Is Costa Rica or United Kingdom better to visit?

It depends on your dates. Costa Rica peaks in January, February, March, April, December; United Kingdom peaks in May, June, July, August. Match the country to when you can travel.

Which is cheaper, Costa Rica or United Kingdom?

Both vary by season. Outside the peak windows above, flights and stays drop significantly in either country.

Can you combine Costa Rica and United Kingdom in one trip?

Yes — when their peak seasons overlap, pairing them in a 10–14 day trip works well.

All destinations

Side-by-side comparison

Costa Rica vs United Kingdom: Best Time to Visit

Trying to choose between Costa Rica and United Kingdom? The right answer almost always comes down to when you can travel. Here's the month-by-month breakdown.

🇨🇷

Costa Rica

North America

Dry season is high season.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak: January, February, March, April, December

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

Europe

Bring layers — and an umbrella.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak: May, June, July, August

best

good

shoulder

off-season

Month-by-month: which is better?

Month	Costa Rica	United Kingdom	Winner
January	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
February	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
March	best	shoulder	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
April	best	good	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
May	good	best	United Kingdom 🇬🇧
June	shoulder	best	United Kingdom 🇬🇧
July	shoulder	best	United Kingdom 🇬🇧
August	shoulder	best	United Kingdom 🇬🇧
September	shoulder	good	United Kingdom 🇬🇧
October	good	shoulder	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
November	good	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷
December	best	off-season	Costa Rica 🇨🇷

Pick Costa Rica 🇨🇷 if you're going in…

January, February, March, April, October, November, December

Green season has half the prices and a quarter the crowds — most days have only afternoon rain.

Pick United Kingdom 🇬🇧 if you're going in…

May, June, July, August, September

May has long days and the fewest Scottish midges.