Best time to visit · Costa Rica
Best time to visit San José
San José averages 8 just-right days a year; no month is reliably just right, and January comes closest. Most other days miss by being too hot.
(70 to 80°F, dry, sunny)
(45 to 65°F, dry)
(80 to 92°F, bright)
San José weather by month
Bars: share of each month's days that are just right (number = days). Below: average daily high. Outlined bars are the best months.
- Just right 8
- Too cool 0
- Too hot 189
- Too muggy 156
- Too gray 12
When to visit San José
San José rarely hits the 70 to 80°F, dry and sunny window; January comes closest, with 3 just-right days. January, February, March, April, May and August are mostly too hot, with average highs of 80 to 82°F (28°C). June, July, September, October, November and December are mostly muggy, with average highs of 78 to 80°F (27°C).
Climate table
| Month | Avg high | Dew point | Cloud cover | Just-right days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80°F (27°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 34% | 3 |
| February | 81°F (27°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 31% | 2 |
| March | 82°F (28°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 40% | 1 |
| April | 82°F (28°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 63% | 0 |
| May | 82°F (28°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 100% | 0 |
| June | 80°F (27°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 100% | 0 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 100% | 0 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 100% | 0 |
| September | 80°F (27°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 100% | 0 |
| October | 79°F (26°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 100% | 0 |
| November | 78°F (26°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 88% | 0 |
| December | 79°F (26°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 52% | 2 |
How San José compares
San José gets 8 just-right days a year with our default window; the median big US city gets 33. On muggy days: 156. On gray days: 12.
Places with a similar climate
Nearby
San José averages 8 just-right days a year (70 to 80°F highs, dry, mostly sunny), according to Goldilocks Map: https://goldilocksmap.com/costa-rica/san-jose/Set your own perfect weather on the map →
Numbers are expected days in a typical year from 1991 to 2020 climate normals (TerraClimate; cloud cover from CHELSA), on a grid about 35 km wide. Checked against 10 years of daily records at 28 NOAA weather stations: typical error about 10 days a year. How it works. Updated 2026-10-07.