Costa Rica weather in October
In October, Costa Rica sees average daytime highs of 31°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 129 mm of rain across 18.5 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in October, and the air most often feels muggy.
Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 12 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Costa Rica's 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Costa Rica's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 31°
- 2nd warmest
- Overnight low
- 21°
- 9th coldest
- Rainfall
- 129 mm
- 18.5 wet days
- Daylight
- 12 h 24 min
- 6:05 AM – 6:30 PM
- Cloud cover
- 63%
- 7th clearest
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- 6th windiest
- Solar energy
- 5.99 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 3.7
- out of 10
Temperature in October
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 31°C through the month.
A typical October day in Costa Rica reaches about 31°C in the afternoon and slips back to 21°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 34°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and about 1°C warmer than November.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Avg low (°C) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 | 20 |
| 2 | 31 | 20 |
| 3 | 31 | 20 |
| 4 | 31 | 20 |
| 5 | 31 | 20 |
| 6 | 31 | 21 |
| 7 | 31 | 21 |
| 8 | 31 | 21 |
| 9 | 31 | 21 |
| 10 | 31 | 21 |
| 11 | 31 | 21 |
| 12 | 31 | 21 |
| 13 | 31 | 21 |
| 14 | 31 | 21 |
| 15 | 31 | 21 |
| 16 | 31 | 21 |
| 17 | 31 | 21 |
| 18 | 31 | 21 |
| 19 | 31 | 21 |
| 20 | 31 | 21 |
| 21 | 31 | 21 |
| 22 | 31 | 21 |
| 23 | 31 | 21 |
| 24 | 31 | 21 |
| 25 | 31 | 21 |
| 26 | 30 | 21 |
| 27 | 30 | 21 |
| 28 | 30 | 21 |
| 29 | 30 | 21 |
| 30 | 30 | 21 |
| 31 | 30 | 21 |
How October really feels in Costa Rica
Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 11 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
The story in October is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Costa Rica weather by month
How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 2nd-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 21° | 256 | 26.2 | 13 | 3.3 |
| Feb | 29° / 21° | 215 | 23.6 | 12.6 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 30° / 21° | 181 | 23.8 | 12.1 | 3.6 |
| Apr | 29° / 20° | 81 | 12.4 | 11.6 | 5.0 |
| May | 28° / 18° | 39 | 5.7 | 11.1 | 7.0 |
| Jun | 28° / 17° | 18 | 2.4 | 10.9 | 7.9 |
| Jul | 28° / 16° | 11 | 1.4 | 11 | 7.6 |
| Aug | 30° / 18° | 17 | 2.5 | 11.4 | 6.0 |
| Sep | 31° / 20° | 67 | 8.7 | 11.9 | 4.5 |
| Oct | 31° / 21° | 129 | 18.5 | 12.4 | 3.7 |
| Nov | 30° / 21° | 175 | 22.2 | 12.9 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 29° / 21° | 217 | 25.6 | 13.1 | 3.4 |
Cloud cover in October
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in October.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 |
| Cloudier (%) | 45 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 60 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 63 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 66 | 66 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | 45 |
| 2 | 55 | 45 |
| 3 | 54 | 46 |
| 4 | 54 | 46 |
| 5 | 54 | 46 |
| 6 | 53 | 47 |
| 7 | 53 | 47 |
| 8 | 52 | 48 |
| 9 | 52 | 48 |
| 10 | 52 | 48 |
| 11 | 52 | 48 |
| 12 | 51 | 49 |
| 13 | 51 | 49 |
| 14 | 49 | 51 |
| 15 | 48 | 52 |
| 16 | 47 | 53 |
| 17 | 46 | 54 |
| 18 | 44 | 56 |
| 19 | 43 | 57 |
| 20 | 42 | 58 |
| 21 | 42 | 58 |
| 22 | 40 | 60 |
| 23 | 38 | 62 |
| 24 | 38 | 62 |
| 25 | 37 | 63 |
| 26 | 37 | 63 |
| 27 | 35 | 65 |
| 28 | 35 | 65 |
| 29 | 35 | 65 |
| 30 | 34 | 66 |
| 31 | 34 | 66 |
Chance of precipitation in October
Costa Rica gets around 129 mm of rain over 18.5 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 59% and peaks near 71% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 71 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 48 |
| 2 | 49 |
| 3 | 50 |
| 4 | 51 |
| 5 | 52 |
| 6 | 53 |
| 7 | 53 |
| 8 | 54 |
| 9 | 54 |
| 10 | 54 |
| 11 | 55 |
| 12 | 55 |
| 13 | 56 |
| 14 | 56 |
| 15 | 57 |
| 16 | 58 |
| 17 | 59 |
| 18 | 60 |
| 19 | 60 |
| 20 | 61 |
| 21 | 62 |
| 22 | 63 |
| 23 | 64 |
| 24 | 65 |
| 25 | 66 |
| 26 | 67 |
| 27 | 68 |
| 28 | 69 |
| 29 | 69 |
| 30 | 70 |
| 31 | 71 |
Humidity in October
Most of October feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, October lands in the muggy band about 63% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 66% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Comfortable (%) | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Humid (%) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Muggy (%) | 46 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 58 | 61 | 60 | 63 | 64 | 67 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 |
| Oppressive (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 14 | 26 | 46 | 1 |
| 2 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 48 | 1 |
| 3 | 11 | 13 | 26 | 49 | 1 |
| 4 | 11 | 13 | 25 | 50 | 1 |
| 5 | 10 | 12 | 25 | 52 | 1 |
| 6 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 53 | 1 |
| 7 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 53 | 1 |
| 8 | 8 | 12 | 25 | 53 | 2 |
| 9 | 7 | 12 | 25 | 54 | 2 |
| 10 | 7 | 12 | 24 | 55 | 2 |
| 11 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 57 | 2 |
| 12 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 57 | 3 |
| 13 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 57 | 3 |
| 14 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 58 | 3 |
| 15 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 61 | 3 |
| 16 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 60 | 4 |
| 17 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 63 | 4 |
| 18 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 4 |
| 19 | 1 | 8 | 20 | 67 | 4 |
| 20 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 69 | 4 |
| 21 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 70 | 5 |
| 22 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 71 | 5 |
| 23 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 73 | 5 |
| 24 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 74 | 5 |
| 25 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 75 | 5 |
| 26 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 75 | 6 |
| 27 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 76 | 6 |
| 28 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 77 | 6 |
| 29 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 77 | 6 |
| 30 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 77 | 6 |
| 31 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 78 | 6 |
Wind in October
Winds average 8 km/h in October.
Across October, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | calm |
| 2 | 9 | calm |
| 3 | 9 | calm |
| 4 | 9 | calm |
| 5 | 9 | calm |
| 6 | 9 | calm |
| 7 | 9 | calm |
| 8 | 8 | calm |
| 9 | 8 | calm |
| 10 | 8 | calm |
| 11 | 8 | calm |
| 12 | 8 | calm |
| 13 | 8 | calm |
| 14 | 8 | calm |
| 15 | 8 | calm |
| 16 | 8 | calm |
| 17 | 8 | calm |
| 18 | 8 | calm |
| 19 | 8 | calm |
| 20 | 8 | calm |
| 21 | 8 | calm |
| 22 | 8 | calm |
| 23 | 8 | calm |
| 24 | 8 | calm |
| 25 | 8 | calm |
| 26 | 8 | calm |
| 27 | 8 | calm |
| 28 | 8 | calm |
| 29 | 8 | calm |
| 30 | 8 | calm |
| 31 | 8 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in October
Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of October to 12 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 30 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:17 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:36 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:17 | 6:16 | 6:15 | 6:14 | 6:13 | 6:12 | 6:11 | 6:11 | 6:10 | 6:09 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:07 | 6:06 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:02 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 5:59 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:57 | 5:57 | 5:56 | 5:56 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:26 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.2 | 6:17 | 6:26 |
| 2 | 12.2 | 6:16 | 6:27 |
| 3 | 12.2 | 6:15 | 6:27 |
| 4 | 12.2 | 6:14 | 6:27 |
| 5 | 12.2 | 6:13 | 6:27 |
| 6 | 12.3 | 6:12 | 6:28 |
| 7 | 12.3 | 6:11 | 6:28 |
| 8 | 12.3 | 6:11 | 6:28 |
| 9 | 12.3 | 6:10 | 6:28 |
| 10 | 12.3 | 6:09 | 6:29 |
| 11 | 12.3 | 6:08 | 6:29 |
| 12 | 12.4 | 6:08 | 6:29 |
| 13 | 12.4 | 6:07 | 6:30 |
| 14 | 12.4 | 6:06 | 6:30 |
| 15 | 12.4 | 6:05 | 6:30 |
| 16 | 12.4 | 6:05 | 6:30 |
| 17 | 12.4 | 6:04 | 6:31 |
| 18 | 12.5 | 6:03 | 6:31 |
| 19 | 12.5 | 6:03 | 6:31 |
| 20 | 12.5 | 6:02 | 6:32 |
| 21 | 12.5 | 6:01 | 6:32 |
| 22 | 12.5 | 6:01 | 6:32 |
| 23 | 12.5 | 6:00 | 6:33 |
| 24 | 12.6 | 6:00 | 6:33 |
| 25 | 12.6 | 5:59 | 6:34 |
| 26 | 12.6 | 5:58 | 6:34 |
| 27 | 12.6 | 5:58 | 6:34 |
| 28 | 12.6 | 5:57 | 6:35 |
| 29 | 12.6 | 5:57 | 6:35 |
| 30 | 12.7 | 5:56 | 6:36 |
| 31 | 12.7 | 5:56 | 6:36 |
Solar energy in October
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.99 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.17 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in October across the year — October's 5.99 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 6 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 7 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 8 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 9 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 10 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 11 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 27 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 28 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 29 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 30 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 31 | 5.9 | Bright |
Hazard calendar for Costa Rica
In October, Costa Rica sits inside its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Costa Rica's monsoon runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is October a good time to visit Costa Rica?
Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Costa Rica.
What to pack for Costa Rica in October
From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In October, Costa Rica sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 19 days see rain.
UV index in Costa Rica in October
Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Costa Rica peaks around January 22 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 7 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Costa Rica in October
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Costa Rica is worst in September — around 24 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.2× the cleanest month (June, 5 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 6 | Good |
| Apr | 5 | Good |
| May | 5 | Good |
| Jun | 5 | Good |
| Jul | 8 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 24 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Moderate |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica sits at 18.5°S, 53.1°W, 646 m above sea level, in Brazil. The nearest listed city is Chapadão do Sul, 60 km away.
Topography around Costa Rica
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Costa Rica.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Costa Rica has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 160 m around an average of 655 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 307 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 616 m.
The land around Costa Rica is covered by grassland (39%) and trees (22%) within 3 km, cropland (41%), grassland (28%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and cropland (42%), grassland (31%) and trees (23%) within 80 km.
Brazil travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / N
- 127 / 220 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 46% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $10,713
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.6 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 89%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 19.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 16
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 482
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Costa Rica (-18.5439°, -53.1292°, elevation 646 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).