5 Top Spots in Costa Rica for Digital Nomads 

Want to discover the 5 Top Spots in Costa Rica for digital nomads? Then read on and find out!

Costa Rica is fast rising as one of Latin America’s best destinations for digital nomads, and it’s not hard to see why that would be. The country of a million smiles, countless national parks, endless stretches of pristine beaches and an easy and affordable lifestyle, ticks all the boxes for those who have managed to create location-independent employment. Digital nomads swarm to this idyllic country for months at a time – between 3 and 6 is the most popular option – and enjoy an exotic lifestyle far away from the hustle, routine, and stress of their normally fast-paced home countries.

What’s a Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad is anyone who has managed to transfer their work skills to an online platform. So, basically, anyone who can earn a living over the internet. Years ago, this group of intrepid travelers was mostly involved with computing specifically, but nowadays you’ll meet all sorts of people working online. From yoga and foreign language teachers who hold lessons over Skype, to travel writers, translators, and freelancers of all kinds. Generally speaking, the motto is: if you can work from home two days a week, then you can become a digital nomad.

Why do digital nomads go abroad? Because traveling the world is arguably the biggest incentive to becoming a digital nomad in the first place. Because spending 3 to 6 months out of a year living in Costa Rica is about as idyllic a lifestyle as anyone could dream. No stress, no commitments, no shackles holding you down to one place. Just pick a place with good wifi connection and lots to see and do around, and you’ve got yourself a digital nomad heaven. Coupled with a wonderful year-round climate, amazing food and friendly locals, it’s easy to see why so many people choose Costs Rica for their yearly jaunts abroad.

Want to know the 5 Top Spots in Costa Rica for Digital Nomads?

Here are the most popular, taking into account the monthly rental of a house/villa/apartment, a few fellow English-speaking residents, and plenty of nearby attractions for those blissful days away from the computer.

1.   San Jose, Central Valley

Costa Rica’s capital city is an obvious choice for those who still love a bit of city ‘action’ and want as many modern conveniences nearby as possible. You’ll still be just a stone throw away from the central region’s most popular attractions, and can take advantage of your long week-ends – which can be whenever you like – to take multi-day trips and discover all the corners of the country. A bustling city with a great mix of high-end and local eateries, a wicked nightlife and plenty of museums and attractions to keep you busy, San Jose is an obvious great choice for digital nomads heading to Costa Rica.

2.   Santa Teresa, Guanacaste

For merely USD $500 a month, you can live comfortably in an air-conditioned villa with good wi-fi, along one of Costa Roca’s premier surfing spots. The area around Santa Teresa is renowned for its alternative, laid-back lifestyle, and offers plenty of options for surfing, yoga, swimming, reggae-bar hopping, and socializing with fellow digital nomads. The exceptional and varied choice of food here is also an excellent incentive to visit.

3.   Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

‘Beautiful Beach’ truly lives up to its name, and it is no wonder Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste consistently ranks as one of the best places in Costa Rica to visit and live for a while. Yet another idyllic spot for surf-mad digital nomads, this seaside town boasts one of the best beaches in the country (it has won multiple awards in recent years) with a high degree of environmental care and optimal safety standards helping to make this a very popular choice. When you’re not in front of your laptop, you can be swimming, SCUBA diving, kayaking, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, and taking day trips to fantastic Arenal Volcano. If you’re starting to wonder whether or not you’ll get too many distractions here to actually get any work done…you may be totally right.

4.   Playa Samara, Guanacaste

With a town the size of a shoebox – or thereabouts – you are never further than half a mile from the stunning beach when you live in Playa Samara. A good mix of organic food shops and sunset yoga classes on the beach, and plenty of seaside restaurants offering free Wifi, make Playa Samara – on the Nicoya Peninsula – one of the most delightful spots in which to spend a few months. Playa Samara boasts a lovely beachside community, made up of locals and foreigners who delight in the glistening white sand, and collection of colorful coral reef just off the shores. Snorkeling, SCUBA and fishing are popular pastimes, and the town is a wonderful throwback to a time when Costa Rica was far less developed. Daily buses connect to the capital, San Jose.

5.   Puerto Viejo, Limon

With its healthy cluster of digital nomad friendly guesthouses, trendy cafés and restaurants, living and working in Puerto Viejo is as good as it gets in Costa Rica. A hammock for those brainstorming sessions is never too far away, and neither is the stupendous coast of the country’s Caribbean coast. Stay here, and you’ll be super close to the Cahuita National Park and the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, both of which are brimming with spectacular wildlife. The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is ideally visited during rainy season (this is the driest spot in the country) and although it’s a little more remote and difficult to get to than other hubs, the rewards are fabulous.