---
title: "Montezuma vs Sámara: A Comparison for Property Buyers in 2026"
description: "Montezuma or Sámara, Costa Rica: where to buy or invest in 2026. We compare asking prices, rental income, coastal zoning, water, flights and hospitals."
canonical_url: "https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/montezuma-vs-samara-costa-rica-property"
author: "Tierra Tropical"
published: "2026-09-24"
source: "Tierra Tropical"
---

# Montezuma vs Sámara: A Comparison for Property Buyers in 2026

> Two Nicoya Peninsula beach towns in Costa Rica compared on September 2026 asking prices, rental data, coastal zoning, water, flights and hospitals. We sell in Montezuma and have no Sámara listings.

Montezuma and Sámara are beach towns on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. Choose Montezuma if you will fly in from San José or want coastal property under a zoning plan approved in [2016](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html). Choose Sámara if you will fly into Liberia, about [2 hours](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/) away on paved roads, want to live [35 km](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/) from [La Anexión hospital](https://presidencia.gobiernocarlosalvarado.cr/comunicados/2016/06/torre-del-hospital-de-nicoya-empezo-a-funcionar/) in Nicoya, or want to live inside the studied Nicoya Blue Zone. We sell property in Montezuma and have no listings in Sámara, so most figures below come from third-party sources, each dated in the list at the end; listing counts were taken on 23 September 2026.

## Montezuma vs Sámara at a glance

Sámara has more MLS listings and a shorter trip to a hospital. Montezuma has scheduled flights nearby and a newer coastal zoning plan.

| Factor | Montezuma | Sámara |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Cóbano district, Puntarenas canton ([Cóbano council](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/conozcanos/distrito/historia-del-distrito)); an estimated [10,490 residents](https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx) (INEC 2022 estimate) | Sámara district, Nicoya canton, Guanacaste ([DTA 2024](https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/DTA-TABLA%20POR%20PROVINCIA-CANT%C3%93N-DISTRITO%202024.pdf)); an estimated [3,536 residents](https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx) (INEC 2022 estimate) |
| Asking prices, 23 Sep 2026 | Cóbano district MLS median [$474,500](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) (52 listings); our Montezuma listings median [$585,000](https://tierra-tropical.com/location/montezuma) (50) | MLS median [$377,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) (170 listings) |
| Title and Maritime Zone | [First 50 m public, next 150 m by municipal concession](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf); titled land outside the law (Ley 6043) | Same law; Nicoya grants concessions only where a current plan exists and issues precarious-use permits elsewhere ([Nicoya](https://www.nicoya.go.cr/articulo/218/zona-maritima-terrestre)) |
| Coastal zoning plan | Cabuya-Montezuma plan, approved [2016](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html); still posted by the [Cóbano council](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/gestion-municipal/servicios-tributarios/zona-maritimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores) in Sept 2026 | [1981](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html) plan, with a [1998-99 land-use change](https://www.nicoya.go.cr/articulo/218/zona-maritima-terrestre) to a single sector; no approval found, as of Sept 2026, for the adjustment set for public hearing in [May 2022](https://www.periodicomensaje.com/cantonales/8921-plan-regulador-de-samara-de-1981-seria-ajustado-y-rectificado-segun-la-realidad-economica-y-territorial-de-la-zona) |
| Water | Community ASADA, [317 connections](https://cswea.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GWS-Montezuma-Problem-Statement-ENGLISH-FINAL-20210916.pdf) (2021) | National utility AyA since [January 2026](https://repositorio.mopt.go.cr/server/api/core/bitstreams/d1c33819-039a-43a5-aa8d-7d883bb5f083/content) |
| Access and flights | Scheduled San José flights ([Sansa](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/santa-teresa), [Green Airways](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/)) to the Cóbano airstrip, [7](https://qcostarica.com/cobano-aerodrome-inaugurated-in-southern-nicoya/) to [10 minutes](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/) away by road | No scheduled flights ([Sansa](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations), [Green Airways](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/), Sept 2026); Liberia airport [2 hours](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/) by road |
| Nearest hospital | Puntarenas by ferry or [ambulance boat](https://elmundo.cr/municipales/lancha-ambulancia-don-guillermo-ii-llega-a-paquera-para-atender-emergencias-de-cobano-y-la-peninsula/), or Nicoya, [134 km](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/conozcanos/distrito/historia-del-distrito) by road from Cóbano town | Nicoya ([La Anexión](https://presidencia.gobiernocarlosalvarado.cr/comunicados/2016/06/torre-del-hospital-de-nicoya-empezo-a-funcionar/)), [35 km](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/) |
| Rentals (AirROI, Aug 2025 to Jul 2026) | AirROI "Cóbano" market, scope unclear: [$29,233 a year, $291 a night](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/puntarenas-province/c%C3%B3bano) | [$20,315 a year, $193 a night](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/provincia-de-guanacaste/s%C3%A1mara) |
| Blue Zone | Outside the [5](https://austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x00307bb7.pdf) studied cantons | Inside, per a [2023 study](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf) |
| Best for | Buyers flying from San José; coastal land under the 2016 plan | Buyers flying into Liberia; living near a hospital; condos; the Blue Zone |

## How do asking prices compare?

Sámara asks less overall because more of its listings are land. Its houses ask more by median price and about the same per square meter as those in Cóbano district. On re.cr, the MLS that covers both areas, Sámara's median asking price was [$377,000 across 170 active listings](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) on 23 September 2026. In Cóbano district, which contains Montezuma, it was [$474,500 across 52 active for-sale listings](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB).

Sámara has more land for sale: [64 of its 170 listings are land, at a median $175,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach), against [13 of 52](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) in Cóbano district. Its [81 houses ask a median $549,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach), against [$435,000 for 20 houses](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) in Cóbano district. Per square meter of living area, listings typed House ask [$2,704](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) in Sámara and [$2,870](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) in Cóbano district; adding Cóbano's 8 listings typed Villa, a type Sámara's page does not list, raises its figure to about [$3,070](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB). Sámara also lists [9 condos and apartments at a median $229,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach), where the Cóbano district search shows none of those types. The Sámara page also carries rural parcels and [2](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) listings labeled Hojancha.

For Montezuma itself, re.cr returns only [4](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_city=Montezuma) listings. 2 Costa Rica Real Estate lists [11 Montezuma properties from $185,000 to $1,495,000, a median of $665,000 by our count](https://www.2costaricarealestate.com/market-insights/montezuma-real-estate), all offered by that firm's Santa Teresa office. [Our Montezuma page](https://tierra-tropical.com/location/montezuma) shows 50 properties from $125,000 to $7,200,000, a median of $585,000 by our count. All of these are asking prices; none is a sale price.

## How does the Maritime Zone law apply in each town?

Ley 6043 applies the same way in both towns; what differs is the coastal plan, 2016 for Cabuya-Montezuma and 1981 for Sámara. Under [Ley 6043 of 1977](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf), the first [50 m](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf) from high tide is public and the next [150 m](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf) is held through municipal concessions of [5 to 20 years](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf), while titled private land and coastal city areas fall outside the law. In tourist zones, [article 38](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf) bars concessions until the ICT, the national tourism board, and the national housing and planning institute (INVU) have approved a development plan. Our [beachfront buyer's guide](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/beachfront-property-nicoya-costa-rica-buyers-guide) and our [guide to buying as a foreigner](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/how-to-buy-property-costa-rica-foreigner-guide) cover what this means for a purchase.

The Cabuya-Montezuma coastal plan was approved by the ICT board on [18 April 2016](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html), and the Cóbano council adopted it in [June 2016](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/departamentos/zona-maritimo/PlanesReguladores/REGLAMENTO%20CABUYA-MONTEZUMA.pdf) for granting concessions in that sector; the council still posts it among its [coastal plans](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/gestion-municipal/servicios-tributarios/zona-maritimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores). In September 2024 the Procuraduría, the state's attorney general, told the Cóbano council it may not grant or renew concessions on forest or wetland classed as State Natural Heritage ([Semanario Universidad](https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/procuraduria-gobierno-municipal-de-cobano-no-puede-dar-ni-prorrogar-concesiones-en-zonas-con-bosques-y-humedales/)). In March 2025 the district intendant's annual report to the council said all concession holders and applicants had been told that occupying the public zone is illegal ([acta 16-2025](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/conozcanos/concejo/Actas/actas2025/extraordinarias/EXT_N016-2025.pdf)).

Sámara's plan dates from [1981](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html). A land-use change to a single sector, approved by the ICT board in December 1998 and published in La Gaceta in October 1999, is posted by [Nicoya](https://www.nicoya.go.cr/articulo/218/zona-maritima-terrestre) with the plan's sheets and regulations. The ICT still treated it as the plan in force in December 2024, when its board upheld the archiving of a Sámara concession renewal because the municipality had not fixed, within a [20-day](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/documentos-institucionales/publicaci%C3%B3n-de-actas-y-minutas/junta-directiva/2024-5/3260-acta-oficial-digital-n%C2%B0-6313-sesi%C3%B3n-ordinaria-presencial-del-16-de-diciembre-de-2024-firmada/file.html) deadline, problems the ICT raised, including the lot's lack of access on a road in the plan in force. In May 2022 the municipality called a public hearing on adjusting the plan, citing a [1998](https://www.periodicomensaje.com/cantonales/8921-plan-regulador-de-samara-de-1981-seria-ajustado-y-rectificado-segun-la-realidad-economica-y-territorial-de-la-zona) re-marking that moved the public-zone line and left inconsistencies in concession files; we found no record that the adjustment was approved. In February 2026 Nicoya's acting coastal-zone coordinator said most of the canton's coast has no current plan; [Periódico Mensaje](https://www.periodicomensaje.com/cantonales/14507-canton-de-nicoya-municipalidad-busca-ordenar-crecimiento-en-zona-maritima) puts that coast at just over 65 km, estuaries included. Before an offer, ask whether the land is titled or a concession, and under which plan.

## Which town has the more reliable water supply?

Sámara's supply has documented outages and billing gaps in 2026. For Montezuma our searches found no published outage reports, which is no proof of reliability; the records we found concern wastewater and ASADA funding. The national water utility AyA took over Sámara's community-run aqueduct on [16 January 2026](https://repositorio.mopt.go.cr/server/api/core/bitstreams/d1c33819-039a-43a5-aa8d-7d883bb5f083/content) after violence at the association's November 2025 assembly. Montezuma still draws from its community water association (ASADA), which had [317 connections](https://cswea.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GWS-Montezuma-Problem-Statement-ENGLISH-FINAL-20210916.pdf) in 2021.

The Sámara system serves about [3,553 people through 1,137 connections](https://repositorio.mopt.go.cr/server/api/core/bitstreams/d1c33819-039a-43a5-aa8d-7d883bb5f083/content). In August 2026 residents told [La Nación](https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/vecinos-de-samara-afirman-que-llevan-ocho-meses/NOZKR7OAKNG6ZNNER4CMQ3UIZU/story/) that more than 1,130 subscribers had gone almost 8 months without a bill, and the paper reported unannounced outages, some over 24 hours; the AyA did not answer its questions. In October 2022 the AyA turned down a Cangrejal de Sámara housing project's request for [1,500 connections](https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/setena-dio-luz-verde-a-proyectos-inmobiliarios-con-cuestionamientos-en-peninsula-de-nicoya/), saying the local aqueduct could not technically issue availability letters for new services. We could not find whether the AyA has issued new availability letters in Sámara since the takeover.

In Montezuma, [the 2021 wastewater brief](https://cswea.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GWS-Montezuma-Problem-Statement-ENGLISH-FINAL-20210916.pdf) found almost every home on a septic tank. In March 2025 the district intendant's annual report to the council listed more than [₡11 million](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/conozcanos/concejo/Actas/actas2025/extraordinarias/EXT_N016-2025.pdf) budgeted for ASADA materials and support for projects the Montezuma and Delicias ASADAs had submitted to Inder, the rural development agency. In a July 2022 land-use approval for a San Isidro condominium, the Cóbano council required any construction to have water from the AyA or an ASADA, or a well registered with MINAE ([acta 117-2022](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/conozcanos/concejo/Actas/actas2022/ordinarias/ACTA_117-2022.pdf)). The engineers' and architects' college ([CFIA](https://revista.cfia.or.cr/falta-de-capacidad-hidrica-y-problemas-de-gestion-retrasan-la-construccion-de-viviendas-y-proyectos-de-grandes-dimensiones/)) reported in May 2026 that missing water-availability letters are delaying projects nationwide by months.

## How do you get to each town?

Montezuma has scheduled San José flights to an airstrip 7 to 10 minutes away; Sámara is about 2 hours from Liberia's international airport by paved road. Sansa says it may run [up to 6 daily](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/santa-teresa) San José to Cóbano flights by season, and Costa Rica Green Airways lists [8 San José to Cóbano departures](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/), 2 of them marked with an asterisk the page does not explain. At the airstrip's 2023 inauguration its promoters said it would cut the trip to Montezuma to [7 minutes](https://qcostarica.com/cobano-aerodrome-inaugurated-in-southern-nicoya/); My Tan Feet puts the drive at [10 minutes](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/).

By road, San José to Montezuma takes [5 to 6 hours](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/) around the peninsula, or [5 to 6 hours](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/montezuma/) with the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, which sails [8 times a day in each direction](https://navieratambor.com/horarios-y-tarifas/) (timetable from 20 April 2026) and crosses in about [70](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/puntarenas-paquera-ferry/) to [80 minutes](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/montezuma/). From Liberia, the drive takes [4 to 5 hours](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/).

Sámara has no scheduled service of its own: the destination lists of [Sansa](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations) and [Green Airways](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/), checked on 23 September 2026, include neither Sámara nor Carrillo. Liberia's international airport is about [2 hours](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/) away on paved roads. The nearest airstrip on those lists is Nosara, a town [30 minutes](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/samara/) north of Sámara and a [45-minute](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/nosara) flight from San José. The drive from San José takes [4.5](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/) to [5 hours](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/samara/).

## How far is the nearest hospital?

Sámara is closer to a hospital. Highway 150 covers the [35 km](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/) to Nicoya, home of [La Anexión hospital](https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/lancha-ambulancia-permitira-trasladar-pacientes-de-paquera-hasta-puntarenas/), and the bus takes [45 minutes to an hour](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/). Montezuma's side of the peninsula relies on the Monseñor Sanabria hospital in Puntarenas, across the gulf, and on La Anexión in Nicoya ([CRHoy, 2022](https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/lancha-ambulancia-permitira-trasladar-pacientes-de-paquera-hasta-puntarenas/)), [134 km](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/conozcanos/distrito/historia-del-distrito) by road from Cóbano town.

In 2022 the CCSS, the public health service, said Puntarenas' hospital was 30 minutes from the Paquera health area by sea but [3 hours 30 minutes on average by land](https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/lancha-ambulancia-permitira-trasladar-pacientes-de-paquera-hasta-puntarenas/). The area's director said stable patients crossed on the ferry to the Monseñor Sanabria, while critical patients were sent overland to La Anexión in Nicoya, a [2-hour](https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/lancha-ambulancia-permitira-trasladar-pacientes-de-paquera-hasta-puntarenas/) trip. Those times start in Paquera and predate the 2025 move of the Puntarenas hospital.

La Anexión's new tower, opened in June 2016, was to raise it from 105 to [136 beds](https://presidencia.gobiernocarlosalvarado.cr/comunicados/2016/06/torre-del-hospital-de-nicoya-empezo-a-funcionar/), and the new Monseñor Sanabria building opened in Barranca in [January 2025](https://delfino.cr/2025/01/puntarenas-inaugura-nuevo-gospital-con-capacidad-para-atender-a-400-mil-personas). An ambulance boat is back in service for Cóbano and Paquera ([El Mundo, 17 Sep 2026](https://elmundo.cr/municipales/lancha-ambulancia-don-guillermo-ii-llega-a-paquera-para-atender-emergencias-de-cobano-y-la-peninsula/)), and, as of March 2025, the Cóbano health area was open [24 hours](https://www.lateja.cr/nacional/conozca-cuales-son-las-clinicas-y-ebais-que/OS4F5LA3CNAQFPC22TQFRRXOHU/story/).

## What do short-term rentals earn?

Listings in AirROI's "Cóbano" market earned more per year and per night than Sámara's, while Sámara's occupancy was higher, and what the Cóbano market covers is unclear. For August 2025 to July 2026, AirROI gives the average Cóbano listing [$29,233 a year at $291 a night and 35.9% occupancy](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/puntarenas-province/c%C3%B3bano). In Sámara it is [$20,315 at $193 a night and 39.2% occupancy](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/provincia-de-guanacaste/s%C3%A1mara). We found no source with a Montezuma-only figure.

AirROI does not define its Cóbano market, and its Cóbano page lists Santa Teresa, Mal País and Montezuma, and also Sámara and Nosara, among its neighborhoods, so treat the Cóbano vs Sámara gap as indicative only. AirDNA, whose revenue figure includes cleaning and other guest fees and which counts Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com listings, reports for the 12 months to August 2026 [$35.5K at 55% occupancy](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/cobano/overview) for Cóbano and [$25.9K at 57%](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/samara/overview) for Sámara; compare each source only with itself. The 2 sources disagree on the yearly trend: AirROI puts revenue growth at [1.1%](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/puntarenas-province/c%C3%B3bano) in Cóbano and [minus 6.4%](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/provincia-de-guanacaste/s%C3%A1mara) in Sámara, while AirDNA shows average revenue up [59.0%](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/cobano/overview) and [81.2%](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/samara/overview). Our [rental ROI guide](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/nicoya-peninsula-vacation-rental-roi-2026) works through the net yield on a $400,000 house.

In October 2025 the Cóbano council's licensing department told Santa Teresa Hoy that [114](https://santateresahoy.com/2025/10/10/el-92-de-airbnbs-del-distrito-no-cuenta-con-patentes/) vacation rentals held a business license, against [1,335](https://santateresahoy.com/2025/10/10/el-92-de-airbnbs-del-distrito-no-cuenta-con-patentes/) Airbnb and Vrbo listings counted by the local tourism chamber. Nicoya's new license law, approved in April 2026, raises the rate from [₡1.5 to ₡3.5 per ₡1,000](https://vozdeguanacaste.com/cambios-en-las-patentes-de-nicoya-lo-que-debes-saber-antes-de-que-te-lleguen-nuevos-cobros/) of gross income and applies to landlords [from 2 properties](https://vozdeguanacaste.com/cambios-en-las-patentes-de-nicoya-lo-que-debes-saber-antes-de-que-te-lleguen-nuevos-cobros/); it still awaited publication in May 2026, and we could not confirm whether it has since been published. Airbnb's November 2024 tax guide says hosts must charge guests [13% VAT](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/Airbnb_TaxGuide2025_CostaRica_SPANISH.pdf), which Airbnb does not add automatically.

## Is either town in the Nicoya Blue Zone?

Sámara is, and Montezuma is not. The longevity studies define the Nicoya Blue Zone as [5 cantons](https://austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x00307bb7.pdf), Nicoya, Santa Cruz, Carrillo, Nandayure and Hojancha, all in Guanacaste ([DTA 2024](https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/DTA-TABLA%20POR%20PROVINCIA-CANT%C3%93N-DISTRITO%202024.pdf)). Sámara is in Nicoya canton. Montezuma is in Puntarenas canton, outside both the 5-canton zone and the smaller hotspot the 2023 study found.

In the 2010s, according to that [2023 study](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf), the original zone's relative elderly mortality was [0.94](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf), while a smaller hotspot of [25,000 people](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf) (2022 population), covering Hojancha and communities south of the city of Nicoya including Sámara, stood at [0.74](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf). The author concludes that such hotspots are probably transient. Our [Blue Zone article](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/nicoya-peninsula-blue-zone-real-estate) covers the research.

## Montezuma or Sámara: which is better to buy or invest in?

The data does not name a better investment: the rental figures cover markets with unclear boundaries, and the 2 data providers disagree on the trend. Sámara is the better fit if you will fly into Liberia, want to live [35 km](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/) from [La Anexión hospital](https://presidencia.gobiernocarlosalvarado.cr/comunicados/2016/06/torre-del-hospital-de-nicoya-empezo-a-funcionar/), want to live inside the studied Blue Zone, want a condo, or are shopping near its [$175,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) median land price. Montezuma is the better fit if you will fly to Cóbano from San José or want coastal land under the [2016 plan](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html). In both towns, confirm the water letter and the title or concession status before you sign.

For Montezuma, see [our listings](https://tierra-tropical.com/location/montezuma), our [Montezuma real estate guide](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/montezuma-costa-rica-real-estate-guide), our [guide to living in Montezuma](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/living-montezuma-costa-rica-expat-guide) and our [Montezuma vs Santa Teresa comparison](https://tierra-tropical.com/magazine/montezuma-vs-santa-teresa-property-buyers-2026).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Montezuma or Sámara the better investment in 2026?

The data does not name a winner. AirROI's "Cóbano" market, which AirROI does not define, averaged [$29,233 a year](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/puntarenas-province/c%C3%B3bano) per listing against [$20,315](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/provincia-de-guanacaste/s%C3%A1mara) in Sámara (August 2025 to July 2026). On 23 September 2026, re.cr median asking prices were [$474,500](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) in Cóbano district and [$377,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) in Sámara. Title or concession status and a water letter matter more than the town.

### Is Sámara cheaper than Montezuma?

Overall, yes, because more of Sámara's listings are land: on 23 September 2026 re.cr medians were [$377,000](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) for Sámara and [$474,500](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) for Cóbano district, which contains Montezuma. For houses, Sámara's median asks more ($549,000 against $435,000). Per square meter of living area, listings typed House ask $2,704 in Sámara and $2,870 in Cóbano district.

### Can foreigners hold beachfront land in Sámara or Montezuma?

Yes on titled land, which [Ley 6043](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf) does not cover; the [Constitution](https://www.tse.go.cr/pdf/normativa/constitucion.pdf) gives foreigners the same rights as Costa Ricans, within legal limits. Within 200 m of high tide, the first 50 m is public and the other 150 m is concession land. [Article 47](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf) bars concessions to foreigners with under 5 years of residency and to companies with bearer shares, domiciled abroad, formed by foreigners or over 50% foreign-owned.

### Which airport is closer to Sámara, and which to Montezuma?

Sámara is about [2 hours](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/) from Liberia's international airport on paved roads. Montezuma is about [7](https://qcostarica.com/cobano-aerodrome-inaugurated-in-southern-nicoya/) to [10 minutes](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/) by road from the Cóbano airstrip, which [Sansa](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/santa-teresa) and [Costa Rica Green Airways](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/) serve from San José. By road, Montezuma is [4 to 5 hours](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/) from Liberia, so Sámara suits buyers who fly into Liberia.

### Does Sámara have water problems?

Yes. The AyA took over Sámara's aqueduct from its community association in [January 2026](https://repositorio.mopt.go.cr/server/api/core/bitstreams/d1c33819-039a-43a5-aa8d-7d883bb5f083/content), and in August 2026 [La Nación](https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/vecinos-de-samara-afirman-que-llevan-ocho-meses/NOZKR7OAKNG6ZNNER4CMQ3UIZU/story/) reported unannounced outages, while residents said they had gone months without bills. In October 2022 the AyA turned down a Cangrejal project's request for [1,500 connections](https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/setena-dio-luz-verde-a-proyectos-inmobiliarios-con-cuestionamientos-en-peninsula-de-nicoya/), saying the local aqueduct could not take new services. Ask the seller for the AyA availability letter before you make an offer.

### Does Tierra Tropical sell property in Sámara?

No. We sell homes, land and hospitality businesses in the Cóbano district towns of Montezuma, Santa Teresa, Mal País, Cabuya, Delicias and Tambor, and we have no Sámara listings. For Sámara, the re.cr MLS showed [170 active listings](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach) on 23 September 2026, and a local agency will know it better than we do.

## Where these numbers come from

- Asking prices: re.cr [Sámara](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/samara-beach), [Cóbano district](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_district:list=CR-P-PU-CB) and [Montezuma](https://www.re.cr/en/real-estate/property-search-costa-rica?form.property-search-costa-rica.buttons.search=Search&form.property-search-costa-rica.widgets.location_city=Montezuma), 23 Sep 2026. Counts and medians cover active for-sale listings only: the Cóbano district search shows 60; we excluded 4 marked Sold and 4 monthly leases, leaving 52. Per-square-meter figures use listings typed House (Cóbano's 8 villas excluded unless stated). [2 Costa Rica Real Estate](https://www.2costaricarealestate.com/market-insights/montezuma-real-estate), listings viewed 23 Sep 2026. Medians are our arithmetic on listed asking prices.
- Our listings: [tierra-tropical.com/location/montezuma](https://tierra-tropical.com/location/montezuma), 23 Sep 2026; median is our count of the 50 listed prices.
- Location and population: [DTA 2024](https://files.snitcr.go.cr/boletines/DTA-TABLA%20POR%20PROVINCIA-CANT%C3%93N-DISTRITO%202024.pdf), June 2024; [Cóbano council](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/conozcanos/distrito/historia-del-distrito), accessed 23 Sep 2026; [INEC 2022 estimate](https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-11/reResultadosEstimacionPoblacionVivienda2022_3.xlsx), Nov 2023, based on [partial coverage](https://admin.inec.cr/sites/default/files/2023-07/rePoblacResultadosGenerales_Estimacion_poblacion_vivienda_2022.pdf).
- Maritime Zone and zoning: [Ley 6043](https://www.snitcr.go.cr/pdfs/leyes/Ley-6043.pdf), 2 Mar 1977 (original text as posted by SNIT); [Constitution](https://www.tse.go.cr/pdf/normativa/constitucion.pdf), art. 19 (TSE text, accessed 23 Sep 2026); [ICT plan status report](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/root-documentos-no-apagar/zona-mar%C3%ADtimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores-costeros/234-listado-de-publicaciones-a-octubre-2018/file.html), 9 Oct 2018; Cóbano council [coastal plans page](https://www.municobano.go.cr/index.php/es/gestion-municipal/servicios-tributarios/zona-maritimo-terrestre/planes-reguladores), accessed 23 Sep 2026, and [Cabuya-Montezuma adoption](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/departamentos/zona-maritimo/PlanesReguladores/REGLAMENTO%20CABUYA-MONTEZUMA.pdf), 9 Jun 2016; [Nicoya municipality](https://www.nicoya.go.cr/articulo/218/zona-maritima-terrestre), accessed 23 Sep 2026, including the Sámara modification sheet (ICT session 4881, 8 Dec 1998; La Gaceta 210, 29 Oct 1999); Periódico Mensaje, [23 May 2022](https://www.periodicomensaje.com/cantonales/8921-plan-regulador-de-samara-de-1981-seria-ajustado-y-rectificado-segun-la-realidad-economica-y-territorial-de-la-zona) and [27 Feb 2026](https://www.periodicomensaje.com/cantonales/14507-canton-de-nicoya-municipalidad-busca-ordenar-crecimiento-en-zona-maritima); [ICT acta 6313](https://www.ict.go.cr/es/documentos-institucionales/publicaci%C3%B3n-de-actas-y-minutas/junta-directiva/2024-5/3260-acta-oficial-digital-n%C2%B0-6313-sesi%C3%B3n-ordinaria-presencial-del-16-de-diciembre-de-2024-firmada/file.html), 16 Dec 2024; [Semanario Universidad](https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/procuraduria-gobierno-municipal-de-cobano-no-puede-dar-ni-prorrogar-concesiones-en-zonas-con-bosques-y-humedales/), 2 Dec 2024; [Cóbano acta 16-2025](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/conozcanos/concejo/Actas/actas2025/extraordinarias/EXT_N016-2025.pdf), 10 Mar 2025.
- Water: [AyA agreement 2026-0018](https://repositorio.mopt.go.cr/server/api/core/bitstreams/d1c33819-039a-43a5-aa8d-7d883bb5f083/content), 18 Feb 2026; [La Nación](https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/vecinos-de-samara-afirman-que-llevan-ocho-meses/NOZKR7OAKNG6ZNNER4CMQ3UIZU/story/), 18 Aug 2026; [Semanario Universidad](https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/setena-dio-luz-verde-a-proyectos-inmobiliarios-con-cuestionamientos-en-peninsula-de-nicoya/), 23 Oct 2024; [CSWEA brief](https://cswea.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GWS-Montezuma-Problem-Statement-ENGLISH-FINAL-20210916.pdf), 16 Sep 2021; [Cóbano acta 117-2022](https://www.municobano.go.cr/images/conozcanos/concejo/Actas/actas2022/ordinarias/ACTA_117-2022.pdf), 26 Jul 2022; [Revista CFIA](https://revista.cfia.or.cr/falta-de-capacidad-hidrica-y-problemas-de-gestion-retrasan-la-construccion-de-viviendas-y-proyectos-de-grandes-dimensiones/), 18 May 2026.
- Access: [Sansa destinations](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations), [Sansa Cóbano](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/santa-teresa), [Sansa Nosara](https://www.flysansa.com/destinations/nosara) and [Green Airways](https://costaricagreenair.com/en/destinations/), accessed 23 Sep 2026; [Q Costa Rica](https://qcostarica.com/cobano-aerodrome-inaugurated-in-southern-nicoya/), 8 Aug 2023; Two Weeks in Costa Rica, [Sámara](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/samara/), 6 Oct 2025, and [ferry](https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/puntarenas-paquera-ferry/), 4 May 2026; Costa Rica Vibes, [Sámara](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/samara/), 29 Jun 2026, and [Montezuma](https://www.costaricavibes.com/destinations/nicoya/montezuma/), 11 May 2026; [My Tan Feet](https://mytanfeet.com/cities-costa-rica/montezuma-costa-rica/), 29 May 2026; [Naviera Tambor](https://navieratambor.com/horarios-y-tarifas/), timetable from 20 Apr 2026; [Rough Guides](https://www.roughguides.com/costa-rica/samara/), 31 May 2024, for road distance and bus times only.
- Health: [Presidencia](https://presidencia.gobiernocarlosalvarado.cr/comunicados/2016/06/torre-del-hospital-de-nicoya-empezo-a-funcionar/), 9 Jun 2016; [Delfino](https://delfino.cr/2025/01/puntarenas-inaugura-nuevo-gospital-con-capacidad-para-atender-a-400-mil-personas), 31 Jan 2025; [CRHoy](https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/lancha-ambulancia-permitira-trasladar-pacientes-de-paquera-hasta-puntarenas/), 25 Aug 2022; [El Mundo](https://elmundo.cr/municipales/lancha-ambulancia-don-guillermo-ii-llega-a-paquera-para-atender-emergencias-de-cobano-y-la-peninsula/), 17 Sep 2026; [La Teja](https://www.lateja.cr/nacional/conozca-cuales-son-las-clinicas-y-ebais-que/OS4F5LA3CNAQFPC22TQFRRXOHU/story/), 14 Mar 2025.
- Rentals: AirROI [Cóbano](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/puntarenas-province/c%C3%B3bano) and [Sámara](https://www.airroi.com/airbnb-data/costa-rica/provincia-de-guanacaste/s%C3%A1mara), Aug 2025 to Jul 2026 (pages updated 12 Sep 2026); AirDNA [Cobano](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/cobano/overview) and [Samara](https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/cr/default/samara/overview), 12 months to Aug 2026 (updated 22 Sep 2026); [Santa Teresa Hoy](https://santateresahoy.com/2025/10/10/el-92-de-airbnbs-del-distrito-no-cuenta-con-patentes/), 10 Oct 2025; [Voz de Guanacaste](https://vozdeguanacaste.com/cambios-en-las-patentes-de-nicoya-lo-que-debes-saber-antes-de-que-te-lleguen-nuevos-cobros/), 2 May 2026; [Airbnb tax guide](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/Airbnb_TaxGuide2025_CostaRica_SPANISH.pdf), Nov 2024.
- Blue Zone: [Rosero-Bixby, Dow and Rehkopf](https://austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x00307bb7.pdf), 2013; [Rosero-Bixby](https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol49/27/49-27.pdf), 18 Oct 2023.

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