What Are the Best Places to Invest in Airbnb in Costa Rica?

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-07-06

The short-term rental market in Costa Rica spans 100 cities tracked in AirROI's 2026 dataset, ranging from mature urban markets with thousands of active listings to emerging destinations where early operators still have pricing leverage. Supply growth, regulation, and seasonal demand vary significantly across the region — making market selection one of the highest-leverage decisions an Airbnb investor can make.

This page ranks the best Airbnb markets in Costa Rica across four dimensions: market depth (active listings), revenue, nightly rate (ADR), and occupancy rate. Jacó, Puntarenas Province leads by market size with 2,068 active listings and $2,178/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 32.9% with $1,316/month in average revenue and $175/night ADR. 100 of 100 markets carry a low regulation profile — a key consideration for investors evaluating compliance costs and time-to-market.

Rankings based on AirROI's analysis of 20,000,000+ short-term rental listings across revenue, ADR, occupancy, and regulation. See ranking methodology.

Explore Live Market Data

Top Airbnb Markets in Costa Rica by Active Listings

Active listing count is the most direct measure of a market's depth, maturity, and investor confidence. Cities with the most Airbnb listings in Costa Rica attract the highest volume of travelers and offer the most reliable benchmarking data for pricing and revenue projections. Jacó, Puntarenas Province leads with 2,068 active short-term rental listings and $2,178/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	2,068	$2,178	$310	31.6%	Low
2	Cahuita, Limón Province	1,921	$1,385	$154	34.1%	Low
3	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	1,604	$2,462	$288	35.7%	Low
4	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	1,534	$1,623	$153	39.1%	Low
5	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,424	$3,898	$402	40.9%	Low
6	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,303	$2,090	$249	35.1%	Low
7	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	1,211	$2,640	$257	38.9%	Low
8	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	1,182	$2,190	$253	35.0%	Low
9	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	904	$3,358	$433	39.2%	Low
10	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	826	$3,595	$397	37.7%	Low
11	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	644	$3,094	$411	34.9%	Low
12	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	608	$1,782	$197	40.2%	Low
13	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	559	$1,483	$215	30.1%	Low
14	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	537	$1,485	$136	37.3%	Low
15	San José, San Jose Province	417	$499	$74	36.9%	Low
16	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	414	$1,823	$161	38.2%	Low
17	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	404	$1,623	$247	30.4%	Low
18	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	393	$675	$71	40.0%	Low
19	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	290	$1,857	$262	28.2%	Low
20	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	284	$554	$68	37.7%	Low
21	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	284	$1,063	$157	28.9%	Low
22	Pavas, San Jose Province	233	$685	$75	39.1%	Low
23	Carmen, San Jose Province	230	$645	$75	36.2%	Low
24	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	227	$1,131	$182	28.9%	Low
25	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	225	$1,433	$247	29.9%	Low
26	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	219	$1,070	$166	28.8%	Low
27	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	211	$1,230	$179	31.3%	Low
28	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	199	$2,106	$274	33.5%	Low
29	San Rafael, San Jose Province	193	$804	$107	35.5%	Low
30	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	188	$611	$105	29.4%	Low
31	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	187	$851	$169	30.4%	Low
32	San José, San José	178	$501	$66	39.7%	Low
33	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	177	$4,327	$504	38.9%	Low
34	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	175	$1,019	$139	34.8%	Low
35	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	174	$1,571	$224	30.1%	Low
36	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	170	$1,504	$204	37.9%	Low
37	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	161	$936	$124	31.5%	Low
38	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	158	$331	$70	24.5%	Low
39	San Pedro, San Jose Province	147	$384	$63	33.1%	Low
40	Coco, Guanacaste Province	144	$1,551	$196	41.7%	Low
41	Barú, San Jose Province	135	$1,022	$152	29.8%	Low
42	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	134	$1,215	$183	35.3%	Low
43	San Antonio, San Jose Province	128	$868	$110	31.9%	Low
44	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	116	$5,192	$570	34.2%	Low
45	Catedral, San Jose Province	110	$479	$66	31.4%	Low
46	Ulloa, Heredia Province	109	$613	$81	37.8%	Low
47	Talamanca, Limón	106	$947	$155	32.6%	Low
48	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	106	$1,608	$216	34.4%	Low
49	Merced, San Jose Province	103	$583	$72	33.1%	Low
50	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	102	$622	$130	24.7%	Low
51	Curridabat, San Jose Province	102	$557	$62	40.0%	Low
52	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	99	$1,316	$192	33.4%	Low
53	Quesada, Alajuela Province	97	$461	$105	22.2%	Low
54	Uruca, San Jose Province	96	$780	$87	38.9%	Low
55	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	91	$1,030	$180	34.1%	Low
56	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	91	$1,056	$157	26.3%	Low
57	Limón, Limón Province	90	$354	$96	23.3%	Low
58	Rivas, San Jose Province	89	$574	$116	24.3%	Low
59	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	85	$964	$145	40.4%	Low
60	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	84	$531	$77	28.7%	Low
61	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	83	$1,020	$175	30.7%	Low
62	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	82	$475	$99	28.9%	Low
63	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	81	$1,762	$141	40.8%	Low
64	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	78	$1,819	$142	41.7%	Low
65	Heredia, Heredia Province	77	$458	$76	38.3%	Low
66	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	77	$1,288	$174	37.1%	Low
67	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	74	$947	$124	26.6%	Low
68	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	72	$4,456	$426	45.0%	Low
69	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	72	$1,240	$197	35.9%	Low
70	Copey, San Jose Province	72	$980	$122	27.3%	Low
71	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	70	$392	$60	31.7%	Low
72	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	69	$2,193	$274	41.5%	Low
73	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	69	$855	$213	29.6%	Low
74	Turrialba, Cartago Province	68	$368	$87	21.6%	Low
75	Hospital, San Jose Province	68	$535	$67	34.5%	Low
76	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	67	$1,045	$153	31.6%	Low
77	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	67	$2,210	$250	31.2%	Low
78	Herradura, Puntarenas Province	65	$1,228	$242	30.9%	Low
79	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	63	$733	$101	27.8%	Low
80	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	63	$937	$185	26.3%	Low
81	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	62	$1,019	$106	40.5%	Low
82	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	61	$2,231	$280	35.3%	Low
83	Playa Flamingo, Provincia de Guanacaste	57	$4,182	$513	46.6%	Low
84	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	56	$530	$58	36.2%	Low
85	La Asunción, Heredia Province	56	$800	$155	22.9%	Low
86	Atenas, Alajuela Province	52	$928	$145	37.2%	Low
87	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	51	$842	$117	26.7%	Low
88	Playa Avellanas, Provincia de Guanacaste	49	$1,827	$296	36.6%	Low
89	San Isidro, Cartago Province	48	$454	$100	21.1%	Low
90	Concepción, Alajuela Province	45	$959	$159	27.4%	Low
91	Guápiles, Limón Province	43	$513	$115	25.0%	Low
92	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	43	$624	$109	26.4%	Low
93	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	43	$1,627	$246	27.3%	Low
94	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	42	$828	$176	27.8%	Low
95	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	42	$508	$100	28.8%	Low
96	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	40	$942	$154	26.9%	Low
97	Grecia, Alajuela Province	39	$474	$81	32.8%	Low
98	Colón, San Jose Province	39	$1,000	$97	30.9%	Low
99	Venecia, Alajuela Province	38	$782	$92	27.6%	Low
100	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	38	$814	$116	26.7%	Low

Most Profitable Airbnb Markets in Costa Rica by Revenue

The most profitable Airbnb cities in Costa Rica are those where hosts earn the highest average monthly revenue per listing — the single most telling indicator of a market's income potential. Pinilla, Guanacaste Province leads with $5,192/month at $570 ADR and 34.2% occupancy. Whether you are evaluating your first STR investment or benchmarking an existing property, these top-earning Airbnb markets show where vacation rentals generate the greatest short-term rental income.

#	Market	Revenue/mo	Active Listings (TTM)	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$5,192	116	$570	34.2%	Low
2	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$4,456	72	$426	45.0%	Low
3	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,327	177	$504	38.9%	Low
4	Playa Flamingo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,182	57	$513	46.6%	Low
5	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,898	1,424	$402	40.9%	Low
6	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$3,595	826	$397	37.7%	Low
7	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,358	904	$433	39.2%	Low
8	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,094	644	$411	34.9%	Low
9	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$2,640	1,211	$257	38.9%	Low
10	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$2,462	1,604	$288	35.7%	Low
11	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$2,231	61	$280	35.3%	Low
12	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,210	67	$250	31.2%	Low
13	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	$2,193	69	$274	41.5%	Low
14	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$2,190	1,182	$253	35.0%	Low
15	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$2,178	2,068	$310	31.6%	Low
16	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$2,106	199	$274	33.5%	Low
17	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$2,090	1,303	$249	35.1%	Low
18	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$1,857	290	$262	28.2%	Low
19	Playa Avellanas, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,827	49	$296	36.6%	Low
20	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$1,823	414	$161	38.2%	Low
21	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,819	78	$142	41.7%	Low
22	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,782	608	$197	40.2%	Low
23	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$1,762	81	$141	40.8%	Low
24	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$1,627	43	$246	27.3%	Low
25	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,623	404	$247	30.4%	Low
26	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$1,623	1,534	$153	39.1%	Low
27	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,608	106	$216	34.4%	Low
28	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,571	174	$224	30.1%	Low
29	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$1,551	144	$196	41.7%	Low
30	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$1,504	170	$204	37.9%	Low
31	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$1,485	537	$136	37.3%	Low
32	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$1,483	559	$215	30.1%	Low
33	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,433	225	$247	29.9%	Low
34	Cahuita, Limón Province	$1,385	1,921	$154	34.1%	Low
35	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,316	99	$192	33.4%	Low
36	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	$1,288	77	$174	37.1%	Low
37	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,240	72	$197	35.9%	Low
38	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$1,230	211	$179	31.3%	Low
39	Herradura, Puntarenas Province	$1,228	65	$242	30.9%	Low
40	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,215	134	$183	35.3%	Low
41	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$1,131	227	$182	28.9%	Low
42	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$1,070	219	$166	28.8%	Low
43	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$1,063	284	$157	28.9%	Low
44	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,056	91	$157	26.3%	Low
45	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$1,045	67	$153	31.6%	Low
46	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$1,030	91	$180	34.1%	Low
47	Barú, San Jose Province	$1,022	135	$152	29.8%	Low
48	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,020	83	$175	30.7%	Low
49	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$1,019	62	$106	40.5%	Low
50	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$1,019	175	$139	34.8%	Low
51	Colón, San Jose Province	$1,000	39	$97	30.9%	Low
52	Copey, San Jose Province	$980	72	$122	27.3%	Low
53	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	$964	85	$145	40.4%	Low
54	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$959	45	$159	27.4%	Low
55	Talamanca, Limón	$947	106	$155	32.6%	Low
56	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$947	74	$124	26.6%	Low
57	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$942	40	$154	26.9%	Low
58	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$937	63	$185	26.3%	Low
59	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$936	161	$124	31.5%	Low
60	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$928	52	$145	37.2%	Low
61	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$868	128	$110	31.9%	Low
62	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$855	69	$213	29.6%	Low
63	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$851	187	$169	30.4%	Low
64	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$842	51	$117	26.7%	Low
65	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$828	42	$176	27.8%	Low
66	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$814	38	$116	26.7%	Low
67	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$804	193	$107	35.5%	Low
68	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$800	56	$155	22.9%	Low
69	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$782	38	$92	27.6%	Low
70	Uruca, San Jose Province	$780	96	$87	38.9%	Low
71	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$733	63	$101	27.8%	Low
72	Pavas, San Jose Province	$685	233	$75	39.1%	Low
73	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$675	393	$71	40.0%	Low
74	Carmen, San Jose Province	$645	230	$75	36.2%	Low
75	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$624	43	$109	26.4%	Low
76	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$622	102	$130	24.7%	Low
77	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$613	109	$81	37.8%	Low
78	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$611	188	$105	29.4%	Low
79	Merced, San Jose Province	$583	103	$72	33.1%	Low
80	Rivas, San Jose Province	$574	89	$116	24.3%	Low
81	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$557	102	$62	40.0%	Low
82	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$554	284	$68	37.7%	Low
83	Hospital, San Jose Province	$535	68	$67	34.5%	Low
84	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$531	84	$77	28.7%	Low
85	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$530	56	$58	36.2%	Low
86	Guápiles, Limón Province	$513	43	$115	25.0%	Low
87	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$508	42	$100	28.8%	Low
88	San José, San José	$501	178	$66	39.7%	Low
89	San José, San Jose Province	$499	417	$74	36.9%	Low
90	Catedral, San Jose Province	$479	110	$66	31.4%	Low
91	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	$475	82	$99	28.9%	Low
92	Grecia, Alajuela Province	$474	39	$81	32.8%	Low
93	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$461	97	$105	22.2%	Low
94	Heredia, Heredia Province	$458	77	$76	38.3%	Low
95	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$454	48	$100	21.1%	Low
96	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$392	70	$60	31.7%	Low
97	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$384	147	$63	33.1%	Low
98	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$368	68	$87	21.6%	Low
99	Limón, Limón Province	$354	90	$96	23.3%	Low
100	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$331	158	$70	24.5%	Low

Most Expensive Airbnb Markets in Costa Rica by Nightly Rate

The average daily rate (ADR) measures how much guests pay per night in each market, making it the clearest indicator of a city's short-term rental pricing power. Pinilla, Guanacaste Province commands the highest Airbnb nightly rate in Costa Rica at $570/night, generating $5,192/month at 34.2% occupancy. Markets with premium nightly pricing typically feature high-demand destinations where travelers pay a significant premium over hotel alternatives.

#	Market	ADR	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$570	116	$5,192	34.2%	Low
2	Playa Flamingo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$513	57	$4,182	46.6%	Low
3	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$504	177	$4,327	38.9%	Low
4	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$433	904	$3,358	39.2%	Low
5	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$426	72	$4,456	45.0%	Low
6	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$411	644	$3,094	34.9%	Low
7	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$402	1,424	$3,898	40.9%	Low
8	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$397	826	$3,595	37.7%	Low
9	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$310	2,068	$2,178	31.6%	Low
10	Playa Avellanas, Provincia de Guanacaste	$296	49	$1,827	36.6%	Low
11	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$288	1,604	$2,462	35.7%	Low
12	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$280	61	$2,231	35.3%	Low
13	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$274	199	$2,106	33.5%	Low
14	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	$274	69	$2,193	41.5%	Low
15	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$262	290	$1,857	28.2%	Low
16	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$257	1,211	$2,640	38.9%	Low
17	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$253	1,182	$2,190	35.0%	Low
18	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$250	67	$2,210	31.2%	Low
19	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$249	1,303	$2,090	35.1%	Low
20	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$247	225	$1,433	29.9%	Low
21	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$247	404	$1,623	30.4%	Low
22	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$246	43	$1,627	27.3%	Low
23	Herradura, Puntarenas Province	$242	65	$1,228	30.9%	Low
24	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$224	174	$1,571	30.1%	Low
25	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$216	106	$1,608	34.4%	Low
26	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$215	559	$1,483	30.1%	Low
27	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$213	69	$855	29.6%	Low
28	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$204	170	$1,504	37.9%	Low
29	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	$197	72	$1,240	35.9%	Low
30	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$197	608	$1,782	40.2%	Low
31	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$196	144	$1,551	41.7%	Low
32	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$192	99	$1,316	33.4%	Low
33	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$185	63	$937	26.3%	Low
34	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$183	134	$1,215	35.3%	Low
35	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$182	227	$1,131	28.9%	Low
36	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$180	91	$1,030	34.1%	Low
37	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$179	211	$1,230	31.3%	Low
38	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$176	42	$828	27.8%	Low
39	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$175	83	$1,020	30.7%	Low
40	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	$174	77	$1,288	37.1%	Low
41	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$169	187	$851	30.4%	Low
42	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$166	219	$1,070	28.8%	Low
43	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$161	414	$1,823	38.2%	Low
44	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$159	45	$959	27.4%	Low
45	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$157	284	$1,063	28.9%	Low
46	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$157	91	$1,056	26.3%	Low
47	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$155	56	$800	22.9%	Low
48	Talamanca, Limón	$155	106	$947	32.6%	Low
49	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$154	40	$942	26.9%	Low
50	Cahuita, Limón Province	$154	1,921	$1,385	34.1%	Low
51	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$153	1,534	$1,623	39.1%	Low
52	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$153	67	$1,045	31.6%	Low
53	Barú, San Jose Province	$152	135	$1,022	29.8%	Low
54	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$145	52	$928	37.2%	Low
55	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	$145	85	$964	40.4%	Low
56	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$142	78	$1,819	41.7%	Low
57	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$141	81	$1,762	40.8%	Low
58	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$139	175	$1,019	34.8%	Low
59	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$136	537	$1,485	37.3%	Low
60	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$130	102	$622	24.7%	Low
61	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$124	74	$947	26.6%	Low
62	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$124	161	$936	31.5%	Low
63	Copey, San Jose Province	$122	72	$980	27.3%	Low
64	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$117	51	$842	26.7%	Low
65	Rivas, San Jose Province	$116	89	$574	24.3%	Low
66	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$116	38	$814	26.7%	Low
67	Guápiles, Limón Province	$115	43	$513	25.0%	Low
68	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$110	128	$868	31.9%	Low
69	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$109	43	$624	26.4%	Low
70	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$107	193	$804	35.5%	Low
71	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$106	62	$1,019	40.5%	Low
72	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$105	97	$461	22.2%	Low
73	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$105	188	$611	29.4%	Low
74	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$101	63	$733	27.8%	Low
75	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$100	42	$508	28.8%	Low
76	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$100	48	$454	21.1%	Low
77	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	$99	82	$475	28.9%	Low
78	Colón, San Jose Province	$97	39	$1,000	30.9%	Low
79	Limón, Limón Province	$96	90	$354	23.3%	Low
80	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$92	38	$782	27.6%	Low
81	Uruca, San Jose Province	$87	96	$780	38.9%	Low
82	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$87	68	$368	21.6%	Low
83	Grecia, Alajuela Province	$81	39	$474	32.8%	Low
84	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$81	109	$613	37.8%	Low
85	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$77	84	$531	28.7%	Low
86	Heredia, Heredia Province	$76	77	$458	38.3%	Low
87	Pavas, San Jose Province	$75	233	$685	39.1%	Low
88	Carmen, San Jose Province	$75	230	$645	36.2%	Low
89	San José, San Jose Province	$74	417	$499	36.9%	Low
90	Merced, San Jose Province	$72	103	$583	33.1%	Low
91	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$71	393	$675	40.0%	Low
92	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$70	158	$331	24.5%	Low
93	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$68	284	$554	37.7%	Low
94	Hospital, San Jose Province	$67	68	$535	34.5%	Low
95	San José, San José	$66	178	$501	39.7%	Low
96	Catedral, San Jose Province	$66	110	$479	31.4%	Low
97	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$63	147	$384	33.1%	Low
98	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$62	102	$557	40.0%	Low
99	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$60	70	$392	31.7%	Low
100	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$58	56	$530	36.2%	Low

Highest Occupancy Airbnb Markets in Costa Rica

Airbnb occupancy rate measures the percentage of available nights actually booked — the most telling indicator of short-term rental demand in a market. Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste leads Costa Rica with 40.9% occupancy, $3,898/month revenue, and 1,424 active listings. Markets with the highest STR occupancy rates reflect strong, sustained guest demand — a critical signal for investors evaluating where properties will stay consistently booked year-round. This ranking is filtered to markets with 300+ listings to ensure statistical reliability.

#	Market	Occupancy	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Regulation
1	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	40.9%	1,424	$3,898	$402	Low
2	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	40.2%	608	$1,782	$197	Low
3	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	40.0%	393	$675	$71	Low
4	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	39.2%	904	$3,358	$433	Low
5	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	39.1%	1,534	$1,623	$153	Low
6	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	38.9%	1,211	$2,640	$257	Low
7	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	38.2%	414	$1,823	$161	Low
8	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	37.7%	826	$3,595	$397	Low
9	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	37.3%	537	$1,485	$136	Low
10	San José, San Jose Province	36.9%	417	$499	$74	Low
11	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	35.7%	1,604	$2,462	$288	Low
12	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	35.1%	1,303	$2,090	$249	Low
13	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	35.0%	1,182	$2,190	$253	Low
14	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.9%	644	$3,094	$411	Low
15	Cahuita, Limón Province	34.1%	1,921	$1,385	$154	Low
16	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	31.6%	2,068	$2,178	$310	Low
17	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	30.4%	404	$1,623	$247	Low
18	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	30.1%	559	$1,483	$215	Low

How to Choose an Airbnb Investment Market in Costa Rica

No single ranking tells the full story. The best Airbnb market for a given investor depends on their capital, risk tolerance, operating model, and income goals. The four ranking dimensions on this page — market depth, revenue, ADR, and occupancy — serve different investor profiles.

If you prioritize predictable cash flow, start with the occupancy rankings. Markets where occupancy exceeds 55% offer consistent bookings and lower vacancy risk. High-occupancy markets may not have the highest nightly rates, but their revenue stability makes them better suited for mortgage-backed investments where monthly debt coverage matters more than peak earnings.

If you're targeting maximum income per property, use the revenue rankings. Revenue is the product of nightly rate and occupancy — it captures the combined effect of both. The highest-revenue Airbnb markets in Costa Rica tend to be destination cities where travelers stay longer and pay a premium for entire-home listings.

If you're evaluating luxury or premium positioning, the ADR rankings show where guests are willing to pay top dollar per night. High-ADR markets reward property upgrades, professional photography, and amenity investments. However, a high nightly rate with low occupancy may generate less income than a moderately priced listing that stays booked consistently.

If you want the deepest market data, the active listings rankings identify cities with the largest short-term rental supply. More listings mean more comparable properties for pricing, more data points for revenue projections, and typically a more liquid resale market if your investment thesis changes.

In all cases, check the regulation column before committing capital. A profitable market with high regulation may require permits, annual caps on rental days, or costly compliance steps that erode returns. Markets with low regulation offer faster time-to-market but may tighten rules as STR supply grows.

Short-Term Rental Regulation in Costa Rica

Understanding the regulatory environment is critical for any Airbnb investment in Costa Rica. Regulation affects licensing costs, annual operating limits, tax obligations, and the long-term viability of a short-term rental strategy.

Across the 100 markets ranked on this page: 100 have a low regulation profile (generally operator-friendly with minimal licensing requirements), 0 have medium regulation (some permit or registration requirements), and 0 have high regulation (strict licensing, annual rental day caps, or active enforcement). Markets with low regulation offer the lowest barrier to entry, while high-regulation markets may still be profitable — but require careful compliance planning and often limit the number of properties a single operator can manage.

AirROI classifies regulation as a market-level signal based on available ordinance data and platform registration patterns. This is not legal advice — always verify current local ordinances, as short-term rental rules can change rapidly, especially in high-growth markets where municipalities are actively responding to STR expansion.

How We Rank the Best Airbnb Investment Markets in Costa Rica

This page ranks Airbnb markets in Costa Rica across four dimensions that matter most to short-term rental investors and operators: market depth (active listings), revenue potential (monthly income per listing), pricing power (average daily rate), and booking demand (occupancy rate). Each ranking uses the same underlying dataset but sorts by a different metric, giving you multiple lenses to evaluate where to invest in Airbnb in Costa Rica.

No single metric tells the full story. A market with high ADR but low occupancy may underperform one with moderate pricing and strong demand. Revenue captures the combined effect of rate and occupancy, while active listings signal whether a market has enough depth for reliable benchmarking and a liquid resale environment. We include regulation data alongside every ranking so you can weigh compliance risk before committing capital.

Ranking Methodology & Data Sources

Active Listings (TTM): The count of active short-term rental listings in each market over the trailing twelve months — a proxy for market maturity, data reliability, and investor confidence in Costa Rica.
Monthly Revenue: Average gross revenue per listing per month — the bottom-line metric for evaluating Airbnb profitability in Costa Rica and projecting cash flow.
Average Daily Rate (ADR): The mean nightly booking price across all active listings — the clearest measure of a market's short-term rental pricing power.
Occupancy Rate: Percentage of available nights booked — the demand signal that determines how much of your nightly rate converts to actual income. Occupancy rankings are filtered to markets with 300+ listings to exclude small markets with unreliable averages.
Regulation: An indicator of the local regulatory climate in Costa Rica, from low (operator-friendly) to high (strict licensing and enforcement) — essential for assessing compliance risk.

All data is sourced from AirROI's proprietary analytics pipeline, which tracks 20,000,000+ properties across 190+ countries. Metrics are recalculated on a rolling basis using trailing twelve-month aggregates from active listings. For full methodology, see the data methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Airbnb Markets in Costa Rica

These quick answers summarize the most common investor and operator questions using AirROI's latest market data for Costa Rica.

What are the best places to invest in Airbnb in Costa Rica?

Jacó, Puntarenas Province leads this ranking for Costa Rica with 2,068 active listings — the largest market by depth. Markets are ranked by listing count because deeper markets offer more comparable data, more pricing benchmarks, and a more predictable operating environment for investors. Each row also shows revenue, ADR, occupancy, and regulation so investors can evaluate based on what matters most to them.

Which market has the highest Airbnb revenue in Costa Rica?

Pinilla, Guanacaste Province posts the highest average monthly revenue in this ranking at $5,192. Revenue leaders often combine healthy rates, solid occupancy, and enough listing scale to support repeatable operations rather than one-off outliers.

Which market has the strongest Airbnb occupancy in Costa Rica?

Playa Flamingo, Provincia de Guanacaste has the highest occupancy rate in this comparison at 46.6%. High occupancy can signal resilient demand, but investors still need to balance it against nightly rates, regulation, and supply depth before deciding where to buy or operate.

Which Airbnb markets in Costa Rica have the lowest regulation?

Jacó (Puntarenas Province), Cahuita (Limón Province), Cóbano (Puntarenas Province) currently show low regulation profiles in this ranking. Lower regulation can reduce compliance costs and time-to-market for new hosts, but investors should always verify local ordinances before purchasing — rules can change quickly as short-term rental markets grow.

Is short-term rental investing still profitable in Costa Rica in 2026?

The markets ranked here average 32.9% occupancy, and the top performer posts $5,192 in monthly revenue. Profitability depends on property acquisition cost, local operating expenses, and regulation compliance — but the data shows active, performing markets exist across Costa Rica for well-researched investors.

How often are AirROI's top Airbnb market rankings updated?

AirROI updates these rankings using the latest market snapshot available in the dataset, which for this page is anchored to 2026. Rankings should be treated as current market intelligence rather than permanent truths because pricing, demand, regulation, and supply can all shift over time.

What metrics should I use to evaluate Airbnb investments in Costa Rica?

The most important metrics for comparing short-term rental markets are active listing count (market depth and data reliability), occupancy rate (demand consistency), average daily rate (pricing power), monthly revenue (income potential), and regulation level (compliance cost and risk). This ranking sorts by market depth first; use the other columns to filter for the profile that fits your investment strategy.

What makes a good Airbnb market for first-time investors in Costa Rica?

First-time investors in Costa Rica should prioritize markets with high occupancy (55%+) and low regulation, which reduce the risk of empty calendars and compliance surprises. Markets with 200+ active listings also provide better benchmarking data and a more predictable operating environment. Revenue is important, but consistent demand is more forgiving for operators still learning pricing and guest management.

What is a good Airbnb occupancy rate in Costa Rica?

Across the markets ranked here, the average occupancy rate in Costa Rica is 32.9%. Occupancy above 50% is generally considered healthy for short-term rentals, and above 65% signals strong, sustained demand. However, the best occupancy rate depends on pricing strategy — some hosts maximize revenue by targeting fewer bookings at higher nightly rates rather than maximizing booking volume.

How does regulation affect Airbnb investment returns in Costa Rica?

Regulation is one of the most overlooked risks in short-term rental investing. In Costa Rica, 100 of 100 ranked markets have low regulation, 0 have medium, and 0 have high. High-regulation markets often require permits, limit annual rental days, or impose occupancy taxes — all of which reduce net returns. Low-regulation markets offer faster time-to-market and lower compliance costs, but rules can tighten as STR supply grows.

What is the difference between ADR and RevPAR for Airbnb investing?

ADR (Average Daily Rate) is the average nightly price guests pay, while RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Rental night) factors in both price and occupancy. A market with $200 ADR and 50% occupancy has $100 RevPAR — the same as a market with $125 ADR and 80% occupancy. RevPAR is a better single-number benchmark for comparing markets because it captures how effectively nightly rates convert to realized income. AirROI's city-level reports include RevPAR with percentile breakdowns for deeper analysis.

How many Airbnb listings does a market need to be investable in Costa Rica?

Markets with fewer than 100 active listings can show volatile averages that do not predict future performance. The median market in this Costa Rica ranking has about 102 listings. Larger markets (500+) offer more reliable data, more comparable properties for pricing, and typically a more liquid exit if you decide to sell. Smaller markets can still be profitable, but investors should treat the data as directional rather than precise.

How do seasonal and year-round Airbnb markets differ in Costa Rica?

Seasonal markets in Costa Rica experience dramatic swings in booking demand — often earning 60-70% of annual revenue in just 3-4 peak months. Year-round markets deliver steadier cash flow with lower peak-to-trough variation. Investors who need predictable monthly income should prioritize high-occupancy markets with low seasonal variance, while those comfortable with cash-flow timing can target seasonal markets where peak rates compensate for off-season softness.

About AirROI Market Data

AirROI tracks over 20 million properties across 190+ countries and maintains 15+ years of historical performance data, making it one of the deepest Airbnb and STR intelligence platforms available. The analytics pipeline aggregates listing-level data monthly — revenue, occupancy, nightly rates, RevPAR, guest demographics, booking patterns, and competitive supply — so investors and operators can benchmark any market against its own history and against neighboring destinations.

Real estate investors, property managers, financial institutions, hospitality consultants, and academic researchers rely on AirROI data to underwrite acquisitions, optimize pricing, model macro trends, and conduct peer-reviewed research. Data is available through in-depth market reports, the data portal for bulk downloads, the Airbnb API with 22 endpoints, and an Airbnb MCP Server for AI agents.

All metrics reflect trailing twelve-month aggregates from active listings as of 2026-07-06. Revenue figures are market averages, not projections. For full methodology, see the data methodology page.

Access Real-Time Airbnb API

This report is powered by our industry-leading Airbnb Data API, providing direct access to live short-term rental data from global markets like Costa Rica. Use this data to build powerful analytics tools, discover investment opportunities, and inform your vacation rental strategy.

Get API Access

What Other Airbnb Markets Are in Costa Rica?

Alajuela Province Cantón Pococí Cartago Province Guanacaste Province Heredia Province Limón Limón Province Provincia Guanacaste Provincia de Alajuela Provincia de Guanacaste Provincia de Puntarenas Puntarenas Province San Jose Province San José