San José vs Santa Teresa
💰
San José saves you $1,300/month
📶
San José has 2x faster internet
🌡️
Tropical Monsoon vs Tropical Wet climate
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San José
Santa Teresa
Total Budget
$1,700/mo ✓
$3,000/mo
Rent (1BR)
$670/mo ✓
$1,200/mo
Coworking
$175/mo
$170/mo ✓
Meal Out
$6 ✓
$10
Coffee
$3 ✓
$5
San José is $1,300/mo cheaper (43% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇨🇷 San José
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🇨🇷 Santa Teresa
📶 Internet50-100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San José
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp20°C
Rainy Days231/year
Best months: February, January, March, April
Santa Teresa
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp26°C
Rainy Days265/year
Best months: February, January, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
20°26°
Apr
21°27°
Jul
21°26°
Oct
19°25°
San JoséSanta Teresa
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇨🇷San José
🇨🇷Santa Teresa
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,700
Winner$3,000
📶
Internet Speed
80 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.2/5
3.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
Winner4/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
4
San José wins
vs
1
Santa Teresa wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
San José
$1300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
San José
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Santa Teresa
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇨🇷San José
Pros
- +Gateway to Costa Rica's natural wonders
- +Digital nomad visa available since 2022
- +Excellent healthcare system
- +Year-round spring-like weather
Cons
- −Higher cost than other LATAM cities
- −Traffic congestion is severe
- −Downtown safety concerns at night
- −No beach or surf in city
🇨🇷Santa Teresa
Pros
- +World-class surf breaks and consistent waves
- +Stunning sunsets and pristine beaches
- +Thriving yoga and wellness community
- +Growing digital nomad scene with coworking spaces
Cons
- −Very expensive compared to rest of Costa Rica
- −Frequent power outages especially in rainy season
- −Remote location - 5 hours from San Jose
- −Need ATV or rental car to get around