The value of beach property has skyrocketed over the last decade due to the country’s increased popularity. Many people want to realize their dream of owning a beachfront lot in a tropical paradise. For most foreigners the main beach development areas that are worth considering for retirement and/or vacation homes can be found in Guanacaste areas such as Flamingo, Junquillal, and Tamarindo. The Central Pacific beach areas around the towns of Jacó Beach, Quepos and Manuel Antonio are also attractive. This Central Pacific area has great potential, as it is much closer to the Central Valley and San José. The new Villa Colón-Orotina and Quepos-Dominical highways will have a huge effect on real estate values in this area, as it will reduce driving time to the Central and South Pacific areas. Unlike Mexico, some beachfront property may be purchased. However, the 200-meter strip of land along the seacoasts is owned by the government and for public use. It is prohibited to build anything within the first 50 meters of the high tide line.

This zone is for the public and cannot be turned into a private beach. Also, you can no longer build within the next 50 to 200 meters of the high tide line—this is called The Maritime Zone, or Zona Marítima, — unless there is existing housing or a new tourism project involved. If this is the case, you can lease the land from the municipality, which is overseen by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. In theory foreigners cannot lease this land, but there are loopholes in this law. One of the ways to circumvent this regulation is by obtaining a lease through a corporation that is owned mainly by a Costa Rican. Check with a lawyer to find out how this works. For your information, beachfront property is being bought-up fast, and the price of this and other prime real estate is soaring. Before you move to the beach, you should know that for some people the novelty of living at the beach wears off fast. Visiting the beach for a few days or weeks is very different from living there full-time. The humidity, boredom, bugs, lack of emergency medical facilities in a few areas and the occasional inconveniences of living in an often out-of-the-way area are factors which might deter some from moving to any beach area. However, in general the positives in beach living far outweigh any negatives. Due to Costa Rica’s increasing popularity and improving infrastructure, beach property can be an excellent investment.