Best time to go to Costa Rica for a perfect weather and where to go?
Find the most favorable time to go to Costa Rica from average climate conditions in many locations like Puntarenas or Quepos, below.
When is the best time to go to Costa Rica?
To discover the entire territory of Costa Rica, the best time to visit remains the period between the months of December and April. This is the dry season and the sunny days are plentiful throughout the country. In order to best enjoy the quality of climate and attend numerous cultural events, the preferred months of January, February and March are particularly popular.
Certain areas remain favorable to tourists even during the rainy season, as is the case for the Pacific coast. Those who choose to visit Costa Rica during this period of time can take advantage of attractive hotel offers and can also enjoy the good weather. Surfing enthusiasts can give themselves heart and soul in their passion for the waves. With the rising wind, the Pacific coast is agitated by strong waves that meet the ideal conditions for surfing. In addition, the religious holidays present an opportunity to engage in the enthusiasm with the residents and are equally a grand time for sharing and conviviality.
So, when is the best time to go to Costa Rica? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:
- In Costa Rica, the weather is good everywhere in February and March
- The best months to go to San Jose are January, February, March, April and December
- On average, the warmest months in San Jose are January, February, March, April, May and August
- The rainiest months in this city are May, June, August, September and October
- The cities with the best climate are Manzanillo, Parc international La Amistad, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Punta Uva, with good weather at least 10 months a year
- The sea temperature is suitable for swimming all year round in La Cruz
Annual weather in Costa Rica
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Costa Rica for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58°F to 90°F | perfect weather* | |||
| February | 59°F to 94°F | perfect weather* | |||
| March | 59°F to 94°F | good weather* | |||
| April | 63°F to 95°F | good weather* | |||
| May | 65°F to 92°F | very bad weather* | |||
| June | 63°F to 88°F | very bad weather* | |||
| July | 61°F to 88°F | very bad weather* | |||
| August | 61°F to 88°F | very bad weather* | |||
| September | 63°F to 88°F | very bad weather* | |||
| October | 63°F to 88°F | very bad weather* | |||
| November | 61°F to 86°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| December | 59°F to 88°F | good weather* |
Best time to travel to Costa Rica by cities
San Jose
The best months to go to San Jose are january, february, march, april and december.
La Cruz
The best months to go to La Cruz are january, february, march, april, may, november and december.
Montezuma
The best months to go to Montezuma are january, february, march, april and december.
Climate and Weather in Costa Rica
In the heart of Central America, between Panama and Nicaragua, Costa Rica portrays a wide variety of climate, depending on one's location. Overall, Costa Rica weather experiences a climate ranging from tropical humidity to tropical Pacific temperatures, while passing through a rather temperate zone in the center of the country. Like any tropical region, Costa Rica also experiences a dry season between the months of December and April as well as a rainy season, which lasts from May to November. The latter is often the opportunity to experience very hot weather.
The Climate on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica
On the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, the climate is humid and tropical. It is very hot most of the time and a humidity that is difficult to withstand reigns most of the time, especially during the rainy season. During this period, the rain falls in the afternoon, while the mornings are rather sunny.
The Climate in the Central Valley of Costa Rica
At the heart of the country, Costa Rica experiences a more temperate climate than on the coasts. In San Jose especially, the weather is relatively mild all year round with temperatures rarely dropping below 14° C and climbing generally to around 27° C. This area generally suffers from a little less humidity than Costa Rica and the rest of the country. People tend to say that this part of the country has the chance to enjoy an eternal spring! In the mountains however, the temperatures can drop significantly, offering a vast difference between daytime and nighttime.
Climate in Costa Rica on the Coast of the Pacific Ocean
The climate in Costa Rica on the Pacific coast is tropical. Here, the summers are very hot and the rainy season is particularly pronounced, as it is in Montezuma or Puntarenas. The southern part of the Pacific coast is the wettest when the rainy season arrives. However, if the rain continues to fall in the afternoon, one must withstand very high temperatures.
Temperatures and rainfall in Costa Rica
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Costa Rica and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of San Jose, La Cruz, Montezuma, Puerto Limón and Puntarenas, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Costa Rica
Find out when Costa Rica has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Costa Rica
The months with low numbers of tourists are: March, April, May, June, July, September, October and November. The number of visitors to Costa Rica is high in: January, February, August and December.
- Very low season in Costa Rica: May, June, September and October.
- Low season in Costa Rica: March, April, July and November.
- High season in Costa Rica: January, February and August.
- Peak season in Costa Rica: December.
Figure: Visitor index for Costa Rica month by month
Average price for flights to Costa Rica
A return flight between New York City and San Jose is generally cheaper if you go in september ($ 394 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 291 more for your airline ticket to San Jose if you go in december.
Where to go in Costa Rica?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| San Jose | 77°F | 79°F | 81°F | 81°F | 79°F | 77°F | 76°F | 77°F | 77°F | 76°F | 76°F | 76°F |
| La Cruz | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F |
| Montezuma | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F |
| Puerto Limón | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Puntarenas | 90°F | 94°F | 94°F | 94°F | 90°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F |
| Tamarindo | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 94°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F |
| Tortuguero | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Boca San Carlos | 81°F | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Cartago | 76°F | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 76°F | 74°F | 74°F | 74°F | 74°F | 74°F | 74°F | 74°F |
| La Fortuna | 81°F | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Liberia (Guanacaste) | 88°F | 92°F | 94°F | 95°F | 92°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F |
| Manzanillo | 81°F | 83°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Puerto Jiménez | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 83°F | 83°F | 85°F |
| Quesada | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 79°F | 79°F | 81°F |
| San Isidro | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 83°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 79°F |
| Alajuela | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 77°F | 77°F | 79°F |
| Bananito Sur | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Cerro Chirripo | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 83°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 79°F |
| Dominical | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 83°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 79°F |
| Escazu | 77°F | 79°F | 81°F | 81°F | 79°F | 77°F | 76°F | 77°F | 77°F | 76°F | 76°F | 76°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Costa Rica
What can I do in Costa Rica?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Costa Rica reliable?
Climate data for Costa Rica has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Costa Rica allows us to determine the average for each month in San Jose, La Cruz, Montezuma, Puerto Limón, Puntarenas, Tamarindo, Tortuguero, Boca San Carlos, and 76 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.