Is Santa Cruz safe? Costa Rica travel risk
Is Santa Cruz safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Santa Cruz scores 52/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). 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. No GDACS or USGS hazard events 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.
Santa Cruz scores 52/100 (Elevated). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Costa Rica (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Santa Cruz: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km, frequently asked questions.
Driven by: crime and scams (71/100) and natural hazards (72/100).
A score of 52 is higher than the scores of 70% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Costa Rica travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Territorial & Position Context
In the Guanacaste territory, Santa Cruz is established at 10.2358° N, 85.6408° W. It lies 174.2 km E relative to San José. Time zone observed: America/Costa_Rica.
Guanacaste
10.2358° N, 85.6408° W
58 m
America/Costa_Rica
55,104
Critical Services & Regional Transit
Adjacent Localities in Costa Rica
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
No GDACS or USGS events recorded within 100 km in the past five years.
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.
Regional Centers with Threat Ratings
Questions travellers ask about Santa Cruz
Is Santa Cruz safe?
Santa Cruz currently scores 52/100 on our composite travel risk index (elevated risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Costa Rica (Level 2 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — Santa Cruz · Methodology
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