Costa Rica Cities by Population 2024

The Central American country of Costa Rica is known for its beaches, rainforest and wildlife, and around a quarter of the country consists of protected jungle that is home to a diverse range of species. The capital city of San José is located in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica, and is bordered by mountains to the north and volcanoes to the south. The largest city in the country, San José has a population of 333,980, which increases to over two million for the larger metropolitan area. San José is also Costa Rica's center of political and economic activity, with over a million people travelling to the city center to work each day.

Costa Rica is made up of seven provinces which are divided into 82 cantons. Alajuela is the second-largest canton (after San José), with a population of 285,259, and is known for being a key area for the production of coffee and strawberries. The canton of Desamparados, which borders the capital city of San José, has a population of 206,708, making it the third most populous canton in the country. Several of Costa Rica's cantons have very small populations, including Hojancha (7,197), San Mateo (6,136), and Turrubares (5,512).