A Foreigner’s Guide to Buying Property in Costa Rica
Titled land, S.A. ownership, escrow, due diligence — a clear, jargon-light walkthrough of the steps that matter most.
Costa Rica is unusually welcoming to foreign buyers — non-residents can own land outright, on the same terms as locals, with a few small exceptions for the maritime zone. The process is straightforward, but a clean closing depends on three things: titled land, a careful due diligence, and an escrow account regulated by SUGEF.
Most buyers purchase through a Costa Rican S.A. (Sociedad Anónima) or LLC for liability and estate-planning reasons. Your attorney will draft the structure, register the property in the Registro Nacional and handle the transfer taxes.
Expect to budget roughly 3.5–4% of the purchase price for closing costs (transfer tax, registration stamps, legal fees). We walk every client through the timeline before they sign anything, so there are no surprises on closing day.
