If you’ve just arrived in Costa Rica or are planning to move here, finding a rental property should be a top priority.
Long-term rentals are a popular option for anyone who wants to stay in the country, whether their reasons are for vacationing, working, or relocating.
Generally, in Costa Rica, rentals are governed by law No. 7527: Ley General de Arrendamientos Urbanos y Suburbanos – or the General Law of Urban and Suburban Renting. According to Law 7527, any lease that requires at least a 3-year commitment is considered a long-term rental.
However, it’s common practice for the lease to list different terms. For example, the initial lease might be for 1 year, renewed for another 2 years. Alternatively, you might find a long-term rental that starts from as little as 6 months.
Use this guide as a starting point if you’re thinking of renting long-term in Costa Rica. It’ll help you understand the types of rentals available and will give you details of suitable areas and rough costs.
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Contents
Renting as a Foreigner in Costa Rica
If you’re a foreigner looking to rent property in Costa Rica, you might be wondering how this works and what rights you have compared to Costa Rican citizens.
Visa
Luckily, it’s pretty easy for foreigners to rent property in Costa Rica. There aren’t any immigration-related restrictions on who can rent what in the country, meaning you could effectively rent on a tourist visa – or no visa at all!
Of course, the length of your visa will dictate the length of your rental agreement. After all, it makes no sense to agree a rental term for longer than your visa allows you to remain in the country. Those looking at long-term rentals in Costa Rica are likely in the country on a residency permit or similar, as this is your main option for staying longer than a few months.
Tenancy Rights
As for tenancy rights, they’re the same for foreigners as they are for citizens. The rental process is fairly straightforward, and you may even be able to agree a discount if dealing privately with a landlord.
However, as a foreigner, you might benefit from using a real estate agent, if only for your initial search. Consider looking for a realtor that specializes in expats, or make friends in local communities to get some insider tips.
Similarly, most expats will advise looking for short-term rentals until you’re more familiar with the country and its rental market.
Why Long-Term Rentals?
If you want to live in Costa Rica for at least a year or two, a long-term rental can be the best option for a few reasons:
- They’re often cheaper per month than short-term rentals
- They reduce the need to move frequently
- They provide long-term value and security
- They can serve as a suitable base for building your life in Costa Rica, including finding work, saving to buy, and so on
Popular Long-Term Rentals Locations
You can find long-term rentals in every area of Costa Rica, but let’s take a look at some of the most popular destinations.
Central Valley
Costa Rica’s Central Valley is a major hub for expats who want to move to Costa Rica. When I first came to the country for temporary work, I resided and still reside in San Jose.
Living in this region will give you easy access to hospitals, schools, restaurants, hotels, and more. A two-bedroom rental in this region can be as high as US$2,000 but as low as US$650 per month.
As the name suggests, this region is central, making it easily accessible from any point. You can shuttle between San Jose and the suburbs within an hour to an hour and a half.
Moreover, you can find long-term rentals such as condos, apartments, and luxury homes.
Other high brow areas in the Central Valley area where you’ll find a good number of expats are Santa Ana and Escazu, Tibas, Atenas, Heredia, and Grecia.
Being a capital city, the cost of living in San Jose is among the highest in the country. Apartments here can go for as high as US$4-5,000 per month.
However, there’s been a trend in recent years for high-quality, full-service buildings. For example, your apartment building might have a gym, pool, leisure facilities, and more. Whether you think this justifies a higher price tag is, of course, down to personal preference.
Central Pacific Coast
This region boasts pristine beaches and parks and is close to San Jose. Popular towns in this region include Hermosa de Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Bejuco, Puntarenas.
Other areas on the pacific coast include Guanacaste and Tamarindo, which is popular with expats who want to retire in Costa Rica.
Southern Pacific Coast
If you crave quietness and want to connect with nature, then this is the region for you. However, access to certain amenities in this region doesn’t come easy.
Dominical, Ojochol, and Uvita are some of the towns in this area. It’s common to find studios, one-, two-, or even three-bedroom apartments and condos here.
You can also find houses in these towns, and the price will be much lower than in tourist-heavy areas. For example, further up the coast in Puntarenas, you can get a house for US$1,800 a month.
Furnished or Unfurnished
Long term rentals either come furnished or unfurnished. Your preference will obviously depend on your needs and the type of contract as well as the amount of belongings you bring to the country.
Furnished apartments are usually more to rent per month, although it’ll be worth directly comparing prices in your chosen area. Also, weigh up the extra cost per month and compare it to how much you might have to spend on furniture.
Unfurnished apartments usually live up to their name. They’re bare bones and may not contain even the basics like an oven or a refrigerator. As such, the cost of buying everything you need could massively outweigh the potential savings on rent.
Unfurnished apartments usually cost less to rent. But if you want to ship your belongings to Costa Rica or buy furniture here, then unfurnished apartments are the way to go.
Types of Long-Term Rentals
There are no restrictions on the type of accommodation you can rent long term. The factors that influence the price of a rental include its size, location, and whether it’s furnished or not.
The types of rentals available in Costa Rica include condos, studio apartments, penthouses, villas, luxury homes, villas, beach houses, and cabins.
Let’s delve deeper into some of them.
Studios
This is the cheapest option in Costa Rica. Compared to one-bedroom apartments, studios are more compact. They’re designed to house everything in a single room, save for the bathroom.
Pros
- Studio apartments are usually cheaper than other rentals
- Developers usually build studio apartments in convenient places, which makes is easy to get around and access everyday needs
- Some studios may have on-site laundry or cleaning services
- Modern studio apartment buildings (especially in larger cities) can include lots of other amenities, such as gyms and pools
Cons
- Size is as much a pro as it is a con; all your belongings may not fit in a studio
- You may not be able to have many guests at once
The prices for studios in Costa Rica go for around US$650 or more depending on the kind of facilities they contain. As mentioned, you can expect to pay a lot more in major areas such as San Jose.
Condos
Costa Rica is a popular country for those looking to vacation, work, or retire. So, condos have sprung up all around the country because of this.
Finding a condo that suits your lifestyle is easy. However, it’s typical for condos to have rules and bylaws that govern the day-to-day activities within the residence.
Pros
- Condos have more amenities such as swimming pools, gyms, and 24-hour security
- The location of condos is always an added advantage; they are mostly found in centralized, convenient places
Cons
- Noise can be a major issue in condos
- You have to live by the rules of the community
These condos provide an incredible view of the ocean. The San Jose area and other coastal areas have a good number of these condos. The average rent ranges from around $900 – $6,000 per month.
This massive range in price depends on location, size, available amenities, length of contract, and more.
Houses
Another type of popular long-term rental in Costa Rica is a house. These include single-family homes, multi-family homes, and townhouses.
Single-family homes are the most common type of rental and offer just enough space to house a family of three or four comfortably. They are also often detached from other houses.
Multi-family houses are rentals in which two or more families share, but are separated either by floor or side-by-side units.
Pros
- Easy to find in Costa Rica
- Houses in centralized regions makes accessibility to social facilities and amenities easy
- They can come with other facilities like pools, laundry rooms, and yards
Cons
- Availability may be restricted in more urban areas
- Depending on your neighbors, noise may be an issue
The rental rates for houses depend on the type you opt for. Single families range between US$1,900 and US$3,200 per month. Multi-families go for as high as US$5,000 per month.
Homes are often more common in rural areas and smaller towns. However, they’re also typically cheaper (per square foot) than urban apartments and can come with a lot of land.
If you want to own a home, though, you should check out our guide on how to buy a house in Costa Rica as an expat.
Penthouses
If you have a few thousand bucks to dish out on rental costs each month, then penthouses will suit you perfectly.
Penthouses in Costa Rica have balconies with breathtaking views. They also have spacious interiors, swimming pools, private entrances or elevators, vaulted ceilings, terraces, fireplaces, oversized windows, yards, office spaces, Jacuzzis, and much more.
Pros
- Penthouses can guarantee you privacy
- They offer breathtaking panoramic views
- You can enjoy a good number of facilities
- You get lots of natural light
Cons
- Penthouse renters may feel isolated from the people in the rest of the building
- Noise can be a problem if located in a busy place
All of these and more can be enjoyed for at least US$2,500 per month depending on other benefits.
Finding Long-Term Rentals
Getting a place to rent long-term in Costa Rica is very easy, even for foreigners. There are several ways to get one: in-person search, online search, and real estate agents.
In Person
I used this method when I was house hunting because people in Costa Rica are generally nice and happy to help you.
Pros
- Going for your house hunt in person gives you the opportunity to see it in real life
- You can see firsthand the state of the rental, what it smells like, the noise levels, and how easy it is to access
- Searching in person gives you the chance to network with locals and build contacts that you may find useful in the future
Remember you can always go with a guide if you don’t speak the language.
Cons
- Searching in person can be a daunting task especially when you are new to Costa Rica; without help, you may end up going in circles
- Your search may end up fruitless
Online
The internet has made it a lot easier to find long-term rentals in Costa Rica. There are numerous websites that you can use to find a home in the country.
The most popular ones include encuentra24.com and CraigsList. Social media is also a good place to check, with Facebook groups being a wonderful resource.
Pros
- Photos are usually included so you get an idea of what it looks like without visiting (however, don’t be swayed by pictures online)
- Google Maps can give you more details about its location, facilities in and around the area, and a street view of what the place looks like
Cons
- Descriptions and pictures will only show the positive aspects of the rental
- Pictures may be altered to erase negative aspects of the rental
- A floor plan may not be provided online; this makes it difficult to know if its arrangement will suit your lifestyle
Real Estate Agents
Working with real estate agents can indeed save you a lot of time, especially when the agent knows what you need.
Realtors earn roughly 5-10% in commissions when you sign a lease. You usually have to pay for their services except in places with a lot of vacancies – then the landlord pays their commission.
However, you need to be careful when dealing with real estate agents. Be wary of anyone who tries to force you to sign any documents or set you up with rentals that don’t match your needs.
Provided you find a good one, though, they can save you a lot of effort as a foreigner. For example, real estate agents can help translate, will know the best areas for your needs, and may even be able to suggest things you hadn’t considered.
Pros
- Real estate agents know their jobs and are up-to-date with where to look
- They can save you a lot of time, especially when you need to move quickly
Cons
- Real estate agents don’t come cheap
- If you’re not careful, you may be misled by sweet-talking real estate agents who tell you only what you want to hear
Now, on to You
Hopefully this guide has made it easier for you to rent an apartment in Costa Rica that you love.
But as with anything in life, use common sense before signing a lease. Look at the rental in person and have a Spanish-speaking friend review the lease. You can always hire an attorney to help check the lease as well.
