San José Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (44/100)
Is San José safe right now? Checked 15 October 2026
San José scores 44/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Costa Rica Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 2 Apr 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. GDACS lists 1 minor (green) event within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 2, Chikungunya in Costa Rica (30 Jul 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Environmental quality (score 20)
Crime (score 45)
September 27, 2026
San José, Costa Rica has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 44 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 45/100; the lowest-rated category is environmental quality at 20/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Costa Rica travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is San José to visit in 2026?
San José currently sits at 44/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for San José is crime (45/100), and the lowest is environmental quality (20/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: natural hazards (74/100) and security (36/100).
A score of 44 is higher than the scores of 57% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
San José, Costa Rica maintains a moderate risk baseline with a Level 2 travel advisory and an ongoing drought alert. Travelers should also remain aware of recent regional seismic activity, including a magnitude 7.6 earthquake centered in Panama and subsequent tsunami alerts felt across Costa Rica.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 02:35 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 45/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Government advisory (score 40/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in San José
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in San José
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
No group-specific warning is triggered in San José for solo travelers (Crime 45/100 · Transport 35/100), women traveling solo (Crime 45/100), families with children (Health 35/100 · Natural disaster 30/100), older travelers (Health 35/100 · Transport 35/100), business travelers (Digital 20/100 · Money 30/100 · Transport 35/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 40/100 · Political 25/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in San José
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Costa Rica - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in The Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-07-03
The Drought notification level is Orange.
-
Green earthquake (Magnitude 6.1M, Depth:10km) in Panama 12/10/2026 23:20 UTC, 1 thousand (in MMI>=VII). GREEN · ~377 km away · 2026-10-12
On 10/12/2026 11:20:36 PM, an earthquake occurred in Panama potentially affecting 1 thousand (in MMI>=VII). The earthquake had Magnitude 6.1M, Depth:10km.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 02:35:22 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Volcanoes | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of San José happened in June, August, October and November (16 of 24 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
3 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.9 on 22 Oct 2025 (78 km away) — USGS details
- Most recent: M5.5 on 18 Nov 2025 (123 km away) — USGS details
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Costa Rica
- Level 1 - Hepatitis A in Costa Rica (Level 1, 18 Sep 2026)
- Level 2 - Chikungunya in Costa Rica (Level 2, 30 Jul 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Costa Rica travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Costa Rica entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Hepatitis A in Costa Rica WATCH · 2026-09-18
There is an outbreak of hepatitis A (HAV) in Costa Rica. Most cases have been reported in San José province.
-
Level 2 - Chikungunya in Costa Rica ALERT · 2026-07-30
There is an outbreak of chikungunya in northwest Costa Rica. You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites.
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit San José
The most weather-stable two-month window for San José is January–February, when typical daily temperatures run from about 17°C to 25°C and monthly rain averages 101 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include heavy rain season in May–December; hurricane season in June–November. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 10, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in San José
San José has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Centro de Desarrollo Social Dr. Guillermo Padilla Castro
- Hospital: Clínica Dr. Carlos Durán Cartín
- Hospital: Clínica Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas
- Hospital: Hospital Clínica Bíblica
- Hospital: Hospital Dr. Adolfo Carit Eva
- Hospital: Hospital Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia
- Hospital: Hospital Dr. Raúl Blanco Cervantes
- Hospital: Hospital Nacional de Niños Dr. Carlos Sáenz Herrera
- Hospital: Hospital San Juan de Dios
- Police: Dactiloscopia - Sede San José
- Police: Delegación Policial Distrito Hospital
- Police: Delegación Policial San José
- Police: Dirección de Seguridad Turística
- Police: Dirección de Unidades Especializadas
- Police: Oficinas DUE Dirección de Unidades Especiales
- Police: Policía Municipal de San José
- Police: Policía Turística
- Police: Policía Turística de San José
- Police: Reserva de las Fuerzas Policiales
- Embassy: Consulado de la República de Costa de Marfil
- Embassy: Consulado de Nueva Zelanda
- Embassy: Consulado del Gran Ducado de Luxemburgo
- Embassy: Embajada de la República de Kosovo
- Embassy: Embajada de Soberana Orden Militar y Hospitalaria de San Juan de Jerusalén, de Rodas y de Malta
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Fischel
- Pharmacy: Farmacia La Bomba
- Pharmacy: Farmacia La Bomba
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Sucre
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Sucre
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Value
- Pharmacy: FarmaValue
- Pharmacy: Fischel
- Pharmacy: Fishel
- Pharmacy: Sucre
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos 1-3
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos 1-9
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos 9-1
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos Metropolitana Norte
- Fire station: Estación de Bomberos Metropolitana Sur
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Costa Rica)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Travelers should note an active Level 1 Travel Health Notice for Hepatitis A issued by the CDC due to an outbreak, with hundreds of confirmed cases reported primarily in the San José province. Standard precautions for food, water, and personal hygiene are advised.
Common scam patterns
- Petty Theft and Pickpocketing. Visitors most commonly face pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and opportunistic theft in urban areas like San José. Thieves frequently target unwary tourists in crowded locations to steal phones and jewelry. Tip: Keep your phones and jewelry out of sight in crowded areas and avoid leaving bags unattended.
Area notes
- San José Province. San José is an urban area experiencing elevated property crime rates and serves as the primary location for a Hepatitis A outbreak reported by the Ministry of Health.
- Heredia. Heredia is located on the outskirts of San José and features residential areas, local eateries, parks, and shopping centres.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Costa Rica for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for San José
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2026 | 43 → 44 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 44 → 43 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 45 → 44 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Oct 9, 2026 | 46 → 45 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 30, 2026 | 45 → 46 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 29, 2026 | 44 → 45 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 29, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 29 → 44 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
Every editorial change to San José's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for San José
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for San José, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.