August 2026 Costa Rica Property Market: 83,350 Active Listings
CostaRicaRealtor data desk sees a wide, uneven market in August 2026, with 83,350 active listings and real gaps between coastal pricing and Central Valley affordability.
August 2026 is not a tidy market. The CostaRicaRealtor data desk counted 83,350 active listings, but only 4.1% of listings appeared across multiple portals, which tells me buyers still have to check more than one place and verify everything.
The median listing has been visible on our platform for 56 days, counted from its first day with us, so it is a floor rather than a measure of how fast the market moves. Price cuts show up in 67.0% among listings with a tracked price history, and that qualifier matters because the tracked-price group is 4,950 listings, not the whole 83,350. At the canton level, Santa Cruz leads at $564,695, followed by Osa at $539,000 and Golfito at $485,000. The most affordable cantons in this cut are Alajuelita at $155,000, El Guarco at $165,997, and Aserri at $174,604.
As of August 2026.
This month's numbers
- Active listings: 83,350
- Of the 4,950 listings we have tracked through at least one price change, 67.0% have cut the asking price (a buyer's-market signal).
- 4.1% appear on more than one portal (no MLS means the same home is listed several times).
- Median time visible on our platform: 56 days (counted from the listing's first day with us, so it is a floor, not a measure of how fast the market moves).
Most expensive cantons (median sale price)
| Canton | Province | Median price | $/m2 | Sale listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | Guanacaste | $564,695 | $2,839 | 3921 |
| Osa | Puntarenas | $539,000 | $2,470 | 1412 |
| Golfito | Puntarenas | $485,000 | $1,563 | 61 |
| Quepos | Puntarenas | $450,000 | $1,643 | 239 |
| Flores | Heredia | $442,659 | $774 | 139 |
| Carrillo | Guanacaste | $420,000 | $2,095 | 1569 |
Most affordable cantons
| Canton | Province | Median price | $/m2 | Sale listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alajuelita | San José | $155,000 | $1,336 | 141 |
| El Guarco | Cartago | $165,997 | $964 | 326 |
| Aserri | San José | $174,604 | $792 | 165 |
| Desamparados | San José | $180,000 | $974 | 798 |
| Turrubares | San José | $180,000 | $79 | 234 |
| Naranjo | Alajuela | $181,032 | $121 | 120 |
What it means for buyers
Do not read 83,350 active listings as 83,350 clean opportunities. Some listings are stale, some are duplicated in practice even if not across portals, and some sellers are testing the market. Here's what nobody tells you: a property can look negotiable online, but the real answer often comes only after your attorney checks Registro Nacional, your lender checks Banco Nacional or another bank file, and you know whether the price was ever real.
For buyers, the 67.0% price-cut share among listings with a tracked price history is a signal to negotiate, not a promise of a bargain. Santa Cruz, Osa, and Golfito are still playing in a different price band than Alajuelita, El Guarco, and Aserri. Be blunt with your budget. And ask for the listing history before you fall in love with the photos.
Figures are Costa Rica Realtor's own computation from asking prices across the whole Costa Rica market, the most complete Costa Rica market picture available. Free to cite with attribution to costaricarealtor.com.
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