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

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou , Founder @ AirROI

Updated: 2026-06-02

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 2,002 active listings and $2,248/month revenue. Across all ranked markets, average occupancy is 32.4% with $1,312/month in average revenue and $169/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 2,002 active short-term rental listings and $2,248/month in average revenue.

#	Market	Active Listings (TTM)	Revenue/mo	ADR	Occupancy	Regulation
1	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	2,002	$2,248	$312	31.4%	Low
2	Cahuita, Limón Province	1,909	$1,423	$155	34.3%	Low
3	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	1,578	$2,524	$292	35.6%	Low
4	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	1,431	$1,645	$152	38.4%	Low
5	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,338	$4,068	$405	40.8%	Low
6	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	1,308	$2,159	$250	34.9%	Low
7	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	1,199	$2,224	$249	35.0%	Low
8	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	1,150	$2,711	$258	38.7%	Low
9	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	862	$3,462	$438	38.6%	Low
10	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	821	$3,708	$400	37.7%	Low
11	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	647	$3,158	$415	34.7%	Low
12	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	580	$1,827	$196	39.6%	Low
13	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	545	$1,466	$132	37.1%	Low
14	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	542	$1,545	$219	29.9%	Low
15	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	422	$1,824	$158	37.8%	Low
16	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	410	$1,683	$249	30.1%	Low
17	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	410	$683	$71	40.2%	Low
18	San José, San Jose Province	354	$492	$74	36.1%	Low
19	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	286	$1,900	$263	28.0%	Low
20	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	277	$1,100	$162	28.1%	Low
21	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	262	$593	$69	38.3%	Low
22	Carmen, San Jose Province	234	$671	$75	36.9%	Low
23	Pavas, San Jose Province	234	$722	$76	39.8%	Low
24	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	220	$1,097	$166	28.9%	Low
25	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	216	$1,178	$186	28.8%	Low
26	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	191	$829	$165	29.8%	Low
27	San Rafael, San Jose Province	191	$837	$111	35.7%	Low
28	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	181	$2,168	$274	33.2%	Low
29	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	177	$1,610	$224	29.9%	Low
30	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	177	$608	$104	28.8%	Low
31	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	172	$1,364	$237	29.0%	Low
32	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	168	$1,321	$174	30.2%	Low
33	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	167	$4,124	$493	38.4%	Low
34	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	160	$326	$67	24.2%	Low
35	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	157	$945	$123	31.8%	Low
36	San José, San José	154	$527	$67	40.0%	Low
37	San Pedro, San Jose Province	151	$384	$65	32.8%	Low
38	Barú, San Jose Province	134	$1,028	$147	28.9%	Low
39	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	127	$1,138	$136	35.8%	Low
40	San Antonio, San Jose Province	121	$885	$107	31.8%	Low
41	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	116	$1,576	$201	37.6%	Low
42	Catedral, San Jose Province	110	$502	$66	31.4%	Low
43	Ulloa, Heredia Province	108	$651	$83	39.0%	Low
44	Merced, San Jose Province	108	$566	$69	32.3%	Low
45	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	107	$1,257	$187	34.3%	Low
46	Quesada, Alajuela Province	100	$443	$101	21.8%	Low
47	Curridabat, San Jose Province	100	$574	$61	40.4%	Low
48	Uruca, San Jose Province	100	$796	$87	39.8%	Low
49	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	99	$1,387	$195	34.0%	Low
50	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	96	$590	$128	22.6%	Low
51	Pinilla, Guanacaste Province	93	$5,966	$574	33.8%	Low
52	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	92	$1,078	$158	26.6%	Low
53	Rivas, San Jose Province	89	$554	$113	23.7%	Low
54	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	86	$535	$77	28.8%	Low
55	Limón, Limón Province	84	$363	$97	23.1%	Low
56	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	84	$1,718	$197	36.2%	Low
57	Coco, Guanacaste Province	82	$1,761	$196	40.9%	Low
58	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	77	$1,888	$144	42.3%	Low
59	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	77	$1,851	$141	41.9%	Low
60	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	73	$976	$124	27.3%	Low
61	Talamanca, Limón	72	$938	$146	32.1%	Low
62	Copey, San Jose Province	70	$998	$123	27.5%	Low
63	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	68	$392	$58	30.8%	Low
64	Hospital, San Jose Province	68	$551	$59	35.7%	Low
65	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	67	$1,079	$158	32.8%	Low
66	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	66	$2,375	$253	32.5%	Low
67	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	66	$990	$169	28.1%	Low
68	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	64	$1,059	$194	32.7%	Low
69	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	61	$755	$103	28.1%	Low
70	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	61	$2,262	$280	36.0%	Low
71	Heredia, Heredia Province	61	$510	$63	39.8%	Low
72	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	59	$908	$172	25.0%	Low
73	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	58	$1,118	$107	40.3%	Low
74	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	57	$473	$99	28.3%	Low
75	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	56	$557	$58	37.2%	Low
76	Turrialba, Cartago Province	56	$368	$86	21.2%	Low
77	La Asunción, Heredia Province	56	$824	$155	23.0%	Low
78	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	53	$1,114	$166	36.5%	Low
79	Atenas, Alajuela Province	49	$997	$152	38.6%	Low
80	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	49	$799	$112	26.3%	Low
81	San Isidro, Cartago Province	49	$461	$98	21.9%	Low
82	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	49	$792	$131	39.8%	Low
83	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	49	$1,213	$183	34.9%	Low
84	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	48	$5,258	$453	44.6%	Low
85	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	46	$2,028	$245	41.8%	Low
86	Concepción, Alajuela Province	45	$1,032	$158	28.2%	Low
87	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	44	$934	$244	28.2%	Low
88	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	44	$1,603	$243	26.6%	Low
89	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	42	$403	$90	22.2%	Low
90	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	41	$537	$101	29.9%	Low
91	Colón, San Jose Province	41	$1,061	$146	30.3%	Low
92	Venecia, Alajuela Province	38	$785	$91	27.1%	Low
93	Guápiles, Limón Province	38	$557	$115	23.9%	Low
94	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	38	$842	$117	26.8%	Low
95	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	38	$861	$151	25.6%	Low
96	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	38	$346	$73	20.2%	Low
97	Pozos, San Jose Province	38	$525	$104	36.5%	Low
98	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	37	$880	$181	28.9%	Low
99	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	37	$558	$100	23.5%	Low
100	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	35	$2,262	$279	27.6%	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. Pinilla, Guanacaste Province leads with $5,966/month at $574 ADR and 33.8% 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	$5,966	93	$574	33.8%	Low
2	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$5,258	48	$453	44.6%	Low
3	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,124	167	$493	38.4%	Low
4	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$4,068	1,338	$405	40.8%	Low
5	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$3,708	821	$400	37.7%	Low
6	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,462	862	$438	38.6%	Low
7	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$3,158	647	$415	34.7%	Low
8	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$2,711	1,150	$258	38.7%	Low
9	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$2,524	1,578	$292	35.6%	Low
10	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$2,375	66	$253	32.5%	Low
11	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$2,262	35	$279	27.6%	Low
12	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$2,262	61	$280	36.0%	Low
13	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$2,248	2,002	$312	31.4%	Low
14	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$2,224	1,199	$249	35.0%	Low
15	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$2,168	181	$274	33.2%	Low
16	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$2,159	1,308	$250	34.9%	Low
17	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	$2,028	46	$245	41.8%	Low
18	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$1,900	286	$263	28.0%	Low
19	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$1,888	77	$144	42.3%	Low
20	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,851	77	$141	41.9%	Low
21	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,827	580	$196	39.6%	Low
22	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$1,824	422	$158	37.8%	Low
23	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$1,761	82	$196	40.9%	Low
24	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,718	84	$197	36.2%	Low
25	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,683	410	$249	30.1%	Low
26	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$1,645	1,431	$152	38.4%	Low
27	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,610	177	$224	29.9%	Low
28	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$1,603	44	$243	26.6%	Low
29	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$1,576	116	$201	37.6%	Low
30	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$1,545	542	$219	29.9%	Low
31	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$1,466	545	$132	37.1%	Low
32	Cahuita, Limón Province	$1,423	1,909	$155	34.3%	Low
33	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,387	99	$195	34.0%	Low
34	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$1,364	172	$237	29.0%	Low
35	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$1,321	168	$174	30.2%	Low
36	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,257	107	$187	34.3%	Low
37	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	$1,213	49	$183	34.9%	Low
38	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$1,178	216	$186	28.8%	Low
39	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$1,138	127	$136	35.8%	Low
40	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$1,118	58	$107	40.3%	Low
41	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	$1,114	53	$166	36.5%	Low
42	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$1,100	277	$162	28.1%	Low
43	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$1,097	220	$166	28.9%	Low
44	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$1,079	67	$158	32.8%	Low
45	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$1,078	92	$158	26.6%	Low
46	Colón, San Jose Province	$1,061	41	$146	30.3%	Low
47	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$1,059	64	$194	32.7%	Low
48	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$1,032	45	$158	28.2%	Low
49	Barú, San Jose Province	$1,028	134	$147	28.9%	Low
50	Copey, San Jose Province	$998	70	$123	27.5%	Low
51	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$997	49	$152	38.6%	Low
52	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$990	66	$169	28.1%	Low
53	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$976	73	$124	27.3%	Low
54	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$945	157	$123	31.8%	Low
55	Talamanca, Limón	$938	72	$146	32.1%	Low
56	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$934	44	$244	28.2%	Low
57	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$908	59	$172	25.0%	Low
58	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$885	121	$107	31.8%	Low
59	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$880	37	$181	28.9%	Low
60	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$861	38	$151	25.6%	Low
61	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$842	38	$117	26.8%	Low
62	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$837	191	$111	35.7%	Low
63	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$829	191	$165	29.8%	Low
64	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$824	56	$155	23.0%	Low
65	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$799	49	$112	26.3%	Low
66	Uruca, San Jose Province	$796	100	$87	39.8%	Low
67	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	$792	49	$131	39.8%	Low
68	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$785	38	$91	27.1%	Low
69	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$755	61	$103	28.1%	Low
70	Pavas, San Jose Province	$722	234	$76	39.8%	Low
71	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$683	410	$71	40.2%	Low
72	Carmen, San Jose Province	$671	234	$75	36.9%	Low
73	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$651	108	$83	39.0%	Low
74	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$608	177	$104	28.8%	Low
75	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$593	262	$69	38.3%	Low
76	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$590	96	$128	22.6%	Low
77	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$574	100	$61	40.4%	Low
78	Merced, San Jose Province	$566	108	$69	32.3%	Low
79	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$558	37	$100	23.5%	Low
80	Guápiles, Limón Province	$557	38	$115	23.9%	Low
81	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$557	56	$58	37.2%	Low
82	Rivas, San Jose Province	$554	89	$113	23.7%	Low
83	Hospital, San Jose Province	$551	68	$59	35.7%	Low
84	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$537	41	$101	29.9%	Low
85	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$535	86	$77	28.8%	Low
86	San José, San José	$527	154	$67	40.0%	Low
87	Pozos, San Jose Province	$525	38	$104	36.5%	Low
88	Heredia, Heredia Province	$510	61	$63	39.8%	Low
89	Catedral, San Jose Province	$502	110	$66	31.4%	Low
90	San José, San Jose Province	$492	354	$74	36.1%	Low
91	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	$473	57	$99	28.3%	Low
92	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$461	49	$98	21.9%	Low
93	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$443	100	$101	21.8%	Low
94	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$403	42	$90	22.2%	Low
95	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$392	68	$58	30.8%	Low
96	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$384	151	$65	32.8%	Low
97	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$368	56	$86	21.2%	Low
98	Limón, Limón Province	$363	84	$97	23.1%	Low
99	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$346	38	$73	20.2%	Low
100	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$326	160	$67	24.2%	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 $574/night, generating $5,966/month at 33.8% 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	$574	93	$5,966	33.8%	Low
2	Playa Langosta, Provincia de Guanacaste	$493	167	$4,124	38.4%	Low
3	Playa Grande, Guanacaste Province	$453	48	$5,258	44.6%	Low
4	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$438	862	$3,462	38.6%	Low
5	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	$415	647	$3,158	34.7%	Low
6	Tamarindo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$405	1,338	$4,068	40.8%	Low
7	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	$400	821	$3,708	37.7%	Low
8	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	$312	2,002	$2,248	31.4%	Low
9	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	$292	1,578	$2,524	35.6%	Low
10	Playa Avellana, Guanacaste Province	$280	61	$2,262	36.0%	Low
11	Caldera, Puntarenas Province	$279	35	$2,262	27.6%	Low
12	Savegre, Puntarenas Province	$274	181	$2,168	33.2%	Low
13	Tárcoles, Puntarenas Province	$263	286	$1,900	28.0%	Low
14	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	$258	1,150	$2,711	38.7%	Low
15	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia Guanacaste	$253	66	$2,375	32.5%	Low
16	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$250	1,308	$2,159	34.9%	Low
17	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	$249	1,199	$2,224	35.0%	Low
18	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	$249	410	$1,683	30.1%	Low
19	Potrero, Guanacaste Province	$245	46	$2,028	41.8%	Low
20	Villareal, Guanacaste Province	$244	44	$934	28.2%	Low
21	Lagunillas, Puntarenas Province	$243	44	$1,603	26.6%	Low
22	Santa Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$237	172	$1,364	29.0%	Low
23	Cuajiniquil, Provincia de Guanacaste	$224	177	$1,610	29.9%	Low
24	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	$219	542	$1,545	29.9%	Low
25	Uvita, Puntarenas Province	$201	116	$1,576	37.6%	Low
26	Puerto Carrillo, Provincia de Guanacaste	$197	84	$1,718	36.2%	Low
27	Coco, Guanacaste Province	$196	82	$1,761	40.9%	Low
28	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	$196	580	$1,827	39.6%	Low
29	Villarreal, Provincia de Guanacaste	$195	99	$1,387	34.0%	Low
30	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón	$194	64	$1,059	32.7%	Low
31	Jaco, Provincia de Puntarenas	$187	107	$1,257	34.3%	Low
32	Paquera, Puntarenas Province	$186	216	$1,178	28.8%	Low
33	Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas	$183	49	$1,213	34.9%	Low
34	San Mateo, Alajuela Province	$181	37	$880	28.9%	Low
35	Puntarenas, Puntarenas Province	$174	168	$1,321	30.2%	Low
36	Tronadora, Provincia de Guanacaste	$172	59	$908	25.0%	Low
37	Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste	$169	66	$990	28.1%	Low
38	San Carlos, Provincia de Alajuela	$166	53	$1,114	36.5%	Low
39	Puerto Cortés, Puntarenas Province	$166	220	$1,097	28.9%	Low
40	Pavón, Puntarenas Province	$165	191	$829	29.8%	Low
41	Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas Province	$162	277	$1,100	28.1%	Low
42	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	$158	422	$1,824	37.8%	Low
43	Concepción, Alajuela Province	$158	45	$1,032	28.2%	Low
44	Arenal, Provincia Guanacaste	$158	92	$1,078	26.6%	Low
45	San Isidro, Alajuela Province	$158	67	$1,079	32.8%	Low
46	La Asunción, Heredia Province	$155	56	$824	23.0%	Low
47	Cahuita, Limón Province	$155	1,909	$1,423	34.3%	Low
48	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	$152	1,431	$1,645	38.4%	Low
49	Atenas, Alajuela Province	$152	49	$997	38.6%	Low
50	Naranjito, Puntarenas Province	$151	38	$861	25.6%	Low
51	Barú, San Jose Province	$147	134	$1,028	28.9%	Low
52	Colón, San Jose Province	$146	41	$1,061	30.3%	Low
53	Talamanca, Limón	$146	72	$938	32.1%	Low
54	Monterrey, Alajuela Province	$144	77	$1,888	42.3%	Low
55	Sierra, Provincia de Guanacaste	$141	77	$1,851	41.9%	Low
56	Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón Province	$136	127	$1,138	35.8%	Low
57	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	$132	545	$1,466	37.1%	Low
58	Monte Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas	$131	49	$792	39.8%	Low
59	La Cruz, Provincia de Guanacaste	$128	96	$590	22.6%	Low
60	Sabana Redonda, Alajuela Province	$124	73	$976	27.3%	Low
61	Copey, San Jose Province	$123	70	$998	27.5%	Low
62	Bahía Drake, Puntarenas Province	$123	157	$945	31.8%	Low
63	Tierras Morenas, Provincia Guanacaste	$117	38	$842	26.8%	Low
64	Guápiles, Limón Province	$115	38	$557	23.9%	Low
65	Rivas, San Jose Province	$113	89	$554	23.7%	Low
66	La Tigra, Alajuela Province	$112	49	$799	26.3%	Low
67	San Rafael, San Jose Province	$111	191	$837	35.7%	Low
68	Santa Ana, San Jose Province	$107	58	$1,118	40.3%	Low
69	San Antonio, San Jose Province	$107	121	$885	31.8%	Low
70	Liberia, Provincia de Guanacaste	$104	177	$608	28.8%	Low
71	Pozos, San Jose Province	$104	38	$525	36.5%	Low
72	Bijagua, Alajuela Province	$103	61	$755	28.1%	Low
73	Quesada, Alajuela Province	$101	100	$443	21.8%	Low
74	San Rafael, Alajuela Province	$101	41	$537	29.9%	Low
75	Golfito, Puntarenas Province	$100	37	$558	23.5%	Low
76	San Ramon, Provincia de Alajuela	$99	57	$473	28.3%	Low
77	San Isidro, Cartago Province	$98	49	$461	21.9%	Low
78	Limón, Limón Province	$97	84	$363	23.1%	Low
79	Venecia, Alajuela Province	$91	38	$785	27.1%	Low
80	Tilarán, Provincia de Guanacaste	$90	42	$403	22.2%	Low
81	Uruca, San Jose Province	$87	100	$796	39.8%	Low
82	Turrialba, Cartago Province	$86	56	$368	21.2%	Low
83	Ulloa, Heredia Province	$83	108	$651	39.0%	Low
84	Colorado, Cantón Pococí	$77	86	$535	28.8%	Low
85	Pavas, San Jose Province	$76	234	$722	39.8%	Low
86	Carmen, San Jose Province	$75	234	$671	36.9%	Low
87	San José, San Jose Province	$74	354	$492	36.1%	Low
88	Sierpe, Puntarenas Province	$73	38	$346	20.2%	Low
89	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	$71	410	$683	40.2%	Low
90	Merced, San Jose Province	$69	108	$566	32.3%	Low
91	Alajuela, Alajuela Province	$69	262	$593	38.3%	Low
92	San Isidro de El General, San Jose Province	$67	160	$326	24.2%	Low
93	San José, San José	$67	154	$527	40.0%	Low
94	Catedral, San Jose Province	$66	110	$502	31.4%	Low
95	San Pedro, San Jose Province	$65	151	$384	32.8%	Low
96	Heredia, Heredia Province	$63	61	$510	39.8%	Low
97	Curridabat, San Jose Province	$61	100	$574	40.4%	Low
98	Hospital, San Jose Province	$59	68	$551	35.7%	Low
99	Desamparados, Alajuela Province	$58	68	$392	30.8%	Low
100	Río Segundo, Alajuela Province	$58	56	$557	37.2%	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 40.8% occupancy, $4,068/month revenue, and 1,338 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	40.8%	1,338	$4,068	$405	Low
2	Mata Redonda, San Jose Province	40.2%	410	$683	$71	Low
3	Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste	39.6%	580	$1,827	$196	Low
4	Quepos, Puntarenas Province	38.7%	1,150	$2,711	$258	Low
5	Nosara, Provincia de Guanacaste	38.6%	862	$3,462	$438	Low
6	La Fortuna, Alajuela Province	38.4%	1,431	$1,645	$152	Low
7	Peñas Blancas, Alajuela Province	37.8%	422	$1,824	$158	Low
8	Cabo Velas, Provincia Guanacaste	37.7%	821	$3,708	$400	Low
9	Monteverde, Puntarenas Province	37.1%	545	$1,466	$132	Low
10	San José, San Jose Province	36.1%	354	$492	$74	Low
11	Cóbano, Puntarenas Province	35.6%	1,578	$2,524	$292	Low
12	Bahía Ballena, Puntarenas Province	35.0%	1,199	$2,224	$249	Low
13	Sardinal, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.9%	1,308	$2,159	$250	Low
14	Tempate, Provincia de Guanacaste	34.7%	647	$3,158	$415	Low
15	Cahuita, Limón Province	34.3%	1,909	$1,423	$155	Low
16	Jacó, Puntarenas Province	31.4%	2,002	$2,248	$312	Low
17	Veintisiete de Abril, Provincia Guanacaste	30.1%	410	$1,683	$249	Low
18	Parrita, Puntarenas Province	29.9%	542	$1,545	$219	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 2,002 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 $5,966. 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 44.6%. 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 32.4% occupancy, and the top performer posts $5,966 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 32.4%. 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 96 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 2026-06-02. 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