San Pedro de Montes de Oca

San Pedro de Montes de Oca is a city in the Central Valley of Costa Rica east of the capital, San José. It is the main city in the canton of Montes de Oca, and is best known as the location of the University of Costa Rica, the largest public university in the country. The city is also known as San Pedro.

Understand

San Pedro is one of the most prosperous cities in the Central Valley and is close to other well-to-do neighborhoods such as Barrio Escalante to its west and Curridabat to its east. Its population is about 50,000, including students of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and other local universities. There is a strong consumer economy, with many restaurants and malls found in this area. The southeast side of San Pedro, closest to Curridabat, is known as Lourdes (pronounced "Lewr-des" not "Lords").

The city's elevation is higher than that of San José due to being farther east in the Central Valley. The average elevation in San Pedro is about 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level.

Climate

The climate is tropical, with rain concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere summer, and highest in June. Cloud cover is common throughout the year. The combination of high precipitation and elevation lead to temperatures being lower than expected at its altitude. Daily high temperatures are around 27 °C (81 °F) and low temperatures around 19 °C (66 °F) year-round.

Get in

The local train at the University of Costa Rica Station

By bus

Buses run regularly to San Pedro from the city center of San José. Buses going to San Pedro are typically labeled "University / San Pedro" on the front window. Buses cost a few hundred colones and make several stops going east from the city center before turning to surface streets. Bus stops are often named after the nearest building or business.

By taxi

If coming from the airport, you can take an official airport taxi to San Pedro, but due to the distance this could be more expensive than a taxi to San José. Taxi drivers will accept colones or dollars.

Uber is widely available in the San José metro area and is cheaper than taxis.

By train

The San José-Cartago train has two stops in San Pedro: one at University of Costa Rica (to the west) and one at University Latina (in Lourdes, to the east).

  • 🌍 UCR Station
  • 🌍 U Latina/Lourdes Station

Get around

The core area of San Pedro is fairly walkable. Bus routes around the city can be difficult to find online; Moovit and Google Maps are the two main options for bus information but often display conflicting information.

The application of choice for driving information and notifications of traffic, etc. is Waze. All locals have Waze and will expect you to have it. The application is used by businesses and individuals to share their location.

Street names and addresses are not used in San Pedro. Use parks and churches as landmarks to indicate where you’re going when riding on a bus or in a car (or the exact destination if that place is on Waze).

See

Fuente de la Hispanidad and the Circunvalación Highway
  • 🌍 Butterfly Garden at UCR. Garden at the center of the university's open campus grounds. There are walking trails across the garden and area tours available to pre-book. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)
  • 🌍 Fuente de la Hispandad. Fountain in the center of San Pedro that serves as an important local landmark on the Central Valley's ring road. Not accessible to visitors as it is within the inside of the roundabout of a busy highway. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)
  • 🌍 Museum of Insects, at the University of Costa Rica, ☏ +506 2511 8551, . Costa Rica has a large and diverse population of butterflies, bees, and other insects. The museum contains exhibits and is found at the music building of the university. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)
  • 🌍 Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (200 meters east of University Latina), ☏ +506 2225 2237, . Parish church for Lourdes that's a local landmark and visible from the surrounding area due to its tower. Beautiful interior. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)

Do

Learn

  • 🌍 Costa Rican Language Academy, ☏ +506 8392-3456, . Costa Rican-run language school near the San Pedro Mall, primarily for university students but also including classes for adults. Also runs culture classes including in dance and cooking. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)
  • 🌍 Máximo Nivel, Farmacia la Bomba 75 m sur (San Pedro, San José), ☏ +506 2253-9220. 7AM-8PM. Small group, online and individually tailored Spanish classes taught by certified native instructors. Spanish students can join free conversation practice with local residents who are studying in intensive English programs. Intensive TEFL/TESOL certification classes each month, to prepare for a job teaching English. OSM directions target=_blank 

Buy

There are several malls, the largest being 🌍 San Pedro Mall.

Eat

American and Asian restaurants are popular in the San Pedro area. "Typical" cuisine, the local name for Costa Rican food, is harder to come by. Italian and Mexican restaurants are also common. American and Costa Rican restaurants tend to be the cheapest, while Italian and Mexican restaurants are more expensive. Argentinian restaurants are the most expensive.

Drink

Bars

San Pedro is home to many bars and clubs. Try to avoid the University of Costa Rica area at night as the many bars in the university district tend to attract brawls and even the occasional bullet shot. The other bars and clubs in San Pedro are free of trouble.

  • 🌍 Fito's Bar (east of the UCR train station). Bar, also offering casados and American food, adjacent to the university. OSM directions target=_blank (updated Aug 2025)

Cafés

Sleep

Stay safe

San Pedro is one of the safest parts of the greater metropolitan area. Take normal precautions and don't flaunt valuables. The risk of violent crime is low.

Go next

  • The adjacent neighborhoods in San José are Barrio Escalante to the west/northwest and La Cali farther west.
  • To the east is Curridabat and, continuing east across the mountains, Cartago.
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