Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to San José?

Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with San José-specific defaults.

Moving into San José from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in USD, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

San José relocation guide

TL;DR

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Re-baseline economics

Headline San José rent is 240 USD/sqft/yr ($240 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.

Translate the contract

Costa Rican gross structure (rent inclusive of management fees). USD-denominated for Class A typically. 5-year terms standard. Rent-free of 4-8 months on 5-year terms plus USD 100-300/sqm TI typical. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.

Build the local stack

Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with San José project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.

Key facts

city	San José
country	Costa Rica
region	Americas
classARentLocal	240 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$240/sqft/yr
vacancy	12.4%
typicalLeaseYears	5
typicalRentFreeMonths	6
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	7.4%

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to San José?: Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with San José-specific defaults.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Class A Atlas Editorial Desk — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction