Costa Rica Cities by Population 2026
5 Most Populated Costa Rica Cities
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Annual Change |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | 364,062 | 0.82% |
| Alajuela | 340,416 | 1.39% |
| Desamparados | 223,378 | 0.02% |
| San Carlos | 209,455 | 1.32% |
| Cartago | 170,677 | 0.79% |
| Perez Zeledon | 163,877 | 1.09% |
| Pococi | 152,234 | 1% |
| Puntarenas (incl. Monte Verde) | 149,385 | 1.33% |
| Goicoechea | 134,096 | 0.37% |
| Heredia | 133,143 | 0.23% |
| Limon | 124,783 | 1.74% |
| La Union | 98,944 | -0.15% |
| San Ramon | 96,906 | 0.96% |
| Liberia | 86,564 | 1.95% |
| Turrialba | 85,791 | 1.12% |
| Alajuelita | 80,541 | -0.15% |
| Grecia | 78,763 | 0.82% |
| Santa Cruz | 78,377 | 2.01% |
| Escazu | 74,551 | 1.05% |
| Tibas | 73,218 | -0.46% |
| Nicoya | 72,697 | 2.34% |
| Curridabat | 70,221 | -0.28% |
| Paraiso | 69,078 | 1.17% |
| Sarapiqui | 68,149 | 0.37% |
| Vazquez de Coronado | 67,992 | 0.34% |
| Siquirres | 65,044 | 0.5% |
| Upala | 61,501 | 1.76% |
| Aserri | 60,144 | 0.23% |
| Santa Ana | 59,883 | 0.79% |
| Moravia | 59,855 | 0.13% |
| Talamanca | 54,739 | 2.86% |
| Carrillo | 52,559 | 2.17% |
| Corredores | 52,532 | 0.73% |
| Buenos Aires | 51,794 | 0.6% |
| Montes de Oca | 51,784 | -0.98% |
| Guacimo | 50,795 | 0.59% |
| Barva | 50,359 | 1.37% |
| Oreamuno | 49,961 | 0.53% |
| El Guarco | 49,294 | 1% |
| San Rafael | 48,820 | -0.01% |
| Naranjo | 47,729 | 0.58% |
| Coto Brus | 47,489 | 0.61% |
| Matina | 46,952 | 0.88% |
| Santo Domingo | 46,445 | 0.28% |
| Golfito (incl. Puerto Jimenez) | 45,259 | 0.66% |
| Palmares | 40,206 | 0.67% |
| Puriscal | 40,109 | 1.01% |
| Santa Barbara | 39,807 | 0.43% |
| Poas | 38,915 | 1.82% |
| Osa | 38,841 | 1.86% |
| Los Chiles | 37,863 | 2.2% |
| Esparza | 35,441 | 0.45% |
| Mora | 34,202 | 1.4% |
| Quepos (Aguirre) | 33,974 | 1.18% |
| Canas | 32,701 | 0.75% |
| Atenas | 32,001 | 1.29% |
| San Pablo | 30,169 | 0.26% |
| Garabito | 29,517 | 2.57% |
| La Cruz | 28,536 | 1.56% |
| Orotina | 25,622 | 1.42% |
| Bagaces | 24,854 | 1.18% |
| Abangares | 23,732 | 1.67% |
| Belen | 23,603 | -0.16% |
| San Isidro | 23,552 | 0.8% |
| Acosta | 23,423 | 0.96% |
| Sarchi (Valverde Vega) | 22,186 | 0.72% |
| Flores | 21,989 | -0.04% |
| Tilaran | 21,557 | 0.38% |
| Parrita | 21,378 | 1.59% |
| Jimenez | 19,935 | 1.6% |
| Guatuso | 18,840 | 0.71% |
| Alvarado | 18,297 | 1.66% |
| Tarrazu | 18,054 | 0.34% |
| Montes de Oro | 17,870 | 2.18% |
| Zarcero (Alfaro Ruiz) | 16,091 | 1.51% |
| Rio Cuarto (← Grecia) | 15,045 | 1.07% |
| Leon Cortes Castro | 13,970 | 0.76% |
| Nandayure | 12,091 | 0.46% |
| Dota | 10,205 | 2.17% |
| Hojancha | 8,511 | 0.85% |
| San Mateo | 7,136 | 0.65% |
| Turrubares | 6,212 | 0.15% |
Costa Rica Overview
The largest city in Costa Rica is San Jose, with a population of 364,062 people.
The Central American country of Costa Rica is known for its beaches, rainforest and wildlife, and around a quarter of the country consists of protected jungle that is home to a diverse range of species. The capital city of San Jose is located in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica, and is bordered by mountains to the north and volcanoes to the south. The largest city in the country, San Jose has a population of 364.1K, which increases to over two million for the larger metropolitan area. San Jose is also Costa Rica’s center of political and economic activity, with over a million people travelling to the city center to work each day.
Costa Rica is made up of seven provinces which are divided into 82 cantons. Alajuela is the second-largest canton (after San Jose), with a population of 340.4K, and is known for being a key area for the production of coffee and strawberries. The canton of Desamparados, which borders the capital city of San Jose, has a population of 223.4K, making it the third most populous canton in the country. Several of Costa Rica’s cantons have very small populations, including Hojancha (8.5K), San Mateo (7.1K), and Turrubares (6.2K).
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