VacationSage
The year at a glance
ExcellentGoodFairPoor Click a month to compare destinations.
The short answer
Go in January–March. The least comfortable stretch is May–November.
- Warmest month: April, average high 28°C (82°F).
- Coolest month: November, average high 25°C (78°F), lows near 16°C (61°F).
- Wettest month: August, about 484 mm (19.1 in) of rain.
- Driest month: March, about 69 mm (2.7 in).
Quick facts
- Currency
- Costa rican colón
- Language
- Spanish
- Plugs
- Type A, Type B
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +506
- Airports
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ)
Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP) - Population
- 335,007
Temperature and rain through the year
Average highAverage lowRain (mm, right axis)
Top sights in San José
- National Museum of Costa Rica national museum in San José, Costa Rica
- Irazú Volcano mountain in Costa Rica
- Barva Volcano mountain
- Braulio Carrillo National Park national park
- Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles church building in Cartago, Costa Rica
- National Theatre of Costa Rica theatre in San José, Costa Rica
- Metropolitan Cathedral of San José cathedral in Costa Rica
- Biblioteca Nacional Miguel Obregon Lizano national library of Costa Rica in San Jose
Ranked by how widely each place is covered across Wikipedia's language editions, a rough measure of fame rather than a recommendation.
Travel advisories
United States
Level 2 Exercise Increased Caution
Read the full advisory at travel.state.gov
Checked 2026-11-02.
United Kingdom
No FCDO warning against travel to any part of Costa Rica.
Latest change (2026-10-07): Updated information on customs rules; gang-related violence; fines for unauthorised entry into restricted conservation areas and earthquakes and recent volcanic activity ('Entry requirements' and 'Safety and security' pages).
Checked 2026-11-02.
Advisories are summarised from official sources and can change quickly; always read the source before you travel.
Month by month
| Month | Score | High | Low | Rain | Cloud | Dew point | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.9 Excellent | 26°C 78°F | 15°C 60°F | 89 mm 3.5 in | 23% | 17°C62°F sticky | 11.5 h |
| February | 9.3 Excellent | 26°C 79°F | 15°C 60°F | 71 mm 2.8 in | 22% | 17°C62°F sticky | 11.7 h |
| March | 9.3 Excellent | 27°C 81°F | 16°C 60°F | 69 mm 2.7 in | 26% | 18°C64°F sticky | 11.9 h |
| April | 7.2 Good | 28°C 82°F | 16°C 62°F | 141 mm 5.5 in | 38% | 19°C66°F muggy | 12.2 h |
| May | 4.5 Poor | 27°C 81°F | 17°C 62°F | 399 mm 15.7 in | 63% | 20°C67°F muggy | 12.5 h |
| June | 4.3 Poor | 27°C 80°F | 16°C 62°F | 376 mm 14.8 in | 68% | 19°C66°F muggy | 12.6 h |
| July | 4.4 Poor | 27°C 80°F | 17°C 62°F | 370 mm 14.6 in | 66% | 19°C66°F muggy | 12.5 h |
| August | 4.4 Poor | 27°C 80°F | 16°C 61°F | 484 mm 19.1 in | 65% | 19°C66°F muggy | 12.3 h |
| September | 4.4 Poor | 27°C 80°F | 16°C 61°F | 466 mm 18.4 in | 66% | 19°C66°F muggy | 12.1 h |
| October | 4.4 Poor | 26°C 79°F | 16°C 60°F | 473 mm 18.6 in | 66% | 19°C66°F muggy | 11.8 h |
| November | 4.7 Poor | 25°C 78°F | 16°C 61°F | 356 mm 14.0 in | 55% | 18°C65°F muggy | 11.5 h |
| December | 7.6 Good | 26°C 78°F | 16°C 60°F | 164 mm 6.4 in | 34% | 18°C64°F sticky | 11.4 h |
Public holidays in the next 12 months
Holidays can mean closures, festivals and busier transport. National public holidays for Costa Rica; school holidays are not included.
- December 2026
- Navidad
- January 2027
- Año Nuevo
- March 2027
- Jueves Santo
- Viernes Santo
- April 2027
- Día de Juan Santamaría
- May 2027
- Día Internacional del Trabajo
- July 2027
- Anexión del Partido de Nicoya a Costa Rica
- August 2027
- Día de la Madre
- September 2027
- Día de la Independencia
More in Americas
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Temperature, rain and dew point are 1991–2020 averages from a ~4 km climate grid; cloud cover is a 1981–2010 average. Recent years run warmer in most places, and a single trip can differ a lot. How this is calculated.