Costa Rica climate

World Climates covers 4 places in Costa Rica. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Puntarenas (28 °C83 °F) and the coolest is San José (20 °C69 °F). The wettest is Guápiles with 2,265 mm89 in of precipitation per year, the driest Upala with 1,466 mm58 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are tropical savanna (dry winter) (Aw, 3 places) and tropical rainforest (Af, 1 place).

The highest monthly average high is in Puntarenas (35 °C95 °F in March); the lowest monthly average low is in San José (15 °C60 °F in January).

Across the places in Costa Rica, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, February and December (3, 2 and 3 of 4 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Costa Rica

Annual mean temperatures in Costa Rica range from 20 °C69 °F to 28 °C83 °F. The typical place (the median of all 4) has a year average of 26 °C79 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,466 mm58 in to 2,265 mm89 in. The median place receives about 1,656 mm65 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 4, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 3 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). No place here gets less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year. 1 place get more than 2,000 mm (79 in), which is very wet.

Averaged over all 4 places, April is the warmest month, with a mean of 27 °C80 °F. December is the coldest, with 24 °C76 °F. The wettest month on average is October (293 mm12 in). The driest is February (27 mm1.1 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are San José, Puntarenas and Guápiles. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Climate of each place in Costa Rica

San José has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). Its year average is 20 °C69 °F. The warmest month is April, with an average high of 27 °C81 °F. The coldest is December, with an average low of 16 °C60 °F. About 1,794 mm71 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are December–April.

Puntarenas has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). Its year average is 28 °C83 °F. The warmest month is April, with an average high of 35 °C94 °F. The coldest is November, with an average low of 24 °C76 °F. About 1,518 mm60 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are December and January.

Guápiles has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). Its year average is 25 °C78 °F. The warmest month is May, with an average high of 30 °C86 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of 21 °C70 °F. About 2,265 mm89 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are February and March.

Upala has a tropical savanna (dry winter) climate (Köppen Aw). Its year average is 27 °C81 °F. The warmest month is April, with an average high of 34 °C94 °F. The coldest is December, with an average low of 23 °C73 °F. About 1,466 mm58 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are December and January.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Costa Rica?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Costa Rica is Puntarenas at 28 °C83 °F. The coolest is San José at 20 °C69 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Costa Rica?

Guápiles gets the most precipitation, 2,265 mm89 in in an average year. The driest place is Upala with 1,466 mm58 in.

How many places in Costa Rica does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 4 places in Costa Rica. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

It depends on the place. Across Costa Rica, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, February and December. Check the page of each city for its own best months.