How to Buy Property in Costa Rica — A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Foreign Buyers

Last updated: July 2026. Figures are current as of this date; Costa Rican tax rates and thresholds are adjusted periodically. This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice — engage licensed Costa Rican counsel before you transact.

Quick answer: Foreigners can buy property in Costa Rica on exactly the same terms as citizens. Article 45 of the Constitution guarantees equal property rights, and there is no residency or citizenship requirement to hold titled (fee-simple) real estate. The risk in a Costa Rican purchase is almost never ownership — it is diligence: confirming clean title in the Registro Nacional, water availability, legal access, boundaries, and whether a coastal property is titled land or a maritime-zone concession. This guide walks the entire process, step by step, with the actual laws, taxes and documents involved.

This is our complete, practitioner-level guide to how to buy property in Costa Rica as a foreign buyer — the ownership rules, the purchase process, the due-diligence checklist, the real closing costs, the taxes, and how a qualifying purchase can intersect with investor residency. Where a subtopic has its own deep dive, we summarise it here and link out. This article is the hub; our other guides are the spokes.

Key takeaways

• Foreigners have equal ownership rights. Under Article 45 of the Costa Rican Constitution, a foreign buyer owns titled property with the same rights as a citizen — no residency required.
• The two real exceptions are the Maritime Zone and the border zone. Beachfront within 200 metres of the high-tide line is governed by the Maritime Terrestrial Zone Law (Ley 6043), where land is generally held by concession, not owned outright, and foreigners face a 49% ownership cap.
• Title lives in the Registro Nacional. Every titled property has a folio real (registry ID) and a plano catastrado (registered survey). Verifying both is the foundation of a safe purchase.
• Use independent Costa Rican counsel and escrow. A notary executes the deed, but you need your own attorney, and funds should move through a SUGEF-registered escrow agent.
• Budget roughly 5–6% in closing costs. Transfer tax is 1.5% under Ley 6999, plus documentary stamps, registry fees and notary fees.
• Ongoing taxes are modest. Annual property tax is 0.25% (Ley 7509); a Luxury Home Tax (Impuesto Solidario, Ley 8683) applies above a construction-value threshold; capital gains on sale are 15% (Ley 9635), with a primary-residence exemption.
• A qualifying purchase can support residency. Real estate of US$150,000 or more can satisfy the investor (inversionista) category under Ley 9996 — a reduced threshold that expires 14 July 2026.
• Most purchases are cash. Foreign-buyer mortgages exist but are limited and expensive; developer and seller financing are the common alternatives.

Can foreigners buy property in Costa Rica?

Direct answer: Yes. Costa Rica grants foreign nationals the same real-property rights as citizens under Article 45 of its Constitution. You do not need residency, citizenship, or a local partner to own titled, fee-simple property outright, and you can hold it personally or through a Costa Rican corporation.

This is the single most reassuring fact in Costa Rican real estate, and it is genuinely unusual — many countries in the region restrict foreign ownership near coasts or borders or require a local majority partner. Costa Rica does not, for ordinary titled land. What it does have are two specific exceptions, and a diligence burden that is entirely on the buyer.

Exception 1: the Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zona Marítimo Terrestre)

The first 200 metres inland from the high-tide line along almost the entire coast is governed by the Maritime Terrestrial Zone Law (Ley sobre la Zona Marítimo Terrestre, Ley 6043). The first 50 metres is public land that no one can own or build on. The next 150 metres is the restricted zone, which is not sold as fee-simple title but leased as a concession from the local municipality. Foreigners may hold a maximum of 49% of a concession, and to hold one at all a foreigner must generally have been a legal resident for at least five years. We cover this in depth in our guide to the maritime zone (linked in the regions section below). Concession administration falls partly under the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).

Exception 2: the border zone

Land within a defined distance of national borders is subject to additional restrictions on foreign ownership. This affects a small minority of buyers, but if a property sits near the Nicaraguan or Panamanian frontier, it must be checked specifically. [VERIFY: exact border-zone distance and current restrictions against the governing law text on pgrweb.go.cr]

Outside these two exceptions, a foreign buyer of titled land stands on the same legal footing as a Costa Rican. The question is never really "can I own this?" — it is "is the title clean, and is it actually titled land?"

What types of property can you buy?

Direct answer: Foreign buyers can purchase titled fee-simple land, condominium units under a registered condominium regime, agricultural fincas, and raw land. They can also hold maritime-zone concession rights within the limits above. The category determines the diligence, the financing, and whether the purchase can support residency.

For a fuller treatment of the ownership question specifically, see our companion guide, Can Foreigners Buy Property in Costa Rica? The 2026 Buyer’s Guide. If you are considering holding property through a company, our guide to owning Costa Rica property through a corporation covers the S.A. versus S.R.L. decision in detail.

The step-by-step purchase process

Direct answer: A Costa Rican purchase runs in roughly eleven steps — define your goal, engage independent counsel, shortlist and view, sign a letter of intent, sign an option-to-purchase (opción de compra-venta), deposit into escrow, complete due diligence, structure ownership, have the notary draft the deed (escritura pública), close and release funds, and register at the Registro Nacional. Below is what each step actually involves.

1. Define budget and goal. Lifestyle home, rental investment, land banking, or a residency-qualifying investment are different purchases with different diligence. If residency is a goal, the US$150,000 threshold and title-in-your-own-name requirement shape the whole transaction from the start.
2. Engage independent Costa Rican counsel. Your own attorney — not the seller’s, not the listing agent’s — reviews title, structure and contract. In Costa Rica the same attorney is often also a notario público, but the notary’s role in executing the deed is distinct from representing your interests. Retain representation for your side.
3. Shortlist and view. View in person where possible, and ideally in the green season. Our guide Buy It in the Rain: Why October Is the Smartest Month to Inspect explains why wet-season access, drainage and road conditions reveal what a dry-season visit hides.
4. Letter of intent. A non-binding outline of price and terms that frames the formal contract. Useful for aligning expectations before legal costs begin.
5. Sign the option-to-purchase (opción de compra-venta). The binding agreement setting price, deposit, closing date, contingencies and who pays what. Diligence contingencies belong here — a clean exit if title, water or access fails to check out.
6. Deposit into escrow. Funds move into a Costa Rican escrow account operated by an agent registered with the General Superintendency of Financial Entities (SUGEF) for anti-money-laundering compliance. Escrow releases against the deed and registry steps completing, not before. Never wire a deposit directly to a seller on trust.
7. Full due diligence. The heart of the transaction — folio real, plano catastrado, liens, taxes current, water letter, boundaries, permits, HOA status, and environmental viability. The checklist below is exhaustive.
8. Structure ownership. Personal name, a Sociedad Anónima (S.A.), or a Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.). If the purchase is meant to qualify for investor residency, note that current Migración practice increasingly expects title in the applicant’s own name rather than a company — reconcile the succession and residency goals before closing.
9. Notary drafts the deed (escritura pública). Under the Notarial Code, only a Costa Rican notario público — a specially licensed attorney with state-delegated authority overseen by the Dirección Nacional de Notariado (DNN) — can execute the public deed that legally transfers registered property.
10. Close and release funds. Parties sign, the notary withholds and remits the transfer tax and stamps, and escrow releases the purchase funds against completion.
11. Register at the Registro Nacional. The notary lodges the deed so the transfer is recorded under the folio real. Ownership is only fully perfected once registered.

Post-closing, transfer utilities, register for municipal property tax, and arrange insurance and, if relevant, property management. For the mechanics of the closing itself, our Costa Rica real estate closing process guide is the step-by-step spoke. Buying remotely from abroad is entirely workable with a power of attorney and escrow — see how to buy Costa Rica property remotely with POA, escrow and due diligence.

The complete due-diligence checklist

Direct answer: Proper diligence on a Costa Rican property confirms, at minimum: the folio real and ownership history, the plano catastrado matching the physical boundaries, the absence of liens and mortgages, current property taxes and corporation status, a water-availability letter, legal registered access, municipal zoning and permits, HOA/condominium standing, and environmental viability for raw or coastal land. Every item below is a place transactions fail.

• ☐ Folio real search at the Registro Nacional — confirms legal owner, boundaries, size, and any annotations, liens or mortgages.
• ☐ Plano catastrado (registered survey) — verify it exists, is registered, and matches the physical property; commission a new survey if in doubt.
• ☐ Liens and encumbrances — mortgages, judicial annotations, usufructs, liens for unpaid fees.
• ☐ Property taxes current — confirm municipal property tax (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) and, if applicable, Luxury Home Tax are paid to date.
• ☐ Corporation status — if the property is held in an S.A./S.R.L., confirm the cédula jurídica is in good standing and corporation tax (Ley 9428) is current.
• ☐ Water-availability letter — written confirmation from the operator (AyA or the local ASADA) that a water connection exists or will be granted. Without it, a lot may be unbuildable. See why a water-availability letter makes or breaks land value.
• ☐ Legal access — a registered right of way (servidumbre) or public road frontage; driving to a lot proves nothing. See our guide to servidumbres and access easements.
• ☐ Municipal zoning and permits — permitted uses, setbacks, and whether existing construction was legally permitted.
• ☐ HOA / condominium standing — fee arrears, reserve-fund adequacy, rules, and the condominium’s own legal status for condo purchases.
• ☐ Environmental viability — for raw land, coastal, or sloped sites, confirm status with the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA); earthworks and construction near watercourses or protected areas engage its review.
• ☐ Maritime-zone / border-zone check — confirm whether any part of the property falls inside the 200-metre maritime zone or a restricted border zone.
• ☐ Utilities and infrastructure — electricity, internet, road condition and drainage, verified on the ground.

For the failure modes specifically, our Costa Rica property-buying red flags guide catalogues what goes wrong and how to spot it early.

Costs, taxes and closing fees: what you actually pay

Direct answer: Budget roughly 5–6% of the purchase price in one-time closing costs. The largest component is the 1.5% property transfer tax under Ley 6999, plus documentary stamps and registry fees (roughly 0.5–0.8%) and notary/legal fees. Ongoing, expect annual property tax of 0.25%, a Luxury Home Tax if the construction value is high, and — on eventual sale — 15% capital gains, with a primary-residence exemption. All figures below are as of July 2026 and should be confirmed against the governing law before you close.

One-time closing costs

Worked example on a real listing

Take a real Central Valley home from our inventory — a one-storey house in Condominio Praga, Tres Ríos, listed at US$157,000. On that price, the transfer tax at 1.5% is about US$2,355; documentary stamps and registry fees at roughly 0.65% add about US$1,020; notary and legal fees are on the order of US$2,000–2,500; and an escrow fee adds a few hundred dollars. All-in, closing costs land near US$6,000–6,500 — roughly 4–4.5% here, toward 5–6% on smaller purchases where fixed fees weigh more. These are estimates; your attorney provides an exact quote once the fiscal value and notarial tariff are applied.

Because this property is listed at US$150,000 or more, the same purchase could also satisfy the investor-residency investment threshold — more on that below.

Ongoing annual costs

For deeper detail, see our spokes on transfer tax and closing costs, the Luxury Home Tax (Impuesto Solidario), residential property tax, and corporate property taxes. A worked luxury-tax note: our San Antonio de Escazú estate at US$1,750,000 sits well above the ₡143M construction-value threshold, so a buyer there should budget the Impuesto Solidario on top of the standard 0.25% property tax.

Capital gains on eventual sale

Under Ley 9635 (the 2018 tax-reform law, in force since July 2019), capital gains on real estate are taxed at a flat 15% of the net gain. The sale of a primary residence is exempt. Owners who held property before 1 July 2019 may elect a one-time alternative of 2.25% on the gross sale price instead of 15% on the gain. A 2.5% withholding on the gross price applies at sale as an advance toward the liability. Confirm the current treatment with your accountant, as elections and exemptions are fact-specific. For the broader expat tax picture, see Costa Rica taxes for expats.

How to structure ownership: personal, S.A. or S.R.L.

Direct answer: You can hold Costa Rican property in your personal name or through a Costa Rican corporation — a Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) or a Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.). For a family holding a home, the S.R.L. is usually simpler; the S.A. suits operating businesses. But if the purchase must qualify for investor residency, current Migración practice increasingly expects title in your own name — so decide before closing.

Holding property in a company does not avoid Costa Rican succession — the shares or quotas still form part of your estate. For the full comparison, see owning Costa Rica property through a corporation.

Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Costa Rica?

Direct answer: Rarely on attractive terms. Most foreign-buyer purchases in Costa Rica are cash. Local bank mortgages for non-residents are limited, slow, and expensive, with higher rates, larger deposits and shorter terms than North American or European buyers expect. The common alternatives are developer financing and seller carry-back.

• Local bank mortgages. Available to some non-residents but with stringent documentation, conservative loan-to-value ratios and rates well above US levels. Approval interacts with SUGEF anti-money-laundering requirements and can be slow.
• Developer financing. Some projects offer in-house financing on pre-construction or completed units — convenient, but read the terms, because rates and balloon structures vary widely.
• Seller carry-back. A motivated seller may finance part of the price directly, secured by a mortgage registered against the folio real. Common in private-treaty sales.
• Home-country financing. Many buyers raise funds against assets at home and purchase in cash, avoiding the Costa Rican mortgage market entirely.

Because most transactions are cash, source-of-funds documentation for escrow and SUGEF compliance matters more than mortgage pre-approval. Plan that trail early, especially if funds come from the sale of assets or from digital assets.

Buying property and Costa Rican residency

Direct answer: A qualifying real-estate investment of US$150,000 or more can satisfy the investor (inversionista) residency category under Ley 9996. This is a reduced threshold — it expires on 14 July 2026, after which the figure is expected to revert to US$200,000. Buying property does not automatically grant residency; it is a separate application to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (Migración), and the investment must be registered and verifiable.

Key points a buyer should understand before treating a purchase as a residency play:

• Threshold and deadline. US$150,000 under Ley 9996 until 14 July 2026; confirm the current figure at application, as the incentive window is time-limited.
• Title in your own name. Migración practice increasingly requires the qualifying property titled to the applicant personally rather than through a corporation.
• Registration. The investment generally must be registered with the Central Bank as foreign direct investment and be genuinely deployed, not merely committed.
• Timeline. Processing commonly runs many months to well over a year, followed by issuance of the DIMEX residency card. Do not expect it to be quick.
• Dependents. Spouse and dependent children can generally be included, subject to apostilled and translated civil documents.

We keep this deliberately high-level here because it is a large topic in its own right. For the deep dives, see Costa Rica golden visa requirements, the investor residency application walk-through, investor vs pensionado vs rentista compared, and the 2026 deadline under Ley 9996. Do not over-rely on a purchase alone — confirm eligibility with counsel before you buy with residency in mind.

Where to buy: region by region

Direct answer: Costa Rica’s buyer regions differ sharply in price, what you are actually buying, and the legal quirks that matter. Guanacaste and the Central Pacific are coastal and concession-heavy; the Central Valley is titled, temperate and infrastructure-rich; the Southern Zone is value-driven and remote; the Caribbean is the lowest-priced and most distinct. Match the region to your goal and check the local quirks below.

Guanacaste (Tamarindo, Nosara, Playas del Coco, Papagayo)

The most developed foreign-buyer beach market. Price bands run from mid-six figures for finished homes to well into the millions on the coast. The dominant legal quirk is the maritime zone: much beachfront is concession, not title, so establishing which you are buying is the first question. Water availability is also a genuine constraint in parts of Guanacaste’s dry northwest. A vivid teaching case is our oceanfront estate at Playa Bejuco, Nandayure, listed at US$20,000,000 — a single property that spans public zone at the tide line, a concession band behind it, and titled land further inland. It shows exactly why parcel-level diligence against the plano and concession registry matters on the coast.

Central Pacific (Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Dominical/Uvita)

Closer to San José than Guanacaste and popular for rentals. Titled inland homes and lots are common, with maritime-zone concession applying at the beach. Access easements and steep-lot buildability are recurring diligence items in the hills above the coast.

Southern Zone (Osa, Pérez Zeledón)

The value and nature play — titled land at 30–40% below comparable Guanacaste, with the strongest appreciation but the thinnest infrastructure and longest drives to specialised healthcare. Raw land here demands rigorous water-letter, SETENA and access diligence. Our 12-hectare farm near Chomes, Puntarenas at US$288,000 is a good illustration of the finca diligence set: confirm the water source and letter, verify boundaries against the plano catastrado, check registered access, and scope SETENA viability before any build-out.

Central Valley (Escazú, Santa Ana, Atenas, Grecia, San José)

Titled, temperate and infrastructure-rich — the country’s medical and international-school hub, which is why many relocating families settle here rather than the coast. Prices span the mid-hundreds of thousands into the millions in Escazú and Santa Ana. Condominium regimes and HOAs are common; our one-bedroom apartment in Lomas de Ayarco, Curridabat at US$150,000 is a clean example of a condominium purchase — where you verify the condominium’s own cédula jurídica, the reserve fund and any fee arrears — and, at exactly US$150,000, a property that can also anchor an investor-residency application. For the Atenas/Grecia climate belt specifically, see living in Atenas and Grecia; the Vista Reserve Estate in Atenas at US$680,000 is a representative mountain-retreat listing there.

Caribbean (Puerto Viejo, Limón)

The lowest-priced coast and the most culturally distinct, with its own climate and a different infrastructure and titling picture. Some Caribbean land carries historical titling complexity, so registry diligence is especially important here. It rewards buyers who visit rather than dismiss it.

For a fuller regional decision framework, see where to buy property in Costa Rica.

Featured properties from our portfolio

Real listings from our current inventory, included as teaching references for the categories above. Prices reflect the listing at the time of writing and change; confirm current availability before relying on any figure.

• One-Story House, Condominio Praga, Tres Ríos — US$157,000. Central Valley titled home; our closing-cost worked example, and above the investor-residency threshold.
• 1-Bedroom Apartment, Lomas de Ayarco, Curridabat — US$150,000. Condominium regime — HOA, reserve fund and the condo’s cédula jurídica to verify; exactly at the residency threshold.
• 12-Hectare Farm, Chomes, Puntarenas — US$288,000. Finca diligence: water letter, plano, access easement and SETENA viability.
• The Vista Reserve Estate, Atenas — US$680,000. Central Valley climate belt; titled mountain retreat.
• Luxury Estate, San Antonio de Escazú — US$1,750,000. Above the Luxury Home Tax threshold; illustrates the Impuesto Solidario.
• Oceanfront Estate, Playa Bejuco, Nandayure — US$20,000,000. Spans public, concession and titled land — the maritime-zone diligence case.

To see the full, current inventory, browse our Costa Rica property listings.

Common mistakes foreign buyers make

Direct answer: The costly mistakes are almost all diligence and sequencing errors, not ownership problems. Here are the ones we see most, each with its concrete consequence.

1. Assuming beachfront is titled. Buying maritime-zone concession land believing it is fee-simple title. Consequence: you hold a time-limited municipal lease with a 49% foreign cap, not ownership.
2. Skipping the water letter. Buying a lot with no confirmed water availability. Consequence: an unbuildable parcel worth a fraction of what you paid.
3. Not verifying access. Relying on a driveway rather than a registered servidumbre or public frontage. Consequence: access can be withdrawn, and the lot may be landlocked in law.
4. Using the seller’s attorney only. No independent representation for your side. Consequence: nobody’s job is to protect your interests, and problems surface after closing.
5. Wiring a deposit directly to the seller. Skipping SUGEF-registered escrow. Consequence: unprotected funds and AML exposure.
6. Ignoring the plano. Not matching the registered survey to the physical boundaries. Consequence: boundary disputes and overpayment for area you do not own.
7. Wrong ownership structure for residency. Titling through a corporation when the purchase is meant to qualify for investor residency. Consequence: a transfer into personal name, potentially triggering transfer tax a second time.
8. Underestimating the source-of-funds burden. Assuming escrow and SUGEF compliance are formalities. Consequence: a stalled or collapsed closing when funds cannot be cleanly documented.
9. Buying sight-unseen in the dry season. Not inspecting access, drainage and roads in the rain. Consequence: a property that is impassable or floods for months a year. See why October is the smartest month to inspect.
10. Treating a purchase as automatic residency. Assuming buying property grants a DIMEX. Consequence: a separate, months-long Migración application you did not plan for. See our red-flags guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner own land in Costa Rica outright?

Yes. Under Article 45 of the Constitution, foreigners hold titled, fee-simple land with the same rights as citizens, with no residency requirement — except within the maritime zone (concession only, 49% foreign cap) and restricted border zones.

What is a folio real?

The unique registry identification number for a titled property at the Registro Nacional. A folio real search reveals the legal owner, boundaries, size, and any liens or annotations, and is the foundation of title diligence.

What is a plano catastrado?

The registered cadastral survey map of a property. It must exist, be registered, and match the physical boundaries; a mismatch between the plano and the ground is a common and serious problem.

Do I need a Costa Rican lawyer to buy property?

Effectively yes. A notario público — a specially licensed attorney overseen by the DNN — must execute the transfer deed, and you should retain independent counsel for your side to review title, structure and contract. The two roles are distinct.

How much are closing costs in Costa Rica?

Roughly 5–6% of the purchase price: 1.5% transfer tax (Ley 6999), documentary stamps and registry fees of about 0.5–0.8%, plus notary/legal and escrow fees. Fixed fees make the percentage higher on smaller purchases.

What is escrow, and do I need it?

Escrow holds your funds with a neutral SUGEF-registered agent that releases them only when the deed and registry steps complete. Yes — use it. Never wire a deposit directly to a seller.

Can I get residency by buying property?

A qualifying purchase of US$150,000 or more can support the investor residency category under Ley 9996 (until 14 July 2026), but it is a separate application to Migración, the property should be titled in your own name, and it is not automatic.

Can I get a mortgage as a foreigner?

Sometimes, but on unattractive terms — higher rates, larger deposits, shorter terms. Most foreign purchases are cash, using developer financing, seller carry-back, or home-country funds instead.

What is maritime-zone property?

Land within 200 metres of the high-tide line under Ley 6043. The first 50 metres is public and unownable; the next 150 metres is leased as a municipal concession, not sold as title, with a 49% foreign-ownership cap and a five-year residency requirement to hold a concession.

Is titled or untitled land safe to buy?

Titled (fee-simple) land recorded under a folio real is secure when diligence is done. Untitled land — possession rights (derechos de posesión) — carries materially higher risk and should only be considered with expert legal guidance, if at all.

What annual property taxes will I pay?

Municipal property tax of 0.25% of registered value (Ley 7509), plus the Luxury Home Tax (Impuesto Solidario, Ley 8683) if the construction value exceeds the annual threshold (₡143,000,000 in 2026), on a 0.25–0.55% progressive scale.

Is there capital gains tax when I sell?

Yes — 15% on the net gain under Ley 9635, with an exemption for a primary residence. Owners since before 1 July 2019 may elect a one-time 2.25% of the gross price. A 2.5% withholding applies at sale as an advance.

Can I buy property remotely from abroad?

Yes, using a power of attorney and escrow, with your attorney conducting diligence on the ground. It is common and workable when you use independent representation and verify everything against the registry.

What is a cédula jurídica?

The legal identification number of a Costa Rican corporation (or a condominium). If a property is held in an S.A./S.R.L., you verify the entity’s cédula jurídica is in good standing and its corporation tax is current.

Conclusion: buy with diligence, not on faith

Costa Rica is one of the more welcoming countries in the world for foreign property buyers — equal ownership rights, a functioning registry, and a clear legal process. The purchase succeeds or fails not on whether you are allowed to own, but on whether you verified the title, the water, the access, the boundaries, and the true legal nature of what you are buying. Do that diligence, use independent counsel and escrow, and a Costa Rican purchase is as secure as any.

If you would like that diligence done properly — and to see which of our listings fit your goal and budget — book a consultation with our team in San José, Costa Rica. We will tell you plainly what a specific property involves before you commit a dollar.

Author: Golden Visa Costa Rica advisory team, San José, Costa Rica. Last updated July 2026. This guide is informational only and is not legal, immigration or tax advice. Costa Rican laws, tax rates and thresholds change and are applied to individual facts; every figure here is stated as of July 2026 and should be confirmed against the governing law and with licensed Costa Rican counsel before you act.