La Fortuna vs San José
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights San José edges it, 61 to 61, winning 2 of the 9 factors. La Fortuna is stronger on air quality; San José on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Arenal volcano town built on hot springs and adventure tourism
Full La Fortuna profile →Where to stay in La Fortuna →Gateway to Costa Rica's beaches and cloud forests
Full San José profile →Where to stay in San José →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 39 | 45 ✓ |
| Safety | 57 | 57 |
| Healthcare | 82 | 82 |
| Internet | 67 ✓ | 66 |
| Visa ease | 92 | 92 |
| Getting there & around | 55 ✓ | 54 |
| Climate | 33 | 42 ✓ |
| Air quality | 58 ✓ | 47 |
| Quality of life | 68 | 68 |
Cost
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,700 | $1,479 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $738 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 17.12 | 17.12 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 87 | 87 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 84 |
| Life expectancy | 78.6 yrs | 78.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 33.4 Mbps ✓ | 32.5 Mbps |
| Upload | 10.6 Mbps ✓ | 10.2 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Remote worker and service provider stay (digital nomad permit) | Remote worker and service provider stay (digital nomad permit) |
| Minimum income for the visa | $3,000/mo | $3,000/mo |
| Entry, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 54 ✓ | 52 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
Climate and air
| Metric | La Fortuna | San José |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 4 | 5 ✓ |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.7 µg/m³ ✓ | 29 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, La Fortuna or San José?
- San José is cheaper: about $1,479 per month versus $1,700 for one person.
- Is La Fortuna or San José safer?
- La Fortuna scores higher on safety (57 vs 57), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, La Fortuna or San José?
- La Fortuna: a measured median of 33.4 Mbps versus 32.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.