Santa Teresa has gone from a dirt-road surf village to one of the most popular digital nomad destinations in Central America, and the transformation has been both impressive and a little jarring. The main road is still unpaved in stretches, but you will pass yoga studios, vegan restaurants, and coworking spaces every few hundred meters. The town attracts a younger, more adventurous crowd than Tamarindo or Nosara — think 25-35 year olds who want to surf, work, socialize, and repeat. If that sounds like your people, Santa Teresa might be the best fit in Costa Rica for you.
Where to Work
Selina Santa Teresa is the most established coworking space in town. Like all Selina locations, it combines hostel accommodation with coworking that is open to non-guests. The space is well-maintained, the internet is solid, and the community events keep the social calendar full. Day passes are around $15. The main caveat is the hostel atmosphere — if you need absolute quiet, bring noise-canceling headphones.
Outsite Santa Teresa offers a more premium coliving-and-coworking experience. The space is designed specifically for remote workers, with a focus on community and quality. It attracts a slightly older, more established crowd than Selina. If you are willing to spend a bit more for a curated experience, this is where to look.
SkyLoft is one of the newer additions and boasts some of the fastest internet speeds in town — which matters in Santa Teresa, where connectivity has historically been a challenge. Ocean views and a fitness area round out the package. Worth checking their current schedule as beach-town businesses can adjust hours seasonally.
Seas The Day Cowork is another solid dedicated workspace option. The coworking scene here has matured enough that you can now be picky about your environment, which was not the case even two years ago.
The Café Scene
Santa Teresa might have the best café-working scene of any beach town in Costa Rica. Nordico Coffee House is excellent — great food, peaceful atmosphere, and reliable WiFi. The Roastery is where coffee nerds go, with on-site roasting and quality that rivals specialty shops in San José. They have a two-hour WiFi limit, which honestly helps with productivity. Café Social and Cafca Café are solid rotation options when you want variety. Having multiple café options matters — workspace fatigue is real when you are in a town for more than a couple of weeks.
Coliving Options
WiFi Tribe runs month-long chapters here, bringing curated groups of remote workers together with accommodation and community programming. It is a fantastic option for your first time — instant friends, someone else handles the logistics, and the group size (usually 20-30 people) is big enough for social variety but small enough to feel intimate.
Stolas Guesthouse offers a more independent coliving experience. The international community, shared spaces, and on-site Stolas Market for meals give you the social benefits of coliving without the structured programming. Good for people who want community on their own terms.
Life in Santa Teresa: What to Expect
The daily rhythm here revolves around the surf. Dawn patrol at 5:30am, work from 8am to early afternoon, second surf session or yoga, then sunset socializing. The town is spread along one main road, and you will need an ATV, scooter, or bike to get around comfortably — walking between the north and south ends takes 30+ minutes. Rent an ATV for around $40-50/day or a scooter for less. Driving the unpaved roads in the rain is an adventure, to put it diplomatically.
Food is excellent but expensive by Costa Rica standards. The restaurant scene caters to the international crowd with plenty of healthy, plant-based options alongside traditional Costa Rican food. Groceries are limited and pricey — the nearest well-stocked supermarket is in Cobano, about 30 minutes away. Budget $800-1,200/month for food depending on how often you eat out.
Internet has improved significantly but is still the weakest link. The coworking spaces have invested in quality connections, but your rental might not have. Always verify internet speed before committing to accommodation. Cell coverage is decent along the main road but gets spotty in the hills.
Is Santa Teresa Right for You?
Santa Teresa is ideal if you are young (or young at heart), active, social, and can work with some flexibility around connectivity challenges. It is less ideal if you have rigid meeting schedules, need corporate-level infrastructure, or prefer a quieter environment. The town’s charm is its raw, adventurous energy — unpaved roads, sunset bonfires, and a community that is genuinely excited to be here. If that resonates, you will love it. If it sounds exhausting, look at Nosara or Escazú instead.
Find more coworking options in our full directory, or explore our complete guide to coworking in Costa Rica for the big picture.