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77 / 100
CR

Costa Rica

Compare countries and cities by VanSky score and pick your next stop Compare regions by VanSky score and pick your destination

Comfortable 77 / 100
45%
29%
15%
11%
Ideal 45% Comfortable 29% Acceptable 15% Challenging 11%
Best spot: Cartago Province — 91
Typical conditions: 64
Cities: 8 Regions: 7 Updated: 17 Jul, 00:13 Open-Meteo

A comparison of 8 cities in Costa Rica by VanSky score — how comfortable it is to travel in each today. We factor in temperature, wind, sun and conditions by the sea. Sort by any metric and pick your next stop. A comparison of 7 regions of Costa Rica by VanSky score — where it's most comfortable to travel right now. We factor in temperature, wind, sun and conditions by the sea.

The country score (0–100) is computed from all of its cities, not a single point. Cities are grouped into regions, and a region's score is the median of its cities so dense clusters don't outweigh sparse ones. Final score = 0.65 × “best areas” (80th percentile of regions) + 0.35 × “typical conditions” (median of regions), so one warm city can't push the whole country to 100. Each city's score blends warmth (feels-like), sun, rain and wind, adjusted for night temperature and, on the coast, the sea. Data: Open-Meteo, refreshed several times a day.

80–100
Ideal
60–79
Comfortable
40–59
Acceptable
20–39
Challenging
0–19
Extreme

The scale above shows what share of the country's cities falls into each comfort band. “Best spot” is the most comfortable region or city this week; “typical conditions” is the median score across regions.

∅ 7-day average

Top cities in Costa Rica by VanSky Regions of Costa Rica

Loading cities...

Sort by

Cartago
Cartago Province
96
San José
San José Province
84
Heredia
Heredia Province
73
San Francisco
Heredia Province
58
Alajuela
Alajuela Province
58
Limón
Limón Province
33
Liberia
Guanacaste Province
32
Puntarenas
Puntarenas Province
27

VanSky Index

A weather comfort index for travel: a 0–100 score. Recalculated daily from live weather data — temperature, rainfall, wind and sun.

80–100 Ideal
60–79 Comfortable
40–59 Acceptable
20–39 Challenging
0–19 Extreme

How it's calculated:

  • Thermal comfort 35% — temperature + humidity
  • Sunshine 25% — panel charge, mood; in heat the sun is no longer a bonus
  • Precipitation 25% — rain → muddy ground
  • Wind 15% — awning, driving, noise
  • Extremes override all: frost, heat, storm, downpour
  • Heat counts by feels-like temperature: at 32°+ the score can’t reach “Comfortable”, muggy nights lower it further
  • A dangerous day drags the week down: a storm or downpour in the forecast keeps the week from being “Comfortable”
  • Bonus: warm sea, high panel output

Data: Open-Meteo · Updated several times a day

Best cities now Best cities this week

  1. 1 Cartago 96
  2. 2 San José 84
  3. 3 Heredia 73
  4. 4 San Francisco 58
  5. 5 Alajuela 58

Difficult conditions

  1. 1 Puntarenas 27
  2. 2 Liberia 32
  3. 3 Limón 33
  4. 4 Alajuela 58
  5. 5 San Francisco 58

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the best city in Costa Rica for van life?
Sort cities by the VanSky column — the higher the score, the more comfortable today. Also check solar panel output and sea temperature if you plan to stay near the coast.
What does the VanSky score mean for a city?
A score from 0 to 100 reflects a composite weather assessment: thermal comfort, precipitation level, wind strength, and sunshine. 80+ is ideal, 60–79 is comfortable, 40–59 is acceptable, below 40 is challenging.
How often is data updated for Costa Rica?
Weather data for all cities in Costa Rica is updated several times a day from the Open-Meteo service based on real observations.

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🇨🇷 Costa Rica — fuel prices

Updated: 11.07.2026

Plus 91

$1.67 /l

CRC756.00 · €1.45/l

88 of 133

pricier than 65% of countries

Super

$1.66 /l

CRC752.98 · €1.45/l

52 of 92

pricier than 55% of countries

Diésel

$1.48 /l

CRC670.02 · €1.29/l

67 of 134

cheaper than 51% of countries

All countries Prices: Costa Rica

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