Most Costa Rican news is published in Spanish, but a handful of outlets cover the country in English for residents, retirees, remote workers and visitors. This guide lists the main ones in our directory of Costa Rican media, with what each says about itself on its official site, and how to choose.
The Tico Times
The Tico Times has published since 1956 and calls itself “Costa Rica's leading English language newspaper”. It covers local and Latin American news, and has sections for expat life, travel, weather, wildlife and sports. If you only follow one English source, this is the usual starting point.
Q Costa Rica
Q Costa Rica has been “bringing you Costa Rica news, stories, and opinions since 2012”. Besides national and Central American news, it runs a set of opinion blogs and columns, including writers on living in Costa Rica, which makes it useful for residents who want commentary as well as headlines.
AM Costa Rica
AM Costa Rica describes itself as “your daily English-language news source since 2001”. Alongside news it covers travel, real estate, health, culture and business, and carries classifieds, a practical mix for people settling in the country.
The Costa Rica News
The Costa Rica News has been online since 2009 and bills itself as “alternative news for Costa Rica”. It focuses on travel, hospitality and events, along with general news, and suits visitors planning a trip.
TicosLand
TicosLand publishes breaking Costa Rica news in English, organized by province, from San José to Limón. Its sister site, TicosLandia, publishes in Spanish.
La Voz de Guanacaste (bilingual)
La Voz de Guanacaste is a nonprofit, bilingual regional outlet with an English edition. It is the best English source for Guanacaste, including Nosara and Nicoya, and is known for investigative and data journalism on local government. See our guide to Guanacaste media (in Spanish).
Which one should I read?
| If you want… | Read |
|---|---|
| A general daily overview | The Tico Times |
| Opinion and life-in-Costa-Rica columns | Q Costa Rica |
| Practical news plus classifieds and real estate | AM Costa Rica |
| Travel and events | The Costa Rica News, The Tico Times |
| Quick breaking news by province | TicosLand |
| Guanacaste and the northern Pacific coast | La Voz de Guanacaste |
Tips
- Check the date. Some English sites mix news with evergreen travel content, so look at when a story was published.
- Use the Spanish outlets too. For breaking news and local detail, national outlets such as La Nación, CRHoy and Teletica · Canal 7 publish many more local stories. Your browser's translate feature works well on them.
- Follow your region. Our regional guides list local outlets for Guanacaste, Puntarenas and the Central Pacific (Jacó, Quepos), the Southern Zone and Limón and the Caribbean. They are in Spanish.
For businesses
If your customers are English-speaking residents or tourists, these outlets reach them directly. Some publish their ad rates: see how much advertising costs in Costa Rica (in Spanish), which includes Q Costa Rica's and TicosLand's published prices.
Run an English-language outlet in Costa Rica that is missing here? Write to hola@costaricamedios.cr with your official site; we add it after checking it is active.
Sources
Official sites checked on October 19, 2026: