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Landprices

What land is worth per square metre in every zone of Costa Rica, by the official values the Ministry of Finance sets for the property tax, and what lots ask today in the towns where we work.

Official value per m²
    Official value per m² of each homogeneous zone, as the Ministry of Finance publishes it, each canton on its own edition. Tap a zone for its value, the lot it is set for and its year. Source: Órgano de Normalización Técnica, Ministerio de Hacienda.

    (Town by town)

    TownCentreResidentialBeachEditionLots for sale, asking
    Tamarindo Map₡240,000–255,000US$524–557₡140,000–650,000US$306–1,420₡355,000 ZMTUS$7752025US$418US$191–576 · 125 lots
    Playa Grande Map₡105,000US$229₡45,000–65,000US$98–142₡2,200 ZMTUS$52025US$203US$143–351 · 81 lots
    Playa Negra Map–₡35,000–50,000US$76–109₡55,000 ZMTUS$1202025US$78US$56–116 · 14 lots
    Flamingo Map₡70,000US$153₡65,000–120,000US$142–262₡330,000US$7212025US$278US$170–507 · 72 lots
    Playas del Coco Map₡235,000–345,000US$513–754₡97,000–240,000US$212–524₡160,000–185,000 ZMTUS$349–4042025US$208US$104–324 · 97 lots
    Papagayo Map––₡325,000 ZMTUS$7102025Too few listings
    Liberia Map₡250,000–440,000US$546–961₡95,000–165,000US$208–360–2025US$82US$58–110 · 16 lots
    Nosara Map–₡20,000–145,000US$44–317₡35,000US$762025US$232US$177–308 · 6 lots, few listings
    Sámara Map₡240,000US$524₡88,000–118,000US$192–258₡140,000–230,000 ZMTUS$306–5022025US$96US$77–116 · 8 lots, few listings
    Santa Teresa Map₡90,000–110,000US$197–240₡35,000US$76₡30,000 ZMTUS$662018US$130US$73–288 · 25 lots
    Jacó Map₡550,000US$1,201₡70,000–160,000US$153–349₡450,000US$9832018US$226US$67–298 · 48 lots
    Dominical Map₡60,000US$131₡50,000US$109₡50,000–57,000 ZMTUS$109–1252018US$118US$75–138 · 8 lots, few listings
    Uvita Map₡70,000–110,000US$153–240₡25,000US$55₡45,000US$982018US$110US$57–163 · 57 lots
    Puerto Viejo Map₡75,000US$164₡35,000US$76₡95,000 ZMTUS$2082020US$74US$48–86 · 32 lots
    Escazú Map₡250,000–290,000US$546–633₡120,000–150,000US$262–328–2024US$323US$200–434 · 91 lots
    Santa Ana Map₡290,000–332,000US$633–725₡190,000–260,000US$415–568–2025US$285US$199–400 · 140 lots
    Atenas Map₡150,000–225,000US$328–491₡75,000–105,000US$164–229–2016US$75US$57–131 · 27 lots
    Heredia Map₡400,000–500,000US$874–1,092₡130,000–150,000US$284–328–2019US$495US$323–685 · 17 lots

    Official values in colones per m², as Hacienda sets them, and in dollars at ₡457.80. Lots for sale: the median asking price per m² of titled residential lots of 300 to 5,000 m², the middle half of them and how many, seen on 7 October 2026.

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    Where the numbers come from

    Every municipality in Costa Rica is split into homogeneous zones, and the Ministry of Finance sets an official value per square metre for each, for a typical lot of that zone 1. These are the values the property tax starts from, and each municipality makes them law by publishing them in La Gaceta 2,5. The map shows them as they are published, 8,750 zones in 82 cantons, with dollars at ₡457.80 3.

    Each canton is on its own edition. Santa Cruz, Carrillo, Liberia, Nicoya and Santa Ana are on 2025 and Escazú on 2024, but Cóbano (Santa Teresa), Garabito (Jacó) and Osa (Dominical and Uvita) are still on 2018, Talamanca on 2020 and Atenas on 2016 2. When an edition is made, its values sit close to the sales Hacienda samples in the same zones 4; the gap with today's market grows with the age of the edition. The 2025 edition put the centre of Tamarindo 70% above 2017.

    A zone's value is for the lot it describes: in the centre of Tamarindo, 800 m² with 20 m of street front. A larger lot is worth less per m², and a corner, a view or a short walk to the beach more. Mixed zones carry a second value, and their rural part a much lower one for large parcels.

    Within 200 m of the high-tide line the land is not sold. The municipality grants a concession and charges a yearly fee on an appraisal, up to 3% for a home and 4% for tourism 6; the map still shows Hacienda's value there. In the Papagayo tourism pole the ICT sets the base itself, US$3.39 a m² until July 2027 7.

    The last column is what sellers ask, not what lots sell for: 1,303 titled lots listed on public sites on 7 October 2026, counted only between 300 and 5,000 m², without concessions, farms or commercial lots 8. A town needs five lots to get a number, and fewer than ten are marked. Asking prices run above closing prices.

    None of this is an appraisal. A lot is worth what a valuation of that lot says, and before buying it is worth asking for one, along with the registry study of the property and the zoning certificate.

    1. Plataformas de valores de terrenos por zonas homogéneas (servicio de mapas). Ministerio de Hacienda, Órgano de Normalización Técnica, downloaded 7 October 2026.
    2. Plataformas de valores de terrenos por zonas homogéneas: ediciones por cantón. Ministerio de Hacienda, 15 June 2026.
    3. Tipo de cambio de referencia. Banco Central de Costa Rica, 7 October 2026.
    4. Referencias de valor de terreno (servicio de mapas). Ministerio de Hacienda, Órgano de Normalización Técnica, downloaded 7 October 2026.
    5. Ley 7509, Ley de Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles. SINALEVI, 1995.
    6. Reglamento a la Ley sobre la Zona Marítimo Terrestre (Decreto 7841-P), artículos 49 y 50. SINALEVI, 2013.
    7. ICT, acuerdo SJD-196-2022: base del canon en el Polo Turístico Golfo de Papagayo. La Gaceta 158, 22 August 2022.
    8. Lots for sale, the sample behind the market column. Studio CAVA, 7 October 2026.
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