In this series of posts, we answer common travel questions. One that we hear often from people are concerns about the heat and humidity in Costa Rica. Today we’ll cover that topic based on our own experiences living in Costa Rica.
Question
“I read your post that discussed the various regions you have lived in and visited. Can you please tell us a bit more about the variations in heat and humidity? I assume that a mountain location you mentioned such as San Isidro del General would be less humid than, say, down on the Pacific coast at Dominical or on the Caribbean coast.
Would you also speak about heat and humidity as it relates not just to location but to season? I know that the amount of breeze/wind is also a factor in keeping things naturally cool and bug free. Thanks so much.”
Answer
Yes, you are definitely right that the humidity is much higher down by the beach. Even just a mile or two inland can make a big difference, and as the elevation increases, it gets a bit less humid. San Jose’s Central Valley, for example, always seems very dry to us. We even need ChapStick!
That being said, it can still be humid in the mountains, especially relative to what you may be used to where you live now. And, while it is very humid near the ocean, the sea breeze can make that a lot more tolerable.
For about five years, we lived in the mountains near Dominical Beach at about 900 ft (274 meters). With jungle all around, it stayed very humid most of the time, but we were close enough to the coast to get a good breeze during the day and then a cooler breeze from the mountains at night. This way, it stayed pretty comfortable.
The seasons also make a big difference. Rainy season is much more humid with all the rain. In dry season, it may only rain a handful of times a month or not at all, depending on your location. Some areas, like Guanacaste, get very arid from January-April with little humidity.
When we lived in Guanacaste one March, it was around 100 ℉ (38 ℃) most days. There was a smell of smoke in the air from all the wildfires and intentionally set fires in the sugar cane fields. Dust is also a problem from dirt roads in some towns during the dry months. If it is hot and dusty, you really need A/C for those conditions.
Other regions that have more rainforest, like the southern Pacific coast, Caribbean coast, and Osa Peninsula, stay humid year-round.
Where we live now, we are sort of in the middle (near Jaco). We have very wet and humid periods, especially in September and October, and dry conditions from January to April. May, June, July, and August vary by year but are always somewhere in between. Those are our favorite months.
Like we said in that Where We’ve Lived post, the climate can vary greatly, even within a few miles. If you are thinking of buying property or renting long-term, we recommend checking out a few different areas at different times of year to find the right balance.
More Information
For much more information about the weather in Costa Rica, we have a detailed post complete with charts and graphs of the different regions. To learn which months are the rainiest and what to expect, see our post, Rainy Season: How Wet Is It?
And for some background on Costa Rica’s different areas, check out our Regional Snapshots.
Need more help? We’ve been traveling and living in Costa Rica for more than 10 years. Check out these pages for lots more resources!
Living in Costa Rica – In this category, we share updates along the way. From getting ready to move, to adjusting to the culture, having kids, buying a house, and celebrating 10 years in the country.
Bugs, Spiders, and Snakes in Costa Rica: What to Expect – It’s the tropics, so you will encounter some critters. How many and how dangerous? This post will explain.
Costa Rica and Mosquitoes: Tips to Prevent Zika, Dengue, and More – In this post, we talk about those pesky biters and tips on how to avoid them.