Quick facts
San José overview
San José (orange) and the other large cities of Costa Rica
San José lies in Costa Rica at 9.93°N, 84.08°W, about 1,133 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Costa_Rica (UTC-6); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Costa Rica: the next largest cities are Limón (63,081), Alajuela (47,494), Liberia (45,380). Together, the three largest cities hold 8.6% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Heredia, about 8 km away, followed by Alajuela (17 km).
Costa Rica as a whole has a live population of 5,203,255 (+0.4% a year) and ranks #127 of 238 countries — see the Costa Rica population page for the full statistics and the Costa Rica atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near San José
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Heredia Heredia Province | 8 km | 21,947 |
| Alajuela Alajuela Province | 17 km | 47,494 |
| Cartago Cartago Province | 20 km | 26,594 |
| Paraíso Cartago Province | 26 km | 39,702 |
| Turrialba Cartago Province | 44 km | 28,955 |
| Guápiles Limón Province | 45 km | 19,092 |
| San Isidro San José | 76 km | 34,877 |
| Puntarenas Puntarenas Province | 83 km | 35,650 |
Largest cities in Costa Rica
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San JoséCapital | San José | 335,007 |
| 2 | Limón | Limón Province | 63,081 |
| 3 | Alajuela | Alajuela Province | 47,494 |
| 4 | Liberia | Guanacaste Province | 45,380 |
| 5 | Paraíso | Cartago Province | 39,702 |
| 6 | Puntarenas | Puntarenas Province | 35,650 |
| 7 | San Isidro | San José | 34,877 |
| 8 | San José | Alajuela Province | 31,430 |
| 9 | Turrialba | Cartago Province | 28,955 |
| 10 | Cartago | Cartago Province | 26,594 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of San José?
San José has about 335,007 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is San José the capital of Costa Rica?
Yes — San José is the national capital of Costa Rica.
How big is San José compared with the rest of Costa Rica?
Its 335,007 residents are 6.4% of the 5,203,255 people living in Costa Rica today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is San José?
In Costa Rica, at latitude 9.93 and longitude -84.08, 1,133 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Heredia (8 km), Alajuela (17 km), Cartago (20 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). San José Population 2026 — Costa Rica. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/costa-rica/san-jose/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/costa-rica/san-jose/">San José Population 2026 — Costa Rica</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.