Where Is Costa Rica?

A clear look at where Costa Rica sits on the map, how to get here, and why so many expats stay.

Costa Rica is a country in Central America, between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast, with the Pacific Ocean on its west coast and the Caribbean Sea on its east. It sits just north of the equator, in the tropics, a little over three hours nonstop from Miami.

We get asked "where is Costa Rica?" more often than you might think. People mix it up with Puerto Rico, assume it is an island, or place it somewhere in South America. None of those are right, and the real answer explains a lot about why so many expats end up here. Here is the full picture, updated for 2026.

Where is Costa Rica on the map?

Costa Rica sits on the narrow land bridge that connects North and South America. Nicaragua is its northern neighbor, Panama its southeastern one. The Pacific runs along the entire west coast, and the Caribbean along the east. No point in the country is much more than a two hour drive from an ocean.

It is a small country: about 51,100 square kilometers (19,730 square miles), slightly smaller than West Virginia, with a population of roughly 5.3 million according to Britannica's 2026 estimate. The capital, San José, sits in the Central Valley at around 1,150 meters, which is why it stays spring-like while the coasts stay hot.

The two coasts feel like different countries. The Caribbean side is lush, rainier, and less developed, with a distinct Afro-Caribbean culture around Puerto Limón. The Pacific side carries most of the tourism, the expat communities, and the real estate market, especially the northern stretch in Guanacaste. That is not a value judgment, just a description of where the airports, roads, and services ended up.

Small does not mean uniform. In a single day you can drive from a dry Pacific beach through cattle country, past volcanoes, and into cloud forest. That variety is one of the country's biggest draws, and it means "what is the weather like in Costa Rica?" has about six correct answers depending on where you are standing.

How do you get to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has two main international airports. Juan Santamaría International (SJO) serves San José and the Central Valley. Guanacaste Airport (LIR) in Liberia serves the northern Pacific coast, which is where we live and work.

If your destination is a Guanacaste beach town, fly into Liberia, not San José. American Airlines flies Miami to Liberia nonstop in about 3 hours and 13 minutes, and the route map keeps growing: Delta is adding a seasonal New York (JFK) to Liberia route starting December 19, 2026, on top of existing nonstops from hubs like Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Toronto. From the airport, Playas del Coco is about 23 kilometers away on fully paved roads, roughly a 30 minute drive.

That last number matters more than people expect. Plenty of beautiful beach towns in Costa Rica are three or four hours from an international airport. Coco is close enough that you can land at 2 p.m. and be in the ocean before sunset, which is a big part of why the Papagayo region became such a strong expat and vacation rental market.

Why does Costa Rica have no army?

Costa Rica declared independence from Spain in 1821, along with the rest of Central America. The decision that still defines the country came later: after a short civil war, Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948 and redirected that spending toward education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Nearly eight decades later, the result is one of the most stable democracies in Latin America, with no coups, no military spending, and a national holiday every December 1 to celebrate the fact. We wrote more about it in our post on Military Abolition Day in Costa Rica. For anyone weighing a move or a property purchase, that long record of stability is not a small thing. It is the foundation the whole market rests on. It also helps explain the country's international reputation: Costa Rica has spent decades marketing peace, national parks, and renewable energy instead of resorts alone, and that identity holds up when you live here.

What is it like to live in Costa Rica?

The national phrase is "pura vida" (pure life), and it is used as hello, goodbye, thank you, and a general life philosophy. Day to day, that translates into a slower pace, a lot of time outdoors, and neighbors who know your name.

A few practical realities, both good and less good:

• Climate: tropical year-round. Guanacaste has a dry season from roughly December to April and a green season from May to November, with rain that usually comes in afternoon bursts rather than all-day gloom.
• Healthcare: a public system (the Caja) that legal residents pay into, plus affordable private hospitals and clinics. Many expats use both.
• Longevity: the Nicoya Peninsula, here in Guanacaste, is one of the world's five Blue Zones, regions where people routinely live past 90.
• Cost: honest answer, Costa Rica is not the bargain it was 20 years ago. Imported goods, cars, and beach-town restaurants can cost US prices. Local produce, labor, and property taxes remain cheap. We break this down in our cost of living guide.
• Pace: bureaucracy is slow, some roads are rough, and things get fixed "mañana". If you need everything to run on a schedule, that is a real adjustment.

Why do so many expats choose Guanacaste?

The northern Pacific province of Guanacaste has become the center of gravity for North American expats, and the reasons are mostly practical. It has the driest, sunniest climate in the country. It has its own international airport with a growing list of nonstop routes home. And it has a string of established beach towns with restaurants, medical clinics, and real communities rather than just resorts.

Playas del Coco, where we are based, is one of the oldest of those towns: a working beach town with a mix of Tico families, retirees, remote workers, and vacationers, 30 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from quieter Ocotal. It is not a manicured resort bubble, and we consider that a feature. If you want to understand how it compares to its neighbors, see our post on what makes Coco different from other Guanacaste beach towns.

Ready to see it for yourself?

Now you can answer the question better than most: Costa Rica is the small, stable, army-free country between Nicaragua and Panama, three-and-a-bit hours from Miami, with a Pacific coast that is easier to reach than ever. The next step is seeing it in person.

We are Expat Properties | CR, a real estate and vacation rental team based in Playas del Coco. We live here full time, and we are happy to answer the unglamorous questions too. Browse our current listings or send us a message and we will point you in the right direction, even if the right direction is "rent for six months first".

Frequently asked questions

Is Costa Rica in South America?

No. Costa Rica is in Central America, the strip of land that connects North and South America. It borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast. It is an independent country, not a territory of any other nation, and it is often confused with Puerto Rico, which is a Caribbean island and a US territory.

Is Costa Rica an island?

No. Costa Rica is on the Central American mainland and has two separate coastlines: the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Caribbean Sea on the east. The country covers about 51,100 square kilometers, slightly smaller than West Virginia, and you can drive between the two coasts in around five to six hours.

Which airport should I fly into for Guanacaste beach towns?

Fly into Guanacaste Airport (LIR) in Liberia, not San José (SJO). Liberia is about 23 kilometers from Playas del Coco, roughly a 30 minute drive on paved roads, and it has nonstop flights from many US and Canadian hubs. San José is a four to five hour drive from most Guanacaste beaches.

Cover photo: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Map: Keepscases, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons