Top 5 Cantons of San Jose Province

Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces, 84 cantons (counties, each with its own municipality) and about 490 districts. Every canton has an official number within its province. This article covers San José province's first 5 cantons by that number, numbers 1 to 5, rather than a ranking. Areas and district lists come from the official 2025 territorial division published by Costa Rica's government.

San José province, in the center of the country, has 20 cantons. Its capital, the city of San José, is also the national capital.

1. San José

The canton of San José holds the national capital. San José has been the capital since 1823, and the canton is named in the 1848 decree that first set out the country's cantons. It covers downtown and the older neighborhoods around it, such as Barrio Amón and Barrio Otoya in Carmen district, as well as Pavas and La Uruca, home of Hospital México.

Area: about 44.6 km². Districts (11): Carmen, Merced, Hospital, Catedral, Zapote, San Francisco de Dos Ríos, Uruca, Mata Redonda, Pavas, Hatillo and San Sebastián.

2. Escazú

Escazú is the hilly western suburb of San José, with a mix of old village streets, upscale neighborhoods such as Guachipelín in San Rafael district, and mountain views. It's named as a canton in the 1848 decree and became a city in 1920. Several of the studios we've written about over the years were here or next door in Santa Ana.

Area: about 34.5 km². Districts (3): Escazú, San Antonio and San Rafael.

3. Desamparados

Desamparados, just south of the capital, became the 3rd canton of San José province in 1862. It's mostly residential, rising from the city's southern edge into the hills toward Aserrí and the Los Santos region.

Area: about 119 km². Districts (13): Desamparados, San Miguel, San Juan de Dios, San Rafael Arriba, San Antonio, Frailes, Patarrá, San Cristóbal, Rosario, Damas, San Rafael Abajo, Gravilias and Los Guido.

4. Puriscal

Puriscal was created in 1868 out of Escazú. Its main town, Santiago, sits at about 1,100 m in green, rolling hills southwest of the capital, and the canton stays rural, with small farming communities. The winding road beyond it leads down toward Orotina and the Pacific.

Area: about 555 km². Districts (9): Santiago, Mercedes Sur, Barbacoas, Grifo Alto, San Rafael, Candelarita, Desamparaditos, San Antonio and Chires.

5. Tarrazú

Tarrazú was created in 1868. Its main town is San Marcos, at about 1,430 m, and the canton is part of the Los Santos coffee region south of San José, known for high-grown coffee sold under the Tarrazú name.

Area: about 291 km². Districts (3): San Marcos, San Lorenzo and San Carlos.

Yoga in the province

San José has the country's busiest city yoga scene. Yoga Mandir in San Pedro de Montes de Oca runs classes and a Spanish-language teacher training, and Krama Yoga, now in Pozos de Santa Ana, has a full weekly timetable. For retreats, most people leave the Central Valley for the coast; our guide to where to do yoga in Costa Rica compares the regions.

Frequently asked questions

What is a canton in Costa Rica?

A canton is the level of local government below the province, roughly like a county, with its own elected municipality. Each canton is split into districts.

How many cantons does San José province have?

20, according to the official 2025 territorial division. San José canton itself has 11 districts.

Where can I do yoga in San José?

Yoga Mandir in San Pedro and Krama Yoga in Santa Ana were both open when we checked in November 2026.

[Updated on: 4 November 2026]