Property Tax & Garbage Fee

When it comes to Costa Rican property taxes, it's good news for once: They are much lower than in the United States or Canada.

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And also, the rules are simpler: Property Tax or  Impuesto Sobre Bienes Inmuebles is 0.25% of the purchase price of your property, or the value that was assigned by the National Registry, whichever of the two is higher.

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So, if your property is worth $200,000, your property tax would be $500 a year.

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It’s up to you, by the way, to have your property value assessed every five years. If you don’t, you may face penalties, and the municipality might choose to assess the value for you.

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Regarding the fees for garbage collection or recolección de basura, they are due and billed at the same time as your property taxes. The total can be paid in your area's Municipality. The garbage fee is a fixed amount that is adjusted annually. This fee varies depending on the location of your property and whether it’s used for residential or commercial purposes.

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Property taxes and garbage fees can be paid quarterly — at the end of March, June, September and December — or they can all be paid at once for the entire year. It is up to you!