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Best Hospitals in San José

Find the right hospital for your medical treatment in San José — compare costs, read reviews, and book consultations.

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Medical Treatments in San José

San José is the medical hub for international tourists for the following medical treatments

Cost Guide

Cost of Living in San José

Real-world costs to help you plan your medical trip — from hospital stays to daily meals

71%
Cheaper than USA
on average
88%
Healthcare
savings vs USA
₡144,000
Hospital Room
per day
₡24,000
Budget Hotel
per night

Food & Dining Costs (₡)

Business Lunch
₡6,720 ↓28%
US ₡9,360
Budget Meal
₡3,840 ↓38%
US ₡6,240
Cheap Restaurant
₡4,320 ↓45%
US ₡7,800
Water Bottle (1.5L)
₡672 ↓35%
US ₡1,040
Coffee (Café)
₡1,920 ↓26%
US ₡2,600
Groceries (Weekly)
₡33,600 ↓46%
US ₡62,400
Item ₡ vs US
Business Lunch 6,720 28% less
Budget Meal 3,840 38% less
Cheap Restaurant 4,320 45% less
Water Bottle (1.5L) 672 35% less
Coffee (Café) 1,920 26% less
Groceries (Weekly) 33,600 46% less

Food & Nutrition

Most hospitals in San José include meals in their room charges. For companions, local restaurants offer nutritious meals at very affordable prices. Grocery delivery apps are widely available for longer stays.

Accommodation Costs (₡)

Budget Hotel / Night
₡24,000 ↓49%
US ₡46,800
Mid-Range Hotel / Night
₡57,600 ↓38%
US ₡93,600
Luxury Hotel / Night
₡172,800 ↓17%
US ₡208,000
Airbnb / Month
₡364,800 ↓72%
US ₡1,300,000
Apartment (City Centre)
₡480,000 ↓58%
US ₡1,144,000
Apartment (Outside Centre)
₡268,800 ↓68%
US ₡832,000
Item ₡ vs US
Budget Hotel / Night 24,000 49% less
Mid-Range Hotel / Night 57,600 38% less
Luxury Hotel / Night 172,800 17% less
Airbnb / Month 364,800 72% less
Apartment (City Centre) 480,000 58% less
Apartment (Outside Centre) 268,800 68% less

Stay Smart

For recovery stays of 2+ weeks, an Airbnb or serviced apartment near your hospital can be significantly cheaper than a hotel. Many hospitals also have tie-ups with nearby hotels offering discounted patient rates.

Healthcare Costs (₡)

Doctor Consultation
₡24,000 ↓77%
US ₡104,000
Hospital Room / Day
₡144,000 ↓92%
US ₡1,820,000
Basic Medicine
₡4,800 ↓38%
US ₡7,800
Travel Health Insurance / Day
₡3,840 ↓70%
US ₡13,000
Nursing Care / Day
₡48,000 ↓74%
US ₡182,000
Physiotherapy Session
₡24,000 ↓69%
US ₡78,000
Dental Checkup
₡19,200 ↓82%
US ₡104,000
Item ₡ vs US
Doctor Consultation 24,000 77% less
Hospital Room / Day 144,000 92% less
Basic Medicine 4,800 38% less
Travel Health Insurance / Day 3,840 70% less
Nursing Care / Day 48,000 74% less
Physiotherapy Session 24,000 69% less
Dental Checkup 19,200 82% less

Medical Tourist Tip

Healthcare in San José costs up to 88% less than the US. A hospital room is just ₡144,000/day compared to $3,500+ in the US. Many hospitals offer all-inclusive packages that cover room, nursing, and meals.

Transport Costs (₡)

Local Transport (Monthly)
₡19,200 ↓47%
US ₡36,400
Airport Taxi
₡17,280 ↓40%
US ₡28,600
Taxi per km
₡672 ↓35%
US ₡1,040
Fuel / Litre
₡768
US ₡520
Local SIM + Data
₡4,800 ↓77%
US ₡20,800
Item ₡ vs US
Local Transport (Monthly) 19,200 47% less
Airport Taxi 17,280 40% less
Taxi per km 672 35% less
Fuel / Litre 768 48% more
Local SIM + Data 4,800 77% less

Getting Around

Ride-hailing apps (Uber, local alternatives) are widely available and affordable. Many hospitals offer airport pickup services. Buy a local SIM card with data on arrival for navigation and communication.

Daily Life Costs (₡)

Internet / Month
₡14,400 ↓57%
US ₡33,800
Laundry / Load
₡2,880
US ₡2,080
Mobile Prepaid / Month
₡5,760 ↓78%
US ₡26,000
Clothes (Avg.)
₡19,200 ↓8%
US ₡20,800
Haircut
₡4,800 ↓63%
US ₡13,000
Movie Ticket
₡3,360 ↓57%
US ₡7,800
Gym / Month
₡24,000 ↓16%
US ₡28,600
Beer
₡1,920 ↓47%
US ₡3,640
Item ₡ vs US
Internet / Month 14,400 57% less
Laundry / Load 2,880 38% more
Mobile Prepaid / Month 5,760 78% less
Clothes (Avg.) 19,200 8% less
Haircut 4,800 63% less
Movie Ticket 3,360 57% less
Gym / Month 24,000 16% less
Beer 1,920 47% less

Daily Essentials

Day-to-day expenses in San José are very manageable. Wi-Fi is available at most hotels and hospitals. Laundry services, pharmacies, and convenience stores are easy to find near major medical centres.

71% cheaper vs US

Spending Breakdown

* Costs are approximate averages based on 2024–2025 data. Actual prices may vary by season and location.

San José is one of the leading medical tourism destinations in Costa Rica. The city offers world-class healthcare facilities with internationally trained doctors, cutting-edge technology, and significantly lower treatment costs compared to Western countries.

Why Choose San José for Medical Treatment?

San José is the hub of Costa Rican medical tourism, home to CIMA Hospital, Clínica Bíblica, and Hospital La Católica. The city excels in dental procedures, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedics, and bariatric surgery.

Medical Tourism in San José

Patients from around the world travel to San José for a wide range of medical treatments including cardiac surgery, orthopaedic procedures, oncology, cosmetic surgery, dental care, fertility treatments, and eye care. The city's hospitals are known for their JCI/NABH accreditation, multilingual staff, and dedicated international patient departments.

Top Hospitals

Best Hospitals in San José, Costa Rica

Ranked by how complete and credible each profile is: photos, doctors, accreditations, verified owners and patient interest

Magna Médica

Magna Médica

San José, Costa Rica · Hospital

32 doctors · Gastroenterology

SIBA SALUD

SIBA SALUD

San José, Costa Rica · Hospital

1 doctor · Cardiology, Gynaecology

Showing 20 of 137

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