Escazú is not the Costa Rica you see on Instagram. There are no beach sunsets or jungle boardwalks — instead, you get modern shopping centers, international restaurants, private hospitals, and the kind of reliable infrastructure that makes remote work feel effortless. It is where many long-term expats and business professionals settle, and for good reason. If you have spent a few months in beach towns dealing with power outages and sketchy WiFi and you are ready for a place where everything just works, Escazú might be exactly what you need. I always end up spending more time here than I plan to, because the practicality is hard to leave.
The Coworking Landscape
Become Work Center is the top coworking space in Escazú, and it competes with the best spaces in all of Costa Rica. The environment is polished and professional — this is not a beach-town café with fairy lights. Think proper meeting rooms, high-speed fiber internet, ergonomic furniture, and a community of local business owners, remote executives, and international professionals. Monthly memberships are competitive, and the space offers the kind of corporate-adjacent environment that some remote workers need but rarely find outside of capital cities. If you have client-facing calls where your background matters, Become delivers.
CLUSTER Pinares is another option in the area, offering a different flavor of coworking with more of a startup and creative community. Regus Plaza Roble Las Terrazas provides the global serviced-office experience — not exciting, but predictable and professional if you need a traditional office setup with a prestigious address.
Nearby Santa Ana has Hub Comunal Santa Ana, which caters to the growing community of remote workers and entrepreneurs in this adjacent suburb. Santa Ana has a slightly more residential, family-oriented feel compared to Escazú’s commercial polish.
Why Escazú Works for Remote Professionals
The infrastructure advantage cannot be overstated. Fiber internet is standard here — 100-300 Mbps at home, and even faster at the coworking spaces. Power outages are rare, and when they happen, they are resolved quickly. Multiplaza Escazú has everything you could need: electronics stores (helpful when your laptop charger dies), pharmacies, banks, and an excellent food court for quick lunches. CIMA Hospital, one of the best private hospitals in Central America, is right here. If you are managing a chronic health condition or just want the peace of mind of world-class medical care nearby, that matters.
The food scene is surprisingly good. A mix of international restaurants — Italian, Japanese, Peruvian, Indian — plus solid local options. You can eat extremely well here without the tourist markup you find at beach towns. The craft beer scene has grown too, with several good taprooms and brewpubs.
Cost of Living
Escazú is the most expensive neighborhood in Costa Rica for housing, but it is still affordable compared to US or European standards. A one-bedroom apartment in a modern building with pool and gym runs $800-1,200/month. A two-bedroom suitable for a couple is $1,000-1,500. These prices include the kind of amenities — security, parking, maintenance — that would cost significantly more in a US city. Coworking memberships are $100-200/month. Total cost of living for a single person living comfortably: $2,000-2,800/month.
Getting Around
Having a car is more useful here than in beach towns, though Uber works reliably throughout the Central Valley. The commute to downtown San José is 20-40 minutes depending on traffic (which can be brutal during rush hours — avoid the 7-9am and 4-7pm windows if possible). The Juan Santamaría International Airport is about 25 minutes away, making international travel convenient. Weekend trips to the Pacific coast take 1.5-3 hours depending on your destination.
The Trade-off
Let me be upfront: Escazú is suburban. If you came to Costa Rica for adventure, nature, and the beach lifestyle, this is not your place — at least not full-time. What it offers is comfort, convenience, and the ability to be extremely productive without fighting your environment. My recommendation: use Escazú as your productive base and take weekend trips to the coast. The combination of weekday efficiency and weekend adventure gives you the best of both worlds. You can be at the beach in Jacó in under two hours or in Monteverde’s cloud forest in three.
For a broader view of coworking across the Central Valley, read our San José coworking guide, or browse the full coworking directory to explore all options nationwide.