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What does a home cost in Santa Teresa?
As of November 2026, the median asking price for a house in Santa Teresa is $950,000, across 76 priced house listings on Costa Rica Realtor.
Closing-cost calculator Costa Rica market report
Live asking prices on Costa Rica Realtor, not closed sales.
Homes for sale in Santa Teresa now
Santa Teresa is a Pacific beach town on the Nicoya Peninsula, known for surf and a casual tourism scene. Malpaís is the neighbouring beach area, near the Cabo Blanco nature reserve and Playa Carmen. Buyers are typically lifestyle purchasers, second-home owners, and investors looking at rental or hospitality use. The setting is more beach-focused than urban, with demand tied to ocean access, surf culture, and small-scale commercial activity.
Getting here is the first thing to understand. From San José (SJO) the usual route is by road to Puntarenas, the Paquera ferry, then road again, about 165 km of driving and 5 to 6.5 hours door to door depending on the ferry. From Liberia (LIR) it is about 203 km by road, 4 to 4.75 hours, with no ferry. Neither airport is close, and the prices below are what buyers pay anyway.
Santa Teresa's house market asks a premium, including on a built-area basis. The live table below describes Santa Teresa's own current listings; it does not pool them with Malpaís. Compare the house row with the all-property median in the header, which includes land and commercial listings.
Land is another important category, while condos and commercial properties are smaller samples. Long-term rental inventory is thin in the listings, so buyers hoping to rent for a year before buying may need to look beyond this site's current inventory.
What to check before buying in Santa Teresa or Malpaís. The Maritime Zone comes first for anything near the water. The first 50 metres from the high-tide line is public and can never be owned, the next 150 metres is concession land leased from the municipality for a 5 to 20 year renewable term, and a foreigner with under five years' residency cannot be granted a concession, nor can a company that is more than 50% foreign-owned. Property outside the zone can be fee-simple. Have your attorney reconcile the Registro Nacional record with the cadastral plan for the exact parcel. For a lot, confirm the water letter first; without one there is no building permit.
Santa Teresa suits a buyer with a seven-figure budget who wants a surf town, accepts a long drive or a ferry from either airport, and is buying for lifestyle or hospitality use rather than year-round convenience. A buyer who wants a similar coast with an airport an hour away should compare Flamingo and Potrero, and a buyer who wants the same southern-Pacific feel closer to San José should look at Dominical and Uvita.
Contact us through any listing to arrange viewings in Santa Teresa and Malpaís.
Prices at a glance
Live asking prices for this page's area, as of November 10, 2026. The header median pools all property types; each row below covers one type.
| Type | Listings | Priced | Middle half (P25 to P75) | Median asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | 82 | 76 | $557,500 to $2,450,000 | $950,000 |
| Condo / apartment | 4 | 4 | Sample too small | Sample too small |
| Land | 37 | 35 | $255,000 to $1,675,000 | $700,000 |
| Commercial | 8 | 8 | Sample too small | Sample too small |
-
House
Median $950,000
Middle half $557,500 to $2,450,000
82 listings, 76 priced
-
Condo / apartment
Median unavailable (small sample)
Middle half unavailable (small sample)
4 listings, 4 priced
-
Land
Median $700,000
Middle half $255,000 to $1,675,000
37 listings, 35 priced
-
Commercial
Median unavailable (small sample)
Middle half unavailable (small sample)
8 listings, 8 priced
House median per built m²: $4,229 across 38 priced houses with a recorded built area.
Asking prices on Costa Rica Realtor, not closed sales. Medians and percentiles are withheld below 10 priced listings. As of November 10, 2026.
Explore this area
- Homes for sale in Playa Flamingo
- Homes for sale in Nosara
- Homes for sale in Dominical
- Homes for sale in Uvita
- Luxury homes for sale in Costa Rica ($1M+)
- The 200-metre rule on beachfront
- No water letter, no building permit
- Infrastructure challenges when buying off the grid
- Buying through a Costa Rican corporation
- Maritime Zone property guide
Costa Rica Realtor has 137 homes for sale in Santa Teresa, collected from agencies and portals across Costa Rica. Their median asking price is $950,000 ($3,741 per m2), updated November 2026.
Median home price
$950,000
Median price / m²
$3,741
Listings here
137
Houses: 82Lots / Land: 37Commercial: 8Other: 6Apartments / Condos: 4
137 for-sale listings
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Market snapshot
Median price by property type
Listings by price band
Buying property in Santa Teresa: common questions
For international buyers
How much does a house cost in Santa Teresa?
The live Prices at a glance table on this page shows the current house median, middle half of asking prices and priced listing count. The all-property median in the header includes other types too.
How do I get to Santa Teresa from the airport?
From San José (SJO), by road to Puntarenas, the Paquera ferry, then road: about 165 km of driving and 5 to 6.5 hours door to door, depending on ferry timing. From Liberia (LIR), about 203 km by road, 4 to 4.75 hours.
Can a foreigner buy property in Santa Teresa?
Yes. Foreign buyers have the same ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens over titled (fee-simple) property, with no residency requirement. Beachfront inside the Maritime Zone is concession land and a foreigner with under five years' residency cannot be granted a concession.
Is beachfront in Santa Teresa titled or concession?
It depends how close to the water it sits. The first 50 metres from the high-tide line is public zone. From 50 to 200 metres is concession land, leased from the municipality for a 5 to 20 year renewable term. Property further back can be fee-simple. Check the exact parcel in the Registro Nacional before you talk price.
How much is land in Santa Teresa?
See the Land row in Prices at a glance for the current median, middle half and priced listing count. Before buying a lot, confirm title, access and a water letter with your attorney.
What taxes and closing costs apply?
Budget roughly 3.5 to 4% of the price for closing (1.5% transfer tax, legal fees and stamps). Annual property tax is 0.25% of registered value, and homes whose construction value exceeds ₡143 million (about $270,000) for 2026 also pay the Solidarity tax on a sliding scale.
General information, not legal advice. Costa Rican property law and tax thresholds change — confirm specifics with a licensed Costa Rican attorney before buying.