With the four largest Costa Rican cities located in the Central Valley, it’s no surprise that the region has the best shopping, medical facilities, and schools in the country. 1. Private Schools Fees in the Central Valley’s many private schools range anywhere from about $150 per month up to four figures, depending on the school.

The following table outlines any regional difficulties with utilities services. Obtaining cable or satellite television is not a problem in the Central Valley. Power outages are not as frequent as in some parts of the country, but they do happen, even on perfectly sunny days. In 2007, the low water level in Lake Arenal disrupted

As mentioned elsewhere, pricing is one of the trickier parts of buying real estate in Costa Rica. This is especially true in the Central Valley, where price points can vary drastically over short distances. The table below should serve as a rough indication of what to expect, but prices on land, houses, and condominiums will

The Central Valley was the primary destination for European settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was there that they started to grow coffee and build communities based on the wealth it generated. After independence, the prominent families in San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago (the latter the capital city under colonial rule) began a power

There are two airports in the Central Valley: the country’s largest, Juan Santamaría International Airport, and a smaller, domestic airport which offers flights to remote parts of the country. Juan Santamaría provides daily flights to many North American cities, with other regular flights to parts of Central and South America. There are not yet any

The Central Valley is the gateway to Costa Rica. The country’s major international airport, Juan Santamaria, is located just outside the city of Alajuela, about a 20-minute drive from central San José and about 15 minutes from Santa Ana and Escazú (both estimated travel times can vary dramatically depending on traffic). All main highways branch

As mentioned above, the Central Valley is known for its almost “perfect” climate. Its relatively high elevation gives the region its temperate 24ºC average climate. The temperature depends on elevation, and you can feel variations from the late teens to as high as the 30s during the summer. In any case, you won’t be feeling