Find Your Place in Paradise
Playas del Coco, Costa Rica

No, you can buy as a tourist, with no residency status at all. Residency is a separate decision for people who want to live here long-term. If that's you, the three main paths are Pensionado (a verified lifetime pension of at least $1,000/month), Rentista (proof of at least $2,500/month in passive income for two years), and Inversionista (a minimum $150,000 investment in Costa Rican real estate or a qualifying business). All three lead to permanent residency after three years and citizenship after seven.

Yes. Every property owner, foreign or local, pays an annual municipal property tax of 0.25% of the registered (cadastral) value, one of the lowest rates in the region. It's typically billed quarterly by the local municipality, and the registered value is usually lower than what you actually paid.

Separate from the regular property tax above, Costa Rica charges an annual "impuesto solidario" on homes whose construction value (not the land) exceeds a threshold recalculated every January. For 2026, that threshold is about ₡143 million, roughly $315,000 USD. Above that line, rates start around 0.25% and rise in tiers as the value climbs. It only applies to the building itself, and it's declared and paid every January 15.

Most purchases take 4–8 weeks start to finish: an Option to Purchase and Sale Agreement, a deposit (usually 10%) into a neutral escrow account, a 15–30 day due diligence period where your attorney verifies clear title and boundaries, and then closing about 1–2 weeks after due diligence clears.

Both are common. Buying in your own name is simple and direct, fine for a single home. Buying through a Costa Rican corporation (Sociedad Anónima) is more common for higher-value properties: it separates the property from your personal assets and can make a future sale easier, since you transfer company shares rather than the property itself. Forming an S.A. typically costs $500–$1,500 plus a modest annual corporate tax. It doesn't reduce closing costs; those apply either way.

Short-term rental is common and well-supported along this coast, a big part of why many buyers here treat their home as a hybrid residence and investment. If you want it fully hands-off, property management (bookings, cleaning, maintenance, guest support) is handled by the team at Expat Properties | CR, who currently manage around 40 vacation rentals across Coco and Ocotal.

Yes. Foreign buyers regularly complete purchases remotely through a Power of Attorney granted to their Costa Rican attorney, notarized and authenticated in your home country and legalized through Costa Rican consular services. Your attorney can then sign the transfer deed, complete the registry filing, and handle closing on your behalf, with no physical presence required.

I represent sellers as well as buyers throughout Playas del Coco, Ocotal, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panamá, and the surrounding Guanacaste beach towns. That includes pricing based on recent comparable sales, professional and drone photography (my own background), listing distribution, and negotiating through closing. Reach out through the contact section below and I can walk you through what your property could list for.