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

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-04-08

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 2,071 active listings and $2,147/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 32.3% with $1,332/month in average revenue and $174/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 2,071 active short-term rental listings and $2,147/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	2,071	$2,147	$303	31.4%	Low
2	Cahuita, Limón Province	2,008	$1,369	$150	34.9%	Low
3	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	1,657	$2,335	$279	35.0%	Low
4	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,368	$1,995	$242	34.3%	Low
5	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	1,318	$1,611	$145	37.9%	Low
6	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,278	$3,972	$395	39.9%	Low
7	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	1,255	$2,114	$241	35.2%	Low
8	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	1,144	$2,612	$252	38.0%	Low
9	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	880	$3,417	$387	37.2%	Low
10	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	857	$3,200	$424	37.8%	Low
11	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	677	$3,013	$407	34.3%	Low
12	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	573	$1,714	$192	38.3%	Low
13	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	564	$1,377	$128	36.5%	Low
14	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	545	$1,546	$216	30.5%	Low
15	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	443	$1,529	$240	29.6%	Low
16	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	436	$1,740	$155	37.1%	Low
17	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	433	$689	$69	41.0%	Low
18	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	287	$1,885	$257	29.2%	Low
19	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	269	$1,104	$160	28.1%	Low
20	Pavas, San Jose Province	247	$719	$74	40.7%	Low
21	Carmen, San Jose Province	240	$695	$73	38.8%	Low
22	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	228	$592	$59	38.5%	Low
23	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	228	$1,007	$160	29.5%	Low
24	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	224	$1,122	$179	29.3%	Low
25	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	203	$818	$163	30.2%	Low
26	San José, San Jose Province	199	$566	$76	35.1%	Low
27	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	185	$1,580	$220	30.7%	Low
28	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	180	$2,113	$261	32.4%	Low
29	San Rafael, San Jose Province	177	$896	$112	36.3%	Low
30	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	166	$874	$116	31.0%	Low
31	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	163	$4,131	$475	37.1%	Low
32	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	158	$592	$98	28.5%	Low
33	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	152	$337	$65	24.6%	Low
34	Barú, San Jose Province	145	$941	$147	29.8%	Low
35	San Pedro, San Jose Province	143	$410	$66	34.4%	Low
36	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	136	$1,228	$158	30.1%	Low
37	Ulloa, Heredia Province	119	$615	$83	38.1%	Low
38	Merced, San Jose Province	116	$536	$66	33.5%	Low
39	San Antonio, San Jose Province	116	$901	$105	32.3%	Low
40	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	114	$1,355	$192	28.4%	Low
41	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	114	$1,246	$181	33.1%	Low
42	Catedral, San Jose Province	110	$517	$66	31.7%	Low
43	Uruca, San Jose Province	107	$783	$83	39.4%	Low
44	San José, San José	107	$545	$67	37.0%	Low
45	Curridabat, San Jose Province	105	$561	$60	39.3%	Low
46	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	101	$1,007	$155	27.0%	Low
47	Quesada, Alajuela Province	98	$432	$109	20.4%	Low
48	Rivas, San Jose Province	93	$522	$105	23.5%	Low
49	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	92	$5,276	$560	34.5%	Low
50	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	91	$505	$77	27.9%	Low
51	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	83	$1,676	$193	36.4%	Low
52	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	81	$639	$125	24.1%	Low
53	Limón, Limón Province	79	$383	$92	22.4%	Low
54	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	77	$1,847	$138	42.8%	Low
55	Copey, San Jose Province	71	$955	$119	27.4%	Low
56	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	70	$1,938	$143	43.0%	Low
57	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	68	$1,104	$153	33.4%	Low
58	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	68	$2,247	$244	32.7%	Low
59	Hospital, San Jose Province	68	$584	$68	38.2%	Low
60	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	67	$392	$53	30.9%	Low
61	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	67	$1,626	$191	35.6%	Low
62	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	66	$1,036	$124	28.2%	Low
63	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	64	$731	$99	28.3%	Low
64	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	64	$2,066	$271	34.7%	Low
65	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	64	$1,421	$137	40.3%	Low
66	La Asunción, Heredia Province	62	$763	$156	23.5%	Low
67	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	59	$914	$165	25.3%	Low
68	Coco, Guanacaste Province	58	$1,578	$185	38.1%	Low
69	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	57	$1,277	$158	34.3%	Low
70	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	56	$885	$136	27.7%	Low
71	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	56	$1,109	$104	41.1%	Low
72	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	55	$570	$58	38.2%	Low
73	San Isidro, Cartago Province	55	$428	$95	20.5%	Low
74	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	54	$704	$106	26.3%	Low
75	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	48	$1,509	$229	27.3%	Low
76	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	46	$475	$96	28.5%	Low
77	Atenas, Alajuela Province	44	$1,088	$155	38.9%	Low
78	Concepción, Alajuela Province	43	$1,000	$151	28.3%	Low
79	Heredia, Heredia Province	43	$589	$56	42.5%	Low
80	Colón, San Jose Province	43	$1,036	$142	30.2%	Low
81	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	39	$820	$113	28.0%	Low
82	Florencia, Alajuela Province	38	$465	$145	20.5%	Low
83	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	38	$438	$90	21.8%	Low
84	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	38	$370	$72	20.3%	Low
85	Venecia, Alajuela Province	37	$713	$88	26.5%	Low
86	Turrialba, Cartago Province	37	$461	$85	25.7%	Low
87	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	37	$875	$232	27.1%	Low
88	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	36	$2,338	$275	29.8%	Low
89	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	36	$331	$76	22.5%	Low
90	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	36	$719	$149	24.2%	Low
91	La Virgen, Heredia Province	35	$354	$83	21.6%	Low
92	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	34	$1,342	$185	36.3%	Low
93	Pozos, San Jose Province	34	$570	$129	37.8%	Low
94	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	34	$460	$72	30.4%	Low
95	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	33	$5,305	$445	46.8%	Low
96	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	32	$938	$171	27.5%	Low
97	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	32	$2,491	$197	43.2%	Low
98	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	32	$1,977	$228	37.4%	Low
99	Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste	32	$6,407	$1,259	31.5%	Low
100	Cinco Esquinas, San Jose Province	32	$498	$69	37.9%	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. Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste leads with $6,407/month at $1,259 ADR and 31.5% 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	Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$6,407	32	$1,259	31.5%	Low
2	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$5,305	33	$445	46.8%	Low
3	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$5,276	92	$560	34.5%	Low
4	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,131	163	$475	37.1%	Low
5	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,972	1,278	$395	39.9%	Low
6	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$3,417	880	$387	37.2%	Low
7	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,200	857	$424	37.8%	Low
8	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,013	677	$407	34.3%	Low
9	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$2,612	1,144	$252	38.0%	Low
10	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,491	32	$197	43.2%	Low
11	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$2,338	36	$275	29.8%	Low
12	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$2,335	1,657	$279	35.0%	Low
13	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,247	68	$244	32.7%	Low
14	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$2,147	2,071	$303	31.4%	Low
15	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$2,114	1,255	$241	35.2%	Low
16	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$2,113	180	$261	32.4%	Low
17	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$2,066	64	$271	34.7%	Low
18	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,995	1,368	$242	34.3%	Low
19	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,977	32	$228	37.4%	Low
20	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$1,938	70	$143	43.0%	Low
21	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$1,885	287	$257	29.2%	Low
22	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,847	77	$138	42.8%	Low
23	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$1,740	436	$155	37.1%	Low
24	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,714	573	$192	38.3%	Low
25	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,676	83	$193	36.4%	Low
26	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$1,626	67	$191	35.6%	Low
27	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$1,611	1,318	$145	37.9%	Low
28	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,580	185	$220	30.7%	Low
29	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$1,578	58	$185	38.1%	Low
30	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$1,546	545	$216	30.5%	Low
31	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,529	443	$240	29.6%	Low
32	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$1,509	48	$229	27.3%	Low
33	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$1,421	64	$137	40.3%	Low
34	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$1,377	564	$128	36.5%	Low
35	Cahuita, Limón Province	$1,369	2,008	$150	34.9%	Low
36	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,355	114	$192	28.4%	Low
37	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$1,342	34	$185	36.3%	Low
38	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,277	57	$158	34.3%	Low
39	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,246	114	$181	33.1%	Low
40	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$1,228	136	$158	30.1%	Low
41	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$1,122	224	$179	29.3%	Low
42	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$1,109	56	$104	41.1%	Low
43	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$1,104	269	$160	28.1%	Low
44	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$1,104	68	$153	33.4%	Low
45	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$1,088	44	$155	38.9%	Low
46	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$1,036	66	$124	28.2%	Low
47	Colón, San Jose Province	$1,036	43	$142	30.2%	Low
48	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$1,007	228	$160	29.5%	Low
49	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,007	101	$155	27.0%	Low
50	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$1,000	43	$151	28.3%	Low
51	Copey, San Jose Province	$955	71	$119	27.4%	Low
52	Barú, San Jose Province	$941	145	$147	29.8%	Low
53	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$938	32	$171	27.5%	Low
54	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$914	59	$165	25.3%	Low
55	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$901	116	$105	32.3%	Low
56	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$896	177	$112	36.3%	Low
57	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$885	56	$136	27.7%	Low
58	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$875	37	$232	27.1%	Low
59	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$874	166	$116	31.0%	Low
60	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$820	39	$113	28.0%	Low
61	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$818	203	$163	30.2%	Low
62	Uruca, San Jose Province	$783	107	$83	39.4%	Low
63	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$763	62	$156	23.5%	Low
64	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$731	64	$99	28.3%	Low
65	Pavas, San Jose Province	$719	247	$74	40.7%	Low
66	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$719	36	$149	24.2%	Low
67	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$713	37	$88	26.5%	Low
68	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$704	54	$106	26.3%	Low
69	Carmen, San Jose Province	$695	240	$73	38.8%	Low
70	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$689	433	$69	41.0%	Low
71	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$639	81	$125	24.1%	Low
72	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$615	119	$83	38.1%	Low
73	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$592	158	$98	28.5%	Low
74	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$592	228	$59	38.5%	Low
75	Heredia, Heredia Province	$589	43	$56	42.5%	Low
76	Hospital, San Jose Province	$584	68	$68	38.2%	Low
77	Pozos, San Jose Province	$570	34	$129	37.8%	Low
78	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$570	55	$58	38.2%	Low
79	San José, San Jose Province	$566	199	$76	35.1%	Low
80	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$561	105	$60	39.3%	Low
81	San José, San José	$545	107	$67	37.0%	Low
82	Merced, San Jose Province	$536	116	$66	33.5%	Low
83	Rivas, San Jose Province	$522	93	$105	23.5%	Low
84	Catedral, San Jose Province	$517	110	$66	31.7%	Low
85	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$505	91	$77	27.9%	Low
86	Cinco Esquinas, San Jose Province	$498	32	$69	37.9%	Low
87	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$475	46	$96	28.5%	Low
88	Florencia, Alajuela Province	$465	38	$145	20.5%	Low
89	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$461	37	$85	25.7%	Low
90	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	$460	34	$72	30.4%	Low
91	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$438	38	$90	21.8%	Low
92	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$432	98	$109	20.4%	Low
93	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$428	55	$95	20.5%	Low
94	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$410	143	$66	34.4%	Low
95	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$392	67	$53	30.9%	Low
96	Limón, Limón Province	$383	79	$92	22.4%	Low
97	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$370	38	$72	20.3%	Low
98	La Virgen, Heredia Province	$354	35	$83	21.6%	Low
99	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$337	152	$65	24.6%	Low
100	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$331	36	$76	22.5%	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. Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste commands the highest Airbnb nightly rate in Costa Rica at $1,259/night, generating $6,407/month at 31.5% 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	$1,259	32	$6,407	31.5%	Low
2	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	$560	92	$5,276	34.5%	Low
3	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$475	163	$4,131	37.1%	Low
4	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$445	33	$5,305	46.8%	Low
5	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$424	857	$3,200	37.8%	Low
6	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$407	677	$3,013	34.3%	Low
7	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$395	1,278	$3,972	39.9%	Low
8	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$387	880	$3,417	37.2%	Low
9	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$303	2,071	$2,147	31.4%	Low
10	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$279	1,657	$2,335	35.0%	Low
11	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$275	36	$2,338	29.8%	Low
12	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$271	64	$2,066	34.7%	Low
13	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$261	180	$2,113	32.4%	Low
14	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$257	287	$1,885	29.2%	Low
15	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$252	1,144	$2,612	38.0%	Low
16	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$244	68	$2,247	32.7%	Low
17	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$242	1,368	$1,995	34.3%	Low
18	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$241	1,255	$2,114	35.2%	Low
19	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$240	443	$1,529	29.6%	Low
20	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$232	37	$875	27.1%	Low
21	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$229	48	$1,509	27.3%	Low
22	Provincia de Guanacaste, Provincia Guanacaste	$228	32	$1,977	37.4%	Low
23	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$220	185	$1,580	30.7%	Low
24	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$216	545	$1,546	30.5%	Low
25	Cabeceras, Provincia Guanacaste	$197	32	$2,491	43.2%	Low
26	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$193	83	$1,676	36.4%	Low
27	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$192	573	$1,714	38.3%	Low
28	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$192	114	$1,355	28.4%	Low
29	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$191	67	$1,626	35.6%	Low
30	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$185	58	$1,578	38.1%	Low
31	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$185	34	$1,342	36.3%	Low
32	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$181	114	$1,246	33.1%	Low
33	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$179	224	$1,122	29.3%	Low
34	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$171	32	$938	27.5%	Low
35	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$165	59	$914	25.3%	Low
36	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$163	203	$818	30.2%	Low
37	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$160	269	$1,104	28.1%	Low
38	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$160	228	$1,007	29.5%	Low
39	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$158	136	$1,228	30.1%	Low
40	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$158	57	$1,277	34.3%	Low
41	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$156	62	$763	23.5%	Low
42	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$155	101	$1,007	27.0%	Low
43	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$155	436	$1,740	37.1%	Low
44	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$155	44	$1,088	38.9%	Low
45	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$153	68	$1,104	33.4%	Low
46	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$151	43	$1,000	28.3%	Low
47	Cahuita, Limón Province	$150	2,008	$1,369	34.9%	Low
48	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$149	36	$719	24.2%	Low
49	Barú, San Jose Province	$147	145	$941	29.8%	Low
50	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$145	1,318	$1,611	37.9%	Low
51	Florencia, Alajuela Province	$145	38	$465	20.5%	Low
52	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$143	70	$1,938	43.0%	Low
53	Colón, San Jose Province	$142	43	$1,036	30.2%	Low
54	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$138	77	$1,847	42.8%	Low
55	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$137	64	$1,421	40.3%	Low
56	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$136	56	$885	27.7%	Low
57	Pozos, San Jose Province	$129	34	$570	37.8%	Low
58	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$128	564	$1,377	36.5%	Low
59	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$125	81	$639	24.1%	Low
60	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$124	66	$1,036	28.2%	Low
61	Copey, San Jose Province	$119	71	$955	27.4%	Low
62	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$116	166	$874	31.0%	Low
63	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$113	39	$820	28.0%	Low
64	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$112	177	$896	36.3%	Low
65	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$109	98	$432	20.4%	Low
66	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$106	54	$704	26.3%	Low
67	Rivas, San Jose Province	$105	93	$522	23.5%	Low
68	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$105	116	$901	32.3%	Low
69	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$104	56	$1,109	41.1%	Low
70	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$99	64	$731	28.3%	Low
71	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$98	158	$592	28.5%	Low
72	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$96	46	$475	28.5%	Low
73	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$95	55	$428	20.5%	Low
74	Limón, Limón Province	$92	79	$383	22.4%	Low
75	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$90	38	$438	21.8%	Low
76	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$88	37	$713	26.5%	Low
77	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$85	37	$461	25.7%	Low
78	Uruca, San Jose Province	$83	107	$783	39.4%	Low
79	La Virgen, Heredia Province	$83	35	$354	21.6%	Low
80	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$83	119	$615	38.1%	Low
81	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$77	91	$505	27.9%	Low
82	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$76	36	$331	22.5%	Low
83	San José, San Jose Province	$76	199	$566	35.1%	Low
84	Pavas, San Jose Province	$74	247	$719	40.7%	Low
85	Carmen, San Jose Province	$73	240	$695	38.8%	Low
86	Sabanilla, San Jose Province	$72	34	$460	30.4%	Low
87	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$72	38	$370	20.3%	Low
88	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$69	433	$689	41.0%	Low
89	Cinco Esquinas, San Jose Province	$69	32	$498	37.9%	Low
90	Hospital, San Jose Province	$68	68	$584	38.2%	Low
91	San José, San José	$67	107	$545	37.0%	Low
92	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$66	143	$410	34.4%	Low
93	Merced, San Jose Province	$66	116	$536	33.5%	Low
94	Catedral, San Jose Province	$66	110	$517	31.7%	Low
95	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$65	152	$337	24.6%	Low
96	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$60	105	$561	39.3%	Low
97	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$59	228	$592	38.5%	Low
98	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$58	55	$570	38.2%	Low
99	Heredia, Heredia Province	$56	43	$589	42.5%	Low
100	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$53	67	$392	30.9%	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 41.0% occupancy, $689/month revenue, and 433 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	41.0%	433	$689	$69	Low
2	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	39.9%	1,278	$3,972	$395	Low
3	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	38.3%	573	$1,714	$192	Low
4	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	38.0%	1,144	$2,612	$252	Low
5	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	37.9%	1,318	$1,611	$145	Low
6	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	37.8%	857	$3,200	$424	Low
7	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	37.2%	880	$3,417	$387	Low
8	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	37.1%	436	$1,740	$155	Low
9	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	36.5%	564	$1,377	$128	Low
10	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	35.2%	1,255	$2,114	$241	Low
11	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	35.0%	1,657	$2,335	$279	Low
12	Cahuita, Limón Province	34.9%	2,008	$1,369	$150	Low
13	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.3%	677	$3,013	$407	Low
14	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.3%	1,368	$1,995	$242	Low
15	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	31.4%	2,071	$2,147	$303	Low
16	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	30.5%	545	$1,546	$216	Low
17	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	29.6%	443	$1,529	$240	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 2,071 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?

Nacascolo, Provincia de Guanacaste posts the highest average monthly revenue in this ranking at $6,407. 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 46.8%. 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 32.3% occupancy, and the top performer posts $6,407 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 32.3%. 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 91 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 2026-04-08. 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