For three areas located so close to each other, the diversity in residents, land prices and development outlook is remarkable. The fact that development in this part of the country is just starting in earnest means that there are still many good investment opportunities, for both large and small investors. Though they’re in an awkward,

1. Desarollo Armónico de la Peninsula. This foundation was about to be born at the time of writing. The brainchild of the project manager for Punta Piedra Amarilla Marina Project, Angel Coello, the foundation is being set up to join the forces of developers, the three municipalities of Cóbano, Paquera and Jiquaral, the local MINAE

With a different profile of visitor and slower pace of development, rental prices in this area are much lower than in Northwest Guanacaste. In the surfing areas like Malpaís and Santa Teresa, visitors can expect to pay about $800 per week for a studio, $1,200 per week for a three-bedroom house on the beach, and

Like everywhere else in Costa Rica, crime in this area is on the rise, and you must always be on your guard. Development isn’t anywhere near the level of Northwestern Guanacaste, and crime rates are subsequently lower than there. However, petty theft is rampant in all the towns discussed in this section. Lately, residents have

Santa Teresa, Malpaís, Montezuma areas Already reasonably well-established tourist destinations, each area has several restaurants, bars, small hotels and other tourism-related businesses up and running. New commercial centers in Santa Teresa suggest demand exists for further retail options. There’s still no full-service supermarket in the area, though Cóbano is reasonably close. As the real estate

1. Private Schools The Santa Teresa area has two private schools, one that teaches according to the Canadian school system and takes pupils through to high school graduation, and another that teaches children up to the age of 8 or 9. The town also has two private kindergartens. Another private school that teaches children to

The southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula has been heavily deforested and the land used for raising cattle, similar to Northwest Guanacaste. Growth in tourism is providing an increasing source of employment and should only grow with the real estate market. Montezuma has been popular with expatriates for a very long time but for the