa Rica?
Does buying property give a residence permit in Costa Rica?
What yield does letting an apartment in Costa Rica give?
What taxes apply when buying property in Costa Rica?
In what currency do you buy an apartment in Costa Rica?
Where to buy an apartment for investment in Costa Rica?
Can you buy property in Costa Rica remotely?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we shortlist properties for your goal, run legal checks and support the deal through to registration. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
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