House rents in November: what rose and what fell

The median rent for a house in Costa Rica held at US$1,800 a month in November 2026, the same as in October. Beneath that national figure the provinces moved differently: Guanacaste rose +6.8% and Alajuela fell -0.7%. San José has most of the new supply.

San José has the most new supply and the highest rent

In November 2026 there are 1,206 active listings of homes for rent in Costa Rica. The national median rent is US$1,800 a month, with a lower quartile of US$1,304 and an upper quartile of US$2,700. Per built square meter, the median rent is US$9. That distance between the two quartiles shows that the median describes a typical house, not every house. These are asking prices in listings, not signed contracts.

San José has 636 listings and the highest median rent, US$2,200. It also has the most new supply: 40 listings in 30 days, out of 73 nationwide. Heredia adds nine, Puntarenas eight and Alajuela seven. Our reading: whoever searches homes for rent in San José finds more to choose from and more turnover, but pays more. Outside San José new supply is thin: in Cartago it reached only three listings.

Guanacaste and San José rose; Alajuela slipped

Between October and November the median rent in Guanacaste went from US$1,825 to US$1,950, a change of +6.8%. San José rose +4.8%, from US$2,100 to US$2,200, and Cartago +1.9%, from US$1,174 to US$1,196. Heredia and Puntarenas were unchanged, at US$1,700 and US$1,200. Alajuela was the only decline: -0.7%, from US$1,489 to US$1,478.

Our reading: Guanacaste's jump deserves caution, because the province has 58 listings and a median that reacts to a few changes. Anyone looking at homes for rent in Guanacaste should compare listing by listing. To see where the market stood before, the starting point is our analysis of house rents in October.

77% of the supply is priced in dollars

In Costa Rica, 77% of the 1,206 listings of homes for rent are priced in dollars. San José reaches 86% and Guanacaste 78%; Heredia is at 71%, Alajuela at 70% and Puntarenas at 61%. Cartago is the exception, at 40%, and it is the province where colón pricing is most common.

The median changes with the currency: US$1,196 among listings priced in colones and US$2,000 among those priced in dollars, nationwide. In San José the gap is US$1,413 against US$2,300. Our reading: according to these medians, dollar-priced listings correspond to higher-rent houses. Before comparing, ask which currency the rent is paid in and which exchange rate the contract sets.

Cartago draws the most views and inquiries per listing

In Cartago each listing received 4.7 views in 30 days, with 42.7 inquiries per 100 listings, the highest figures in the country. Heredia follows with 3.4 views and 34.8 inquiries. San José, with 638 listings, has 2.1 views and 27.6 inquiries. Nationwide the figures are 2.8 views per listing and 26.2 inquiries per 100.

Guanacaste (5.0) and Puntarenas (6.3) record few inquiries per 100 listings. Our reading: in homes for rent in Cartago there is more competition for each house, even though supply is only 75 listings. In homes for rent in Heredia demand also exceeds the national average. Renters in those provinces should have their documents ready and decide quickly.

Where US$1,400 a month rents a house

At US$1,400 a month or less there are 344 of the 1,216 active houses, or 28%. Puntarenas leads with 65% (31 of 48 listings), followed by Cartago with 61% and Alajuela with 47%. Guanacaste has 43% and Heredia 27%. San José, at 15%, is the province where that amount covers the fewest listings.

Our reading: with that budget the search concentrates outside San José. The listing of homes for rent in Costa Rica under US$1,400 a month filters the national supply. In Puntarenas and Cartago the sample is under 100 listings, so it is worth repeating the search during the month.

What we would do with these numbers

• If your ceiling is US$1,400, start with Puntarenas and Cartago, where that amount covers most of the listings.
• In San José, ask in writing for the payment currency and compare the median in colones with the median in dollars.
• If you are unsure between renting and buying, compare with home prices in Costa Rica and with cheap homes for sale in Costa Rica.
• If you are an owner, check the lower and upper quartile of your province before setting the rent; nationwide they run from US$1,304 to US$2,700.

Frequently asked questions

Did house rents rise in Costa Rica in November?

Nationwide, no: the median stayed at US$1,800, the same as in October. It rose in Guanacaste, San José and Cartago, fell in Alajuela and did not change in Heredia or Puntarenas. These are medians of asking prices, so a small change may come from which houses entered or left the supply during the month, and not from owners adjusting their rents.

Is it better to rent in dollars or in colones?

It depends on your income. 77% of the supply is priced in dollars, and the median of those listings is US$2,000, against US$1,196 for those priced in colones. If you earn in colones, ask whether the owner accepts payment in that currency and at what exchange rate, and put the rule in writing in the contract.

Where is there more new supply of houses to rent?

In San José: 40 new listings in the last 30 days, out of 73 nationwide. Heredia follows with nine, Puntarenas with eight and Alajuela with seven. Guanacaste has six and Cartago three. Low new supply means fewer fresh options, so in those provinces it is worth checking the listings often.

Methodology: the data come from active listings on Anuntico in November 2026. An area needs at least 10 listings to appear. Prices listed in colones are converted to dollars at the source's exchange rate of ₡460 per US dollar. These are asking prices in listings, not closed rental prices.