Digital Nomads

Living in Costa Rica as a Digital Nomad

The practical side of living in Costa Rica as a remote worker: renting, phones and internet, roads and cars, healthcare, wildlife, community, customs and staying safe.

Daily life in Costa Rica is relaxed, outdoorsy and friendly. The practical challenges are roads, rain and costs. This page covers the details.

Renting a Place#

  • Where to look. Airbnb for the first weeks; then Encuentra24, local Facebook groups and agents.
  • High season (December to April) is expensive and books up early in beach towns; the green season is much cheaper.
  • Check air-conditioning, screens, internet speed, backup power, and the road to the house in the rainy season.

Phones and Internet#

  • SIM cards: Kölbi, Liberty and Claro sell prepaid SIMs; bring your passport.
  • Home internet: fibre in towns from Kölbi, Liberty and Claro; Starlink is common in rural areas.
  • Apps worth having: WhatsApp (used by everyone), Waze (the best navigation app here), Uber in the Central Valley, and your bank’s app for SINPE Móvil.

Roads and Cars#

Many beach towns are reached by unpaved, potholed roads, and rivers can flood crossings in the rainy season. A 4x4 helps outside the cities. Visitors can drive on a foreign licence for the length of their visitor stay; nomad visa holders can use theirs for the whole visa. Never leave anything visible in a parked car.

Healthcare#

Private hospitals in San José are excellent; beach towns have clinics. The public CCSS system covers residents who pay in. For emergencies, call 911. Get health insurance.

Wildlife#

Living with nature is part of the deal: check your shoes for scorpions, keep food sealed against ants, give snakes space, and don’t feed monkeys. Use repellent against mosquitoes, which carry dengue.

Community and Meeting People#

Tamarindo, Santa Teresa and Nosara have tight-knit communities built around surf, yoga and coworking, with plenty of WhatsApp groups and events. Ticos are warm and welcoming, and basic Spanish goes a long way.

Customs and Etiquette#

  • Pura vida is a greeting, a goodbye and a way of life.
  • Tico time: things move slowly; patience helps.
  • Sodas are small local restaurants serving cheap, filling casados.

Safety#

Costa Rica is safe for visitors, but theft is common: lock up laptops and boards, don’t leave bags on the beach, and never leave valuables in cars. Rip currents are dangerous at many Pacific beaches; swim near lifeguards.

Everyday Life FAQs#

How do I rent a place in Costa Rica as a digital nomad?

Start with Airbnb, then use Encuentra24, Facebook groups and local agents. Prices drop sharply in the green season.

Do I need a car in Costa Rica?

In beach towns and the countryside, a car (often a 4x4) or a quad bike helps. In San José, Uber and buses are enough.

Is Costa Rica safe for digital nomads?

Yes, by regional standards. Petty theft and rip currents are the main risks.

Do I need to speak Spanish in Costa Rica?

Not in the main nomad beach towns, where English is common, but Spanish helps elsewhere.