San José weather in February
In February, San José sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 113 mm of rain across 22.1 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in February, and the air most often feels muggy.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of February to 11 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is San José's 2nd-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see San José's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 27°
- 9th warmest
- Overnight low
- 22°
- 2nd coldest
- Rainfall
- 113 mm
- 22.1 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 h 36 min
- 6:06 AM – 5:44 PM
- Cloud cover
- 39%
- 2nd clearest
- Wind
- 21 km/h
- 2nd windiest
- Solar energy
- 5.21 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 4.8
- out of 10
San José is populated place in Upala district of Costa Rico.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in February
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.
A typical February day in San José reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, February runs on par with January and about 1°C cooler than March.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 22 |
| 2 | 26 | 22 |
| 3 | 26 | 22 |
| 4 | 26 | 22 |
| 5 | 26 | 22 |
| 6 | 26 | 22 |
| 7 | 26 | 22 |
| 8 | 26 | 22 |
| 9 | 26 | 22 |
| 10 | 26 | 22 |
| 11 | 26 | 22 |
| 12 | 26 | 22 |
| 13 | 26 | 22 |
| 14 | 27 | 22 |
| 15 | 27 | 22 |
| 16 | 27 | 22 |
| 17 | 27 | 22 |
| 18 | 27 | 22 |
| 19 | 27 | 22 |
| 20 | 27 | 22 |
| 21 | 27 | 22 |
| 22 | 27 | 22 |
| 23 | 27 | 22 |
| 24 | 27 | 22 |
| 25 | 27 | 22 |
| 26 | 27 | 22 |
| 27 | 27 | 22 |
| 28 | 27 | 22 |
San José weather by month
How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 9th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 22° | 171 | 26.8 | 11.4 | 4.5 |
| Feb | 27° / 22° | 113 | 22.1 | 11.6 | 4.8 |
| Mar | 28° / 23° | 80 | 19.8 | 11.9 | 5.3 |
| Apr | 28° / 23° | 63 | 18.1 | 12.2 | 4.8 |
| May | 28° / 24° | 223 | 26.7 | 12.5 | 3.7 |
| Jun | 27° / 24° | 281 | 29.4 | 12.6 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 27° / 23° | 308 | 30.6 | 12.6 | 3.4 |
| Aug | 27° / 23° | 259 | 30.5 | 12.4 | 3.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 23° | 260 | 29.3 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| Oct | 27° / 23° | 299 | 29.3 | 11.8 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 26° / 23° | 262 | 26.2 | 11.5 | 4.0 |
| Dec | 26° / 22° | 214 | 27.3 | 11.4 | 4.2 |
Cloud cover in February
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 62% of the time in February.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 17%.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 85 |
| Cloudier (%) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 83 | 17 |
| 2 | 83 | 17 |
| 3 | 83 | 17 |
| 4 | 83 | 17 |
| 5 | 83 | 17 |
| 6 | 84 | 16 |
| 7 | 83 | 17 |
| 8 | 83 | 17 |
| 9 | 83 | 17 |
| 10 | 82 | 18 |
| 11 | 82 | 18 |
| 12 | 82 | 18 |
| 13 | 83 | 17 |
| 14 | 83 | 17 |
| 15 | 83 | 17 |
| 16 | 83 | 17 |
| 17 | 83 | 17 |
| 18 | 83 | 17 |
| 19 | 83 | 17 |
| 20 | 83 | 17 |
| 21 | 83 | 17 |
| 22 | 83 | 17 |
| 23 | 83 | 17 |
| 24 | 83 | 17 |
| 25 | 84 | 16 |
| 26 | 84 | 16 |
| 27 | 84 | 16 |
| 28 | 85 | 15 |
Chance of precipitation in February
San José gets around 113 mm of rain over 22.1 wet days in February. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 79% and peaks near 84% on the wettest days. The odds ease 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 84 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 84 |
| 2 | 83 |
| 3 | 83 |
| 4 | 83 |
| 5 | 83 |
| 6 | 82 |
| 7 | 82 |
| 8 | 81 |
| 9 | 81 |
| 10 | 81 |
| 11 | 81 |
| 12 | 81 |
| 13 | 81 |
| 14 | 81 |
| 15 | 80 |
| 16 | 80 |
| 17 | 79 |
| 18 | 79 |
| 19 | 78 |
| 20 | 78 |
| 21 | 77 |
| 22 | 77 |
| 23 | 76 |
| 24 | 75 |
| 25 | 75 |
| 26 | 74 |
| 27 | 73 |
| 28 | 72 |
Humidity in February
Most of February feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, February lands in the muggy band about 71% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 98% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humid (%) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Muggy (%) | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 70 | 70 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 67 |
| Oppressive (%) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 |
| Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 2 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 3 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 4 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 5 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 6 | 3 | 72 | 25 |
| 7 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 8 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 9 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 10 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 11 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 12 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 13 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 14 | 3 | 71 | 26 |
| 15 | 2 | 72 | 26 |
| 16 | 2 | 72 | 26 |
| 17 | 2 | 72 | 26 |
| 18 | 2 | 72 | 26 |
| 19 | 2 | 71 | 27 |
| 20 | 2 | 71 | 27 |
| 21 | 2 | 71 | 27 |
| 22 | 2 | 70 | 28 |
| 23 | 2 | 70 | 28 |
| 24 | 2 | 69 | 29 |
| 25 | 2 | 69 | 29 |
| 26 | 2 | 69 | 29 |
| 27 | 2 | 68 | 30 |
| 28 | 3 | 67 | 30 |
Wind in February
Winds average 21 km/h in February.
Across February, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 22 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | breezy |
| 2 | 21 | breezy |
| 3 | 21 | breezy |
| 4 | 21 | breezy |
| 5 | 21 | breezy |
| 6 | 22 | breezy |
| 7 | 22 | breezy |
| 8 | 22 | breezy |
| 9 | 22 | breezy |
| 10 | 22 | breezy |
| 11 | 22 | breezy |
| 12 | 21 | breezy |
| 13 | 21 | breezy |
| 14 | 21 | breezy |
| 15 | 21 | breezy |
| 16 | 21 | breezy |
| 17 | 21 | breezy |
| 18 | 21 | breezy |
| 19 | 21 | breezy |
| 20 | 21 | breezy |
| 21 | 21 | breezy |
| 22 | 21 | breezy |
| 23 | 21 | breezy |
| 24 | 21 | breezy |
| 25 | 21 | breezy |
| 26 | 21 | breezy |
| 27 | 21 | breezy |
| 28 | 21 | breezy |
Sunrise & sunset in February
Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of February to 11 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 18 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 6:08 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 5:40 PM to 5:47 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:01 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:40 | 5:40 | 5:41 | 5:41 | 5:41 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:42 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:43 | 5:44 | 5:44 | 5:44 | 5:44 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:46 | 5:46 | 5:46 | 5:46 | 5:46 | 5:47 | 5:47 | 5:47 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:40 |
| 2 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:40 |
| 3 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:41 |
| 4 | 11.5 | 6:08 | 5:41 |
| 5 | 11.6 | 6:08 | 5:41 |
| 6 | 11.6 | 6:08 | 5:42 |
| 7 | 11.6 | 6:08 | 5:42 |
| 8 | 11.6 | 6:08 | 5:42 |
| 9 | 11.6 | 6:07 | 5:43 |
| 10 | 11.6 | 6:07 | 5:43 |
| 11 | 11.6 | 6:07 | 5:43 |
| 12 | 11.6 | 6:07 | 5:44 |
| 13 | 11.6 | 6:06 | 5:44 |
| 14 | 11.6 | 6:06 | 5:44 |
| 15 | 11.6 | 6:06 | 5:44 |
| 16 | 11.6 | 6:06 | 5:45 |
| 17 | 11.7 | 6:05 | 5:45 |
| 18 | 11.7 | 6:05 | 5:45 |
| 19 | 11.7 | 6:05 | 5:45 |
| 20 | 11.7 | 6:04 | 5:45 |
| 21 | 11.7 | 6:04 | 5:46 |
| 22 | 11.7 | 6:04 | 5:46 |
| 23 | 11.7 | 6:03 | 5:46 |
| 24 | 11.7 | 6:03 | 5:46 |
| 25 | 11.7 | 6:02 | 5:46 |
| 26 | 11.7 | 6:02 | 5:47 |
| 27 | 11.8 | 6:02 | 5:47 |
| 28 | 11.8 | 6:01 | 5:47 |
Solar energy in February
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 5.21 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.98 kWh/m² to a high of 6.04 kWh/m² in April across the year — February's 5.21 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.9 | Bright |
| 2 | 4.9 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 13 | 5.2 | Bright |
| 14 | 5.2 | Bright |
| 15 | 5.2 | Bright |
| 16 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 17 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 18 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 19 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 20 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 21 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 22 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 23 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 24 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 25 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 26 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 27 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 28 | 5.6 | Bright |
Is February a good time to visit San José?
Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
February is a reasonable time to visit San José for sightseeing.
What to pack for San José in February
From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In February, San José sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 22°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 22 days see rain.
Sea temperature near San José in February
The nearest coast averages about 27°C in February — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 65 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in February near 27°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 28 | Tropical |
| Nov | 28 | Warm |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in San José in February
Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in San José peaks around March 18 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 9 (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) | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 12 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 9 | Very high |
Air quality in San José in February
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where February falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in San José is worst in July — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 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 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 8 | Good |
| Mar | 9 | Good |
| Apr | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 21 | Moderate |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 23 | Moderate |
| Aug | 18 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is San José?
San José sits at 11.0°N, 85.1°W, 50 m above sea level, in Costa Rica. The nearest listed city is San Carlos, 44 km away.
Topography around San José
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of San José.
Within 3 km, the terrain around San José has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 55 m around an average of 51 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 659 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,977 m.
The land around San José is covered by grassland (51%) and trees (48%) within 3 km, trees (59%) and grassland (36%) within 16 km, and trees (45%), water (27%) and grassland (24%) within 80 km.
Costa Rica travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 59% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $19,970
- 2025
- Happiness
- 7.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 81%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 17.7
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 14.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 516
- 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 San José (10.9519°, -85.1357°, elevation 50 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).