Mosquitoes in Costa Rica: Information about Diseases, Recommended Products and More

As a tropical country, mosquitoes in Costa Rica are present year round almost throughout the entire country. So if you are visiting Costa Rica soon, you need to come prepared!

Here is what you need to know about mosquitoes in Costa Rica and we included a list of our recommended mosquito repellent.

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Mosquito Borne Diseases: Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya and Zika in Costa Rica

When it comes down to diseases from mosquitoes in Costa Rica, dengue is the one to be concerned about.

I know a lot of people freak out about malaria but malaria is not a major concern in Costa Rica as it is in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dengue: Dengue is a big concern in Costa Rica. In 2023, Costa Rica had around 28,000 documented cases of dengue which has been a huge increase the last few years. In 2024, there were over 30,000 cases.

There are 4 different types of this viral disease and is treatable for acute or mild cases. It is not very common for people to die of dengue although it can happen.

Malaria: Malaria is not common in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has done a great job fighting against malaria. 2023 had 540 cases, which was the worst year for malaria since the year 2000 and even still, it is way lower than dengue.

In 2024, it decreased to 232 cases. Malaria occurs in the extremely dense, undeveloped and rural rainforest of the deep Caribbean mountains bordering Panama and the upper Northern Lowlands bordering Nicaragua.

Chikungunya virus: Also present in Costa Rica and doesn’t have a vaccine or cure. It was found for the first time in the Americas in 2013, before it was only in Africa, Asia and Europe. Chikungunya is not that common in Costa Rica.

Zika: Zika has been around since the 1950’s mostly in Asia and Africa. Costa Rica does not have a high rate of concern for Zika.

Which Areas Have the Worst Mosquitoes in Costa Rica?

Although there are mosquitoes year round, mosquitoes are generally not found in higher elevations in Costa Rica, around 1600 meters and up (5249 feet).

They are prolific on the coasts, beaches and low elevation areas.

There are mosquitoes in beach towns like Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Samara, Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero, Jaco, Osa Peninsula, Uvita, Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, aka everywhere on the coasts.

Likewise, there are mosquitoes in La Fortuna, Sarapiqui, and the lower elevation rainforests.

However, there aren’t really mosquitoes in higher elevation places such as Monteverde, Vara Blanca, San Gerardo de Dota and Poasito as that’s about 1500 meters and above.

Mosquitoes are present almost all day and all night long as well. If you’re going out to dinner, I normally bring an extra sarong to wrap around my legs/

Worst Time of Year for Mosquitoes in Costa Rica

Mosquitoes are present all year long in Costa Rica. However, since mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, rainy season (May to end of November) is the worst time of year for mosquitoes.

Unfortunately streets in Costa Rica do not have good drainage and when it rains, drains get clogged and roads flood, allowing mosquitoes to breed prolifically.

For these reasons, you will need to bring or buy plenty of mosquito repellent for your trip to Costa Rica.

The Best Protection Against Mosquitoes

The best protection against mosquitoes in Costa Rica is to wear long sleeves and pants and to cover up.

That is the only surefire protection against mosquitoes.

However, it’s not ideal to be wearing long sleeves and pants in 90° F (32° C) tropical heat and near 90% daily humidity. So then you will need to apply mosquito repellent on exposed areas.

Best Insect Repellent Against Mosquitoes in Costa Rica

Here are the best products we tried ourselves.

We recommend bringing mosquito repellent for your trip because it is more expensive in Costa Rica.

Additionally, there aren’t a ton of options, especially if you prefer natural products or can only use specific ingredients and products.

Remember, what works for me, may not work for you. Mosquitoes have their own preferred flavor and when I first came to Costa Rica, I was the tasty treat of the year.

I try to use non-DEET products as much as possible but honestly for me, DEET works the best compared to other products, when I am not able to fully cover up.

Spray

I particular love a brand called Jungle Juice that is available at REI. I also like brand, Repel 100. It’s a little bottle but you don’t need much and it’s the perfect travel size. Whenever we go to the national parks or into the jungle for hiking, we always use this one and we don’t get bit at all.

Another one we like is Ben’s Max. This one contains around 30% DEET and works great. I could see the bugs hovering over my arm but never got bit!

Natural spray

For those who don’t want to use DEET, the Repel Natural is one of my favorite DEET free products but I do need to reapply about every half an hour or so. A couple of spritz does the trick each time.

Mosquito Repellent Wipes

Mosquito wipes are great for those who don’t like to use sprays. It is also very convenient to carry as they weigh practically nothing and aren’t considered a liquid (better for those traveling with a carry on). These are 30% DEET and lasts up to 10 hours.

We used these on our legs and arms and they worked well for us. They’re not my favorite product to use but they are super light to carry.

Insect Repelling Bands

These insect bands don’t contain DEET, it contains Geraniol, a plant based material that repels mosquitoes. These bands are for your wrists and feet and you can just leave it on.

They are water friendly and supposedly works up to 120 hours.

We put the bands on our ankles to test out how well it worked without any other product. It didn’t work for me at all, I got bit the first hour I had the bands on so I personally won’t be buying these again.

Mosquito repellent clothing

If you really want the ultimate protection against mosquitoes in Costa Rica, then covering up and wearing insect shield clothing is the best option.

Then apply repellent products to the areas that are not covered.

We have some pieces from Columbia, ExOfficio Bugs Away and a Buff Headwear with Insect shield that have worked great for us.

DEET Alternative

We tried a DEET alternative spray called Avon Skin so soft. It contains Picaridin which is still a synthetic chemical compound.

It’s much more pleasant smelling than DEET. It also works decently for me!

Another excellent insect repellent that doesn’t use DEET (it has 20% Picaridin, a non toxic ingredient) is Proven Insect Repellent.

Afterbite Itch Eraser

If you do get bit, you’ll want to put something on those bites especially if they swell.

The After bite eraser also works well and we found that it took away the itchiness pretty fast. You just dab a little bit on and let it do it’s magic.

Purchasing Mosquito Repellent in Costa Rica

If you have to buy mosquito repellent in Costa Rica, you can find them in all supermarkets.

Nowadays, natural products are getting more popular but something to note is that mosquito repellent is more expensive in Costa Rica with limited options.

If you can, bring it.

Another way to get non-DEET mosquito repellent is to go to a macrobiotica or organic store in Costa Rica.

Sometimes they will have more natural products like oils or natural sprays. Additionally, there may be some vendors at the farmer’s markets that have their own natural mosquito repellent.

I will say that after a couple years of living in Costa Rica, I rarely get bit by mosquitoes anymore. I guess my flavor is not that tasty anymore when they have a whole buffet to choose from.

Other Costa Rica Travel Tips

Need some tips on what to bring for Costa Rica? Check out our Costa Rica packing list.

Need some tips about sunscreen? Here are the best sunscreens for Costa Rica plus the different ones you can find here.

Costa Rica Vacation Checklist

• First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
• Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
• Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
• Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
• Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
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