San José Population 2026

San José has a population of 31,430, making it the #11 biggest city in 🇨🇷 Costa Rica, located in Alajuela Province. Roughly 0.6% of Costa Rica's population lives here. It is about 11× smaller than San José, the country's biggest city.

Location of San José. Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

31,430

Rank in Costa Rica

#11

Coordinates

10.95°N, 85.14°W

~50 m elevation · America/Costa_Rica

Distance to capital (San José)

161 km

100 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Alajuela Province

City	Population	Rank in Costa Rica
Alajuela	47,494	#3
Quesada	27,310	#17

Cities near San José

Liberia45,380 people · ~48 km away
Cañas20,306 people · ~58 km away
Nicoya15,313 people · ~96 km away
Quesada27,310 people · ~104 km away
Puntarenas35,650 people · ~113 km away
Chacarita26,354 people · ~114 km away

FAQ

What is the population of San José?

San José has a population of 31,430 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #11 biggest city in Costa Rica.

What region is San José in?

San José is located in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.

Is San José the capital of Costa Rica?

No, the capital of Costa Rica is San José, about 161 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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