Economy, jobs and prices in Alajuela, Costa Rica: official figures
Construction permits in Alajuela covered 834,514 square metres of new building and extensions in 2024, down 0.5% on 2023 and 21.8% of the national 3,820,422 square metres (the highest of 7).
What is the value of construction in Alajuela?
The value of construction, extensions and repairs in Alajuela was 248.8 billion colones in 2024, up 1.9% on 2023, and 19.7% of the national total (3rd highest of 7).
Source: INEC Costa Rica · saved copyHow much is built per person in Alajuela?
Per resident, Alajuela had 782 square metres of construction per 1,000 people in 2024 (4th highest of 7; national 740) and 233,159 colones of construction value per person (3rd lowest of 7; national 244,087).
Source: INEC Costa Rica · saved copyHow many new homes are being built in Alajuela?
Permits were issued in Alajuela in 2024 for 5,135 dwellings, against 4,931 in 2023, in 4,757 permits; that is 4.8 dwellings per 1,000 residents (3rd highest of 7; national 4.5).
Source: INEC Costa Rica · saved copyHow developed are the districts of Alajuela?
The median of the 116 district scores of Mideplan's 2023 Social Development Index (0 to 100) in Alajuela is 67.5, 4th highest of 7 (national district median 66.5).
Source: INEC Costa Rica · saved copyHow Alajuela compares with other provinces
Construction area per 1,000 residents (2024)
Alajuela ranks 4 of 7, highest first. Square metres of permitted construction per 1,000 residents
| Rank | Region | Construction area per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guanacaste | 1,755 |
| 2 | Puntarenas | 1,021 |
| 3 | Cartago | 874 |
| 4 | Alajuela | 782 |
| 5 | Heredia | 700 |
| 6 | Limon | 433 |
| 7 | San Jose | 430 |
Construction value per resident (2024)
Alajuela ranks 5 of 7, highest first. Colones per resident
| Rank | Region | Construction value per resident |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guanacaste | 632,686 colones |
| 2 | Puntarenas | 344,733 colones |
| 3 | Cartago | 245,874 colones |
| 4 | Heredia | 233,911 colones |
| 5 | Alajuela | 233,159 colones |
| 6 | San Jose | 160,236 colones |
| 7 | Limon | 123,252 colones |
Dwellings permitted per 1,000 residents (2024)
Alajuela ranks 3 of 7, highest first. Permitted dwellings per 1,000 residents
| Rank | Region | Dwellings permitted per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guanacaste | 9.1 |
| 2 | Puntarenas | 8.1 |
| 3 | Alajuela | 4.8 |
| 4 | Limon | 4.6 |
| 5 | Cartago | 4.2 |
| 6 | Heredia | 3.6 |
| 7 | San Jose | 2.3 |
District Social Development Index (median) (2023)
Alajuela ranks 4 of 7, highest first. Median of district scores, 0 to 100; unweighted by population
| Rank | Region | District Social Development Index (median) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heredia | 84.1 |
| 2 | Cartago | 74.2 |
| 3 | San Jose | 70.8 |
| 4 | Alajuela | 67.5 |
| 5 | Guanacaste | 56.3 |
| 6 | Puntarenas | 50.6 |
| 7 | Limon | 50.0 |
More on Alajuela: overview · health · poverty and living standards · Costa Rica
Sources
- INEC Costa Rica: Anuario Estadistico 2023-2024, Economia: tables 5.15 to 5.17 (construction area, value and housing permits by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ad3ab4d7eeb9…)
- INEC Costa Rica: Anuario Estadistico 2023-2024, Social: tables 12.6 and 12.7 (homicides and suicides, Poder Judicial) and 12.28 (district Social Development Index 2023, Mideplan), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e8115b94fa09…)
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