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

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-05-04

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 1,993 active listings and $2,164/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 32.0% with $1,347/month in average revenue and $173/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 1,993 active short-term rental listings and $2,164/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	1,993	$2,164	$307	31.0%	Low
2	Cahuita, Limón Province	1,915	$1,368	$149	34.3%	Low
3	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	1,598	$2,399	$279	35.1%	Low
4	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,321	$2,036	$243	34.3%	Low
5	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	1,289	$1,632	$148	37.6%	Low
6	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,249	$4,014	$397	40.1%	Low
7	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	1,218	$2,118	$239	34.8%	Low
8	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	1,115	$2,649	$254	38.3%	Low
9	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	844	$3,493	$388	37.2%	Low
10	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	842	$3,264	$424	38.0%	Low
11	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	659	$3,017	$405	34.2%	Low
12	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	555	$1,783	$191	38.7%	Low
13	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	551	$1,385	$127	36.5%	Low
14	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	526	$1,520	$215	29.7%	Low
15	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	424	$1,741	$154	36.9%	Low
16	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	418	$1,569	$242	29.5%	Low
17	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	418	$669	$67	40.8%	Low
18	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	281	$1,880	$256	28.2%	Low
19	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	255	$1,138	$161	27.9%	Low
20	Pavas, San Jose Province	237	$703	$72	40.2%	Low
21	Carmen, San Jose Province	235	$666	$71	38.1%	Low
22	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	223	$578	$58	38.2%	Low
23	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	221	$1,042	$160	29.2%	Low
24	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	215	$1,121	$179	28.3%	Low
25	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	195	$814	$162	30.0%	Low
26	San José, San Jose Province	194	$586	$73	35.3%	Low
27	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	179	$1,575	$218	30.5%	Low
28	San Rafael, San Jose Province	175	$848	$107	35.3%	Low
29	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	173	$2,175	$264	32.9%	Low
30	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	161	$863	$116	31.1%	Low
31	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	160	$4,073	$481	37.5%	Low
32	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	151	$588	$96	28.0%	Low
33	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	151	$331	$64	24.6%	Low
34	San Pedro, San Jose Province	140	$392	$63	33.9%	Low
35	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	137	$1,305	$161	29.8%	Low
36	Barú, San Jose Province	134	$1,000	$146	29.4%	Low
37	Ulloa, Heredia Province	116	$597	$80	37.8%	Low
38	Merced, San Jose Province	114	$534	$64	32.7%	Low
39	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	113	$1,364	$191	27.9%	Low
40	San Antonio, San Jose Province	113	$896	$103	32.9%	Low
41	Catedral, San Jose Province	109	$495	$63	31.4%	Low
42	San José, San José	107	$561	$64	36.9%	Low
43	Uruca, San Jose Province	105	$753	$82	38.9%	Low
44	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	103	$1,323	$185	33.6%	Low
45	Curridabat, San Jose Province	102	$547	$59	39.2%	Low
46	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	99	$989	$154	26.2%	Low
47	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	92	$5,261	$559	32.4%	Low
48	Quesada, Alajuela Province	91	$450	$109	19.8%	Low
49	Rivas, San Jose Province	86	$547	$103	23.9%	Low
50	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	85	$521	$74	28.9%	Low
51	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	79	$1,709	$194	36.5%	Low
52	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	77	$1,785	$136	41.7%	Low
53	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	76	$623	$120	22.6%	Low
54	Limón, Limón Province	75	$370	$89	22.6%	Low
55	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	71	$1,881	$140	42.0%	Low
56	Copey, San Jose Province	71	$905	$116	26.7%	Low
57	Hospital, San Jose Province	70	$523	$65	36.1%	Low
58	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	68	$1,731	$191	35.1%	Low
59	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	67	$984	$122	27.3%	Low
60	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	67	$1,079	$153	34.1%	Low
61	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	67	$2,307	$244	32.1%	Low
62	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	64	$391	$53	31.4%	Low
63	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	64	$1,553	$137	39.9%	Low
64	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	63	$2,071	$269	34.2%	Low
65	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	62	$714	$97	28.0%	Low
66	Coco, Guanacaste Province	58	$1,856	$188	39.0%	Low
67	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	58	$862	$163	25.0%	Low
68	La Asunción, Heredia Province	57	$802	$151	23.7%	Low
69	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	57	$1,395	$158	34.1%	Low
70	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	55	$545	$56	37.9%	Low
71	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	55	$1,113	$102	41.2%	Low
72	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	50	$752	$107	26.9%	Low
73	San Isidro, Cartago Province	49	$448	$94	21.1%	Low
74	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	49	$1,013	$149	27.2%	Low
75	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	46	$1,481	$229	26.1%	Low
76	Atenas, Alajuela Province	43	$1,091	$153	39.7%	Low
77	Heredia, Heredia Province	43	$574	$54	42.4%	Low
78	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	42	$511	$95	29.3%	Low
79	Colón, San Jose Province	42	$992	$139	30.3%	Low
80	Concepción, Alajuela Province	41	$969	$150	27.6%	Low
81	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	38	$817	$113	26.9%	Low
82	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	38	$407	$89	20.9%	Low
83	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	38	$357	$70	20.1%	Low
84	Turrialba, Cartago Province	36	$448	$84	23.4%	Low
85	Venecia, Alajuela Province	35	$738	$86	25.9%	Low
86	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	35	$2,229	$271	28.3%	Low
87	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	34	$360	$76	21.1%	Low
88	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	34	$769	$141	24.6%	Low
89	Pozos, San Jose Province	34	$536	$127	36.7%	Low
90	Florencia, Alajuela Province	33	$476	$119	18.8%	Low
91	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	33	$6,130	$463	47.9%	Low
92	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	33	$884	$207	27.7%	Low
93	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	33	$1,488	$195	37.0%	Low
94	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	32	$2,441	$196	42.5%	Low
95	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	32	$1,846	$228	34.4%	Low
96	Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste	32	$5,757	$1,258	29.3%	Low
97	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	32	$452	$69	30.4%	Low
98	La Virgen, Heredia Province	31	$371	$84	21.9%	Low
99	Talamanca, Limón	31	$1,305	$131	35.9%	Low
100	Orosi, Cartago Province	30	$519	$107	24.6%	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. Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province leads with $6,130/month at $463 ADR and 47.9% 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	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$6,130	33	$463	47.9%	Low
2	Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$5,757	32	$1,258	29.3%	Low
3	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$5,261	92	$559	32.4%	Low
4	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,073	160	$481	37.5%	Low
5	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,014	1,249	$397	40.1%	Low
6	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$3,493	844	$388	37.2%	Low
7	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,264	842	$424	38.0%	Low
8	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,017	659	$405	34.2%	Low
9	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$2,649	1,115	$254	38.3%	Low
10	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,441	32	$196	42.5%	Low
11	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$2,399	1,598	$279	35.1%	Low
12	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,307	67	$244	32.1%	Low
13	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$2,229	35	$271	28.3%	Low
14	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$2,175	173	$264	32.9%	Low
15	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$2,164	1,993	$307	31.0%	Low
16	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$2,118	1,218	$239	34.8%	Low
17	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$2,071	63	$269	34.2%	Low
18	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$2,036	1,321	$243	34.3%	Low
19	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$1,881	71	$140	42.0%	Low
20	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$1,880	281	$256	28.2%	Low
21	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$1,856	58	$188	39.0%	Low
22	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,846	32	$228	34.4%	Low
23	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,785	77	$136	41.7%	Low
24	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,783	555	$191	38.7%	Low
25	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$1,741	424	$154	36.9%	Low
26	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$1,731	68	$191	35.1%	Low
27	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,709	79	$194	36.5%	Low
28	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$1,632	1,289	$148	37.6%	Low
29	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,575	179	$218	30.5%	Low
30	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,569	418	$242	29.5%	Low
31	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$1,553	64	$137	39.9%	Low
32	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$1,520	526	$215	29.7%	Low
33	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$1,488	33	$195	37.0%	Low
34	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$1,481	46	$229	26.1%	Low
35	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,395	57	$158	34.1%	Low
36	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$1,385	551	$127	36.5%	Low
37	Cahuita, Limón Province	$1,368	1,915	$149	34.3%	Low
38	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,364	113	$191	27.9%	Low
39	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,323	103	$185	33.6%	Low
40	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$1,305	137	$161	29.8%	Low
41	Talamanca, Limón	$1,305	31	$131	35.9%	Low
42	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$1,138	255	$161	27.9%	Low
43	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$1,121	215	$179	28.3%	Low
44	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$1,113	55	$102	41.2%	Low
45	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$1,091	43	$153	39.7%	Low
46	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$1,079	67	$153	34.1%	Low
47	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$1,042	221	$160	29.2%	Low
48	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,013	49	$149	27.2%	Low
49	Barú, San Jose Province	$1,000	134	$146	29.4%	Low
50	Colón, San Jose Province	$992	42	$139	30.3%	Low
51	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$989	99	$154	26.2%	Low
52	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$984	67	$122	27.3%	Low
53	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$969	41	$150	27.6%	Low
54	Copey, San Jose Province	$905	71	$116	26.7%	Low
55	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$896	113	$103	32.9%	Low
56	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$884	33	$207	27.7%	Low
57	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$863	161	$116	31.1%	Low
58	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$862	58	$163	25.0%	Low
59	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$848	175	$107	35.3%	Low
60	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$817	38	$113	26.9%	Low
61	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$814	195	$162	30.0%	Low
62	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$802	57	$151	23.7%	Low
63	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$769	34	$141	24.6%	Low
64	Uruca, San Jose Province	$753	105	$82	38.9%	Low
65	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$752	50	$107	26.9%	Low
66	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$738	35	$86	25.9%	Low
67	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$714	62	$97	28.0%	Low
68	Pavas, San Jose Province	$703	237	$72	40.2%	Low
69	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$669	418	$67	40.8%	Low
70	Carmen, San Jose Province	$666	235	$71	38.1%	Low
71	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$623	76	$120	22.6%	Low
72	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$597	116	$80	37.8%	Low
73	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$588	151	$96	28.0%	Low
74	San José, San Jose Province	$586	194	$73	35.3%	Low
75	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$578	223	$58	38.2%	Low
76	Heredia, Heredia Province	$574	43	$54	42.4%	Low
77	San José, San José	$561	107	$64	36.9%	Low
78	Rivas, San Jose Province	$547	86	$103	23.9%	Low
79	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$547	102	$59	39.2%	Low
80	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$545	55	$56	37.9%	Low
81	Pozos, San Jose Province	$536	34	$127	36.7%	Low
82	Merced, San Jose Province	$534	114	$64	32.7%	Low
83	Hospital, San Jose Province	$523	70	$65	36.1%	Low
84	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$521	85	$74	28.9%	Low
85	Orosi, Cartago Province	$519	30	$107	24.6%	Low
86	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$511	42	$95	29.3%	Low
87	Catedral, San Jose Province	$495	109	$63	31.4%	Low
88	Florencia, Alajuela Province	$476	33	$119	18.8%	Low
89	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	$452	32	$69	30.4%	Low
90	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$450	91	$109	19.8%	Low
91	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$448	49	$94	21.1%	Low
92	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$448	36	$84	23.4%	Low
93	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$407	38	$89	20.9%	Low
94	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$392	140	$63	33.9%	Low
95	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$391	64	$53	31.4%	Low
96	La Virgen, Heredia Province	$371	31	$84	21.9%	Low
97	Limón, Limón Province	$370	75	$89	22.6%	Low
98	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$360	34	$76	21.1%	Low
99	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$357	38	$70	20.1%	Low
100	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$331	151	$64	24.6%	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. Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste commands the highest Airbnb nightly rate in Costa Rica at $1,258/night, generating $5,757/month at 29.3% 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	Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,258	32	$5,757	29.3%	Low
2	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$559	92	$5,261	32.4%	Low
3	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$481	160	$4,073	37.5%	Low
4	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$463	33	$6,130	47.9%	Low
5	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$424	842	$3,264	38.0%	Low
6	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$405	659	$3,017	34.2%	Low
7	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$397	1,249	$4,014	40.1%	Low
8	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$388	844	$3,493	37.2%	Low
9	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$307	1,993	$2,164	31.0%	Low
10	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$279	1,598	$2,399	35.1%	Low
11	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$271	35	$2,229	28.3%	Low
12	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$269	63	$2,071	34.2%	Low
13	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$264	173	$2,175	32.9%	Low
14	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$256	281	$1,880	28.2%	Low
15	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$254	1,115	$2,649	38.3%	Low
16	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$244	67	$2,307	32.1%	Low
17	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$243	1,321	$2,036	34.3%	Low
18	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$242	418	$1,569	29.5%	Low
19	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$239	1,218	$2,118	34.8%	Low
20	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$229	46	$1,481	26.1%	Low
21	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	$228	32	$1,846	34.4%	Low
22	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$218	179	$1,575	30.5%	Low
23	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$215	526	$1,520	29.7%	Low
24	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$207	33	$884	27.7%	Low
25	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	$196	32	$2,441	42.5%	Low
26	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$195	33	$1,488	37.0%	Low
27	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$194	79	$1,709	36.5%	Low
28	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$191	68	$1,731	35.1%	Low
29	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$191	555	$1,783	38.7%	Low
30	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$191	113	$1,364	27.9%	Low
31	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$188	58	$1,856	39.0%	Low
32	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$185	103	$1,323	33.6%	Low
33	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$179	215	$1,121	28.3%	Low
34	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$163	58	$862	25.0%	Low
35	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$162	195	$814	30.0%	Low
36	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$161	255	$1,138	27.9%	Low
37	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$161	137	$1,305	29.8%	Low
38	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$160	221	$1,042	29.2%	Low
39	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$158	57	$1,395	34.1%	Low
40	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$154	424	$1,741	36.9%	Low
41	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$154	99	$989	26.2%	Low
42	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$153	43	$1,091	39.7%	Low
43	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$153	67	$1,079	34.1%	Low
44	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$151	57	$802	23.7%	Low
45	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$150	41	$969	27.6%	Low
46	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$149	49	$1,013	27.2%	Low
47	Cahuita, Limón Province	$149	1,915	$1,368	34.3%	Low
48	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$148	1,289	$1,632	37.6%	Low
49	Barú, San Jose Province	$146	134	$1,000	29.4%	Low
50	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$141	34	$769	24.6%	Low
51	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$140	71	$1,881	42.0%	Low
52	Colón, San Jose Province	$139	42	$992	30.3%	Low
53	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$137	64	$1,553	39.9%	Low
54	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$136	77	$1,785	41.7%	Low
55	Talamanca, Limón	$131	31	$1,305	35.9%	Low
56	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$127	551	$1,385	36.5%	Low
57	Pozos, San Jose Province	$127	34	$536	36.7%	Low
58	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$122	67	$984	27.3%	Low
59	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$120	76	$623	22.6%	Low
60	Florencia, Alajuela Province	$119	33	$476	18.8%	Low
61	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$116	161	$863	31.1%	Low
62	Copey, San Jose Province	$116	71	$905	26.7%	Low
63	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$113	38	$817	26.9%	Low
64	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$109	91	$450	19.8%	Low
65	Orosi, Cartago Province	$107	30	$519	24.6%	Low
66	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$107	175	$848	35.3%	Low
67	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$107	50	$752	26.9%	Low
68	Rivas, San Jose Province	$103	86	$547	23.9%	Low
69	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$103	113	$896	32.9%	Low
70	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$102	55	$1,113	41.2%	Low
71	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$97	62	$714	28.0%	Low
72	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$96	151	$588	28.0%	Low
73	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$95	42	$511	29.3%	Low
74	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$94	49	$448	21.1%	Low
75	Limón, Limón Province	$89	75	$370	22.6%	Low
76	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$89	38	$407	20.9%	Low
77	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$86	35	$738	25.9%	Low
78	La Virgen, Heredia Province	$84	31	$371	21.9%	Low
79	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$84	36	$448	23.4%	Low
80	Uruca, San Jose Province	$82	105	$753	38.9%	Low
81	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$80	116	$597	37.8%	Low
82	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$76	34	$360	21.1%	Low
83	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$74	85	$521	28.9%	Low
84	San José, San Jose Province	$73	194	$586	35.3%	Low
85	Pavas, San Jose Province	$72	237	$703	40.2%	Low
86	Carmen, San Jose Province	$71	235	$666	38.1%	Low
87	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$70	38	$357	20.1%	Low
88	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	$69	32	$452	30.4%	Low
89	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$67	418	$669	40.8%	Low
90	Hospital, San Jose Province	$65	70	$523	36.1%	Low
91	San José, San José	$64	107	$561	36.9%	Low
92	Merced, San Jose Province	$64	114	$534	32.7%	Low
93	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$64	151	$331	24.6%	Low
94	Catedral, San Jose Province	$63	109	$495	31.4%	Low
95	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$63	140	$392	33.9%	Low
96	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$59	102	$547	39.2%	Low
97	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$58	223	$578	38.2%	Low
98	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$56	55	$545	37.9%	Low
99	Heredia, Heredia Province	$54	43	$574	42.4%	Low
100	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$53	64	$391	31.4%	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. Mata Redonda, San Jose Province leads Costa Rica with 40.8% occupancy, $669/month revenue, and 418 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	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	40.8%	418	$669	$67	Low
2	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	40.1%	1,249	$4,014	$397	Low
3	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	38.7%	555	$1,783	$191	Low
4	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	38.3%	1,115	$2,649	$254	Low
5	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	38.0%	842	$3,264	$424	Low
6	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	37.6%	1,289	$1,632	$148	Low
7	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	37.2%	844	$3,493	$388	Low
8	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	36.9%	424	$1,741	$154	Low
9	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	36.5%	551	$1,385	$127	Low
10	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	35.1%	1,598	$2,399	$279	Low
11	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	34.8%	1,218	$2,118	$239	Low
12	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.3%	1,321	$2,036	$243	Low
13	Cahuita, Limón Province	34.3%	1,915	$1,368	$149	Low
14	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.2%	659	$3,017	$405	Low
15	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	31.0%	1,993	$2,164	$307	Low
16	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	29.7%	526	$1,520	$215	Low
17	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	29.5%	418	$1,569	$242	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 1,993 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?

Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province posts the highest average monthly revenue in this ranking at $6,130. 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 Grande, Guanacaste Province has the highest occupancy rate in this comparison at 47.9%. 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 market has the highest Airbnb nightly rate in Costa Rica?

Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste commands the highest average daily rate at $1,258 per night. A high ADR does not automatically translate to the highest revenue — occupancy and seasonality determine how much of that rate converts to realized income.

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 32.0% occupancy, and the top performer posts $6,130 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 32.0%. 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 85 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 2026-05-04. Revenue figures are market averages, not projections. For full methodology, see the data methodology page.

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What Other Airbnb Markets Are in Costa Rica?

Alajuela Province Cantón Pococí Cantón Talamanca Cartago Province Guanacaste 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