San José vs Tamarindo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights San José edges it, 58 to 56, winning 3 of the 9 factors. San José is stronger on climate, cost of living; Tamarindo on air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 50 ✓ | 37 |
| Safety | 62 | 62 |
| Healthcare | 81 | 81 |
| Internet | 60 | no data |
| Visa ease | 89 | 89 |
| Getting there & around | 22 ✓ | 14 |
| Climate | 42 ✓ | 25 |
| Air quality | 47 | 71 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 68 | 68 |
Cost
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,479 ✓ | $2,006 |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $738 ✓ | $1,529 |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 86 | 86 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 84 |
| Life expectancy | 78.6 yrs | 78.6 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 32.5 Mbps | no data |
| Upload | 10.2 Mbps | no data |
Visa
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | Estancia para Trabajador y Prestador Remoto de Servicios | Estancia para Trabajador y Prestador Remoto de Servicios |
| Minimum income for the visa | $2,999/mo | $2,999/mo |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 180 days | 180 days |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 180 days | 180 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 52 ✓ | 31 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 ✓ | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | San José | Tamarindo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 5 ✓ | 3 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 29 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, San José or Tamarindo?
- San José is cheaper: about $1,479 per month versus $2,006 for one person.
- Is San José or Tamarindo safer?
- San José scores higher on safety (62 vs 62), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, San José or Tamarindo?
- M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; 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). Dataset 2026.09.4. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.