Climate Considerations for Deciding Where to Live in Costa Rica and Where to Buy Costa Rica Real Estate

Fortunately we suffer in Costa Rica from different micro-climates. That’s what makes Costa Rica so attractive. You figure out how warm or cold you want the climate to be and we’ll tell you where you should live. Your doctor is sending you here for your health? Ask our agents where the best location would be.

We have these small differences in the weather that can make the big difference for you when you’re retiring. It’s your choice. We even have Costa Rica real estate offices in most of these different locations, to serve you better.

Because Costa Rica is located only about eight degrees north of the equator, the climate is tropical year round. However, this varies depending on elevation and rainfall. Therefore, it is greatly affected by geography.

Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much it rains during a particular period. The year can be easily split into two periods. These two periods are what is known to the residents as Verano, summer and Invierno, winter. The verano season is from December to May, and is the time of year when it is not as wet. Invierno is the period from May to November, and during this time, in many locations, it rains constantly.

The location that receives the most rain is the Caribbean (northeast) slopes of the Central Cordillera mountains, with an annual rainfall of over 5,000 mm. Humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. The mean annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 80°F(27°C), 69°F(21°C) in the main populated areas of the Central Valley, and below 50°F(10°C) on the summits of the highest mountains.