La Fortuna vs Tamarindo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights La Fortuna edges it, 61 to 60, winning 4 of the 9 factors. La Fortuna is stronger on getting there & around; Tamarindo on air quality. 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 →Costa Rica's surf town with a nomad village feel
Full Tamarindo profile →Where to stay in Tamarindo →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | La Fortuna | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 39 ✓ | 33 |
| Safety | 57 | 57 |
| Healthcare | 82 | 82 |
| Internet | 67 ✓ | 65 |
| Visa ease | 92 | 92 |
| Getting there & around | 55 ✓ | 44 |
| Climate | 33 ✓ | 25 |
| Air quality | 58 | 71 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 68 | 68 |
Cost
| Metric | La Fortuna | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $1,700 ✓ | $2,006 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | $1,529 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | La Fortuna | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 33.4 Mbps ✓ | 29.9 Mbps |
| Upload | 10.6 Mbps ✓ | 9.9 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | La Fortuna | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 54 ✓ | 31 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | La Fortuna | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 4 ✓ | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 23.7 µg/m³ | 18.2 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, La Fortuna or Tamarindo?
- La Fortuna is cheaper: about $1,700 per month versus $2,006 for one person.
- Is La Fortuna or Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo?
- La Fortuna: a measured median of 33.4 Mbps versus 29.9 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); 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.