Santa Teresa is a remote location paradise, its origins as a paradise for surfers and nature lovers, and its relatively short history of development have created an atmosphere unlike any other in Costa Rica! Backpackers, surfers and families rub shoulders with Hollywood celebrities and businessmen alike in the waves or at one of the area’s many trendy restaurants, hip boutiques or beach bars. Throughout its development, the community has placed great importance on environmental stewardship and independent business, adding to the region’s reputation as a non-commercial getaway sheltered from the more unpleasant impacts of excessive tourism. Located within a “Blue Zone”, an area of the planet with a life expectancy significantly higher than average, visitors return year after year to revel in a sense of freedom amid perfect surf, picturesque sunsets, pristine nature and a healthy lifestyle that defines this one-of-a-kind destination.
Tucked away in the jungle on the southwestern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the Santa Teresa area, which includes Mal Pais, Playa Hermosa, Cabuya, Montezuma, Delicias, Santiago, and Manzanillo, is a fast-growing tourist hotspot with a feel not found nowhere else in the world.
The area began to develop from a sleepy patchwork of farmland and fishing villages in the mid-1990s after its jungle-fringed white-sand beaches were found to be home to some of the most consistent waves on the planet. . Although in the last 20 years the area has grown from a surf outpost to one of the country’s top inland destinations, the area still retains its roots as a natural paradise of pristine rainforest, waves and good vibes.
One of the key factors that has allowed the Santa Teresa area to retain its idyll is its history of land ownership; due to their remoteness, the Costa Rican government began granting local families large tracts of land almost four decades ago in exchange for a commitment to cultivate and develop these concessions for the next 15 years.
These agreements began to expire about 20 years ago, and landowners began to divide up and sell their previously protected land. As a result, prices have skyrocketed over the last decade from a few dollars per square meter to a few hundred dollars per square meter. Buyers range from families looking for a vacation home or passive income to boutique developers offering mid-to-high-end turnkey villas and hotels. High growth prospects and an increase in media coverage hyping the area mean prices are expected to continue their upward trend for the foreseeable future.
Previously accessible by a 6+ hour drive from any of Costa Rica’s major airports, the area’s growth has been accompanied by a variety of welcome improvements to the area’s accessibility. Of the two international airports (Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), on the outskirts of the capital, San José, and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia), SJO offers the most convenient connection; an impressive 30-minute flight over the picturesque Gulf of Nicoya deposits travelers in Tambor, which is a further 40 minutes by shuttle or private car through the jungle-clad mountains to Santa Teresa. A regional airport in Manzanillo currently offers only charter flights, but is expected to open to commercial flights within the year, cutting the trip to Santa Teresa by another 20 minutes and providing better access to cities further north on the peninsula, such as Playa Hermosa and Manzanillo.
Thanks to the experience of working and living in the area, the NATIVU Santa Teresa team made an analysis of each area to recommend the one that best suits your interests and needs:
Ocean Front
Hotels and investment properties
During the first months of the pandemic, hotel and home rental businesses suffered the most. Many investors saw it as an opportunity, so the sale of this type of property has increased in recent months since rental prices have doubled compared to 2020, there is a lack of long-term home inventory, and a huge demand that has inflated prices on the coasts, the annual returns are very good for investors at the moment.
Cost of living in Santa Teresa
Below, we show you a table of monthly costs for a family of four residing in Santa Teresa and its surroundings, developed by the NATIVU Santa Teresa team based on their experience and knowledge of the area:
| Expenses | U.S. $ |
|---|---|
| Electricity | $400 |
| Water | $100 |
| Phone & Internet | $150 |
| Rent | $2,500-$4,000 |
| Buying a House | $650,000 |
| Private primary and secondary education fees | $500-$800 |
| Restaurants | $100 |
Advantages of living in Santa Teresa
Ocean-bound
Sport and wellness
Nature
Beaches
Weather
Balance
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