Is Costa Rica safe in 2026?
Costa Rica scores 89.0/100 on the live safety index — very safe. The main pressure on the score comes from crime, natural disasters, economy. The score has been stable for 21 days. The 24-hour AI forecast calls the trend stable (projected 89.0/100).
89.0 /100very safe
30-day trend
Costa Rica's score changed by +0.0 over the last 22 days (89.0 → 89.0) — within normal day-to-day noise. No single event moved the index.
Risk factors
Open the interactive country card to inspect current factors. For historical factor data and integrations, see the customer API.
Conflict & War
0.2/34.1 safety points.
Official travel advisory
2 Exercise Increased Caution
The U.S. State Department places Costa Rica at Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution citing crime. Our live index reads 89.0/100. That advisory was last revised Apr 2, 2026, 197 days ago; the index above is recomputed continuously from current reporting.
Source: U.S. Department of State, revised Apr 2, 2026. Levels run 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel). This page is not travel advice.
Latest recorded events
- Magnitude 5.7 earthquake strikes off coast of Costa Rica, EMSC says
- Earthquake today | More than 80 aftershocks reported after strong magnitude 5.5 earthquake in the Pacific: epicenter and details
- Strong tremor shakes Costa Rica: magnitude 5.4 earthquake in the early hours of Monday, August 24; get the details
- Costa Ricans take to the streets to protest against the government
- Costa Rica captures most-wanted fugitive also sought by US, authorities say
24-hour forecast
Trend: stable · projected score 89.0/100 (generated )
No new events and a consistently flat score support stability.
Compared with nearby countries
| Country | Score | 0–100 | vs Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | 89.0 | — | |
| Panama | 88.6 | −0.4 | |
| Nicaragua | 70.9 | −18.1 | |
| Honduras | 76.4 | −12.6 | |
| El Salvador | 76.9 | −12.1 | |
| Guatemala | 78.7 | −10.3 |