Costa Rica is full of culture, adventure, and countless beautiful sights which have inevitably led to a well-established expat scene. The country is becoming increasingly more popular among expats from all over the world, particularly from the United States and Canada.

With Costa Rica being one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world there are a variety of different places to settle in; from mountains villages full of luscious rain forests, to small bustling beach towns with incredible surfing and scuba diving.

In this article, we are going to show the three most popular regions in the country which large expat communities have decided to call their home.

South Pacific Region - Photo by Jose Acevedo

1. The Central Valley

Starting with probably the most popular option for expats in all of Costa Rica: The Central Valley. The Central Valley is an area that stretches across 90 miles from Ramon to Cartago and is also home to the capital city San Jose. A main driving force behind the popularity of expats in the Central Valley region is its elevation levels with makes it one of the mildest climates in the country.

Many expats choose to reside in smaller towns outside of the city center such as Atena and Grecia. The town of Atena located between San Jose and the coast and has one of the strongest expat communities with several gated communities, it has been depicted as a family town and is considered very safe. Alternatively, the town of Grecia has been voted several times as the cleanest town in Latin America which has been a big driver to the region.

The easy access to the country's largest international airport along with an array of services available from amazing medical care, art galleries, sports stadiums, and many other types of entertainment has provided great incentives for expats. The cost of living here can also be significantly cheaper than many of the beach town communities with an average 2 Bedroom Apartment in Atena costing approximately 500USD.

2 Bedroom Apartment in Osa, Puntarenas, Central Valley 600USD Per Month.

2. The Southern Pacific Region

Next up is the South Pacific region which is home to some of the most well-known beach towns in the country and has proven to be a popular destination specifically for expats from Canada and The US. The area is home to natural beauties including The Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park which has been named one of the most biodiverse places in the world.

Popular destinations for expats include the towns of Dominical and Uvita which are both a short distance from the Pan-American highway creating easy access to San Jose. The popularity of this area seems to stem from 3 main things, natural beauty, easy access to the capital and its airport, along with a variety of towns with bustling atmospheres. Check out Costa Rica Southern Zone Long Term Rentals for affordable apartments, A typical 2 bedroom in Dominical will cost you around 700USD per month and in Uvita, it can be even cheaper at around 600USD.

3. The Guanacaste Region.

The third popular region for expats in Costa Rica but also the most expensive is the Guanacaste Region. This area borders neighboring country Nicaragua and is located on the Pacific Ocean in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. Guanacaste is the warmest and driest province and is filled with upscale beach towns where wealthier expats tend to flock, including Tamarindo and Playa del Coco.

A big draw to the region is its well-known friendly atmosphere with plenty of expats and locals happy to help. These expat towns aren’t known to be the best for being on a budget, but they are gorgeous places to live, and most expats say a budget of around 2,000-2500USD per month is feasible. Accommodation types and prices can vary with a one-bedroom apartment in Tamarindo costing around 700USD but a luxury two-bedroom place on the beachfront costing upwards of 1500USD per month.