How much does it cost to build a pool in Costa Rica?
A custom concrete pool built by Decentra Homes in Costa Rica costs about $2,500 per square meter of pool, all-in, so a 4 x 8 m pool (32 m2) comes to about $80,000, with LED lighting and custom features added depending on the design.
A custom concrete pool built by Decentra Homes in Costa Rica costs about $2,500 per square meter of pool, all-in. That figure covers the excavation and grade work, the shell, the finish and the filtration system. LED lighting and other custom features add to it depending on the design. So a 4 x 8 m pool, which is 32 m2, comes to about $80,000 all-in.
A pool is usually part of a wider home project, designed with the house, the terrace and the views. Decentra's minimum project budget is $350,000 USD, so we build pools as part of new homes, major renovations and larger projects rather than as stand-alone jobs. This guide shows what that pool figure means in practice, what changes the price and what it costs to run a pool once it is built.
Pool cost in Costa Rica by size
The examples below use only our all-in figure of about $2,500 per m2 of pool, where the area is the pool's length times its width. They are planning numbers, not quotes. Your price comes from real drawings of your pool on your site.
| Pool | Size | Area | Approximate cost, all-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small plunge pool | 2.5 x 4 m | 10 m2 | About $25,000 |
| Plunge pool for a terrace | 3 x 6 m | 18 m2 | About $45,000 |
| Family pool | 4 x 8 m | 32 m2 | About $80,000 |
| Lap pool | 2.5 x 15 m | 37.5 m2 | About $93,750 |
| Large family pool | 5 x 10 m | 50 m2 | About $125,000 |
| Feature pool | 6 x 12 m | 72 m2 | About $180,000 |
To estimate your own pool, multiply length by width in meters, then multiply by $2,500. Add the custom features you want, which are priced from the design.
What the $2,500 per m2 includes
- Excavation and grade work. Digging, hauling and shaping the ground, including the grade work around the pool.
- The shell. The reinforced concrete structure, engineered from the soil study and the topographic survey.
- The finish. The interior surface of the pool.
- The filtration system. The pump, filter and the circulation that keeps the water clean.
What adds to the price
- LED lighting, in the pool and around it.
- Custom features, such as an infinity edge and its catch basin, a spa, sun shelves, beach entries, built-in seating, water features or automation.
- Heating, such as a solar heater, if you want warmer water on cool nights.
- Decks, coping and landscaping around the pool, which belong to the wider outdoor design.
Two other items sit outside the pool figure, as they do for the whole house: design and plans, about 5.5% to 6% of construction value under the CFIA fee schedule, and a contingency of 10 to 15%.
A pool as part of a home budget
Because the pool is usually built with the house, it helps to see it in the total. Take a 300 m2 home at an upper mid-range finish, which runs $1,000 to $1,200 per m2 before land. That is $300,000 to $360,000 for the house. Add the 4 x 8 m pool at about $80,000 and the construction total is about $380,000 to $440,000, before land, design fees and contingency.
Our cost to build guide sets out the per-square-meter figures for every finish level, from about $700 per m2 for a basic finish to $1,800+ per m2 for ultra luxury.
Pool types and how they change the cost
Infinity edge pools
An infinity edge, also called a vanishing edge, lets the water spill over one side into a hidden catch basin, so the pool seems to run into the view. A sloping lot is often the natural place for one. The edge, the catch basin and the extra structure on a slope are engineered elements in their own right, so they are designed from the soil study and survey and priced as custom features on top of the base pool figure. Expect more structure, more concrete below the pool and a larger pump and plumbing system.
Plunge pools
A plunge pool is a small, deep-enough pool for cooling off rather than swimming laps. One Costa Rica builder describes them as about 8 to 25 m2, typically 2 x 4 m to 5 x 5 m and 1.2 to 1.5 m deep (Ticonstru). At about $2,500 per m2, a plunge pool in that range comes to about $20,000 to $62,500 all-in, before any custom features. Plunge pools suit narrow terraces, rooftop decks and lots where space is tight.
Lap pools
A lap pool is long and narrow. The cost follows the area, so a 2.5 x 15 m lap pool is about $93,750 all-in. Length is the main driver.
Concrete vs fiberglass
All custom-built pools in Costa Rica are built in concrete, while prefabricated fiberglass shells are also available (Howler). Fiberglass comes in fixed shapes and sizes and is trucked to the site. One owner reported a quoted range of $14,000 to $25,000 for a fiberglass pool with its pump and filter in 2022, with decking, landscaping and the pump house extra, and estimated those extras could roughly double the pool price (Two Weeks in Costa Rica). A concrete pool can be any shape, any depth and can include an infinity edge, which is why we build custom pools in concrete.
Depth and shape
Depth affects both the excavation and how the pool feels. A pool that is too deep can stay cold even in strong sun, while one that is too shallow can get too warm; one local brokerage suggests about shoulder height on a 5'10" person, with partial shade for a cooler pool (Osa Tropical Properties, 2023). Simple rectangles are the most efficient to build; curves and steps add formwork and finishing time.
Saltwater or chlorine?
A saltwater pool is still a chlorine pool. A salt chlorinator, or salt cell, turns dissolved salt into chlorine automatically, so you handle and store far less chlorine yourself. Saltwater is described as less irritating to the eyes and skin (Howler).
| Saltwater | Standard chlorine | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is sanitised | A salt cell generates chlorine from salt | Chlorine added directly |
| Feel | Softer, less irritating to eyes and skin | Can be harsher if levels drift |
| Ongoing items | Salt top-ups, especially after the rainy season; salt cell replacement every 3 to 5 years | Regular chlorine purchases and storage |
| Watch-outs | Hard well water builds deposits on the cell; bimonthly cleaning recommended | Chemical storage in a hot, humid climate |
Sources: Howler; Ticonstru. One builder recommends saline systems for coastal properties (Ticonstru). We usually suggest a saltwater chlorinator with a variable-speed pump, with the equipment in a ventilated machine room that keeps salt air and sun off it.
Running costs and maintenance
A pool keeps costing after it is built. What published Costa Rica sources say:
- Routine care. A pool needs daily cleaning, weekly water quality tests and vacuuming (Howler).
- Electricity. A pool can easily add upwards of $20 a month to the electricity bill (Howler). Efficient equipment and automation lower power use (RE/MAX Costa Rica, 2025).
- Total running cost. One Costa Rica magazine puts the overall cost of using and maintaining a pool at around $100 a month on average (Howler).
- Equipment life. Pumps and filters are typically replaced every 5 to 10 years (Howler), and salt cells every 3 to 5 years (Ticonstru).
- Water. Expect to top up during the dry season to offset evaporation (Howler).
- Heating. Solar pool heaters are popular and cost-effective in Costa Rica's sunshine (RE/MAX Costa Rica, 2025).
If you will rent the house or spend months away, budget for a pool service. Ask neighbours or your property manager for a recommendation, as local owners do (Two Weeks in Costa Rica).
Water supply for the pool
In parts of Guanacaste and along the Pacific coast, water supply is genuinely constrained (Tico Times, September 2026). We plan the first fill by water truck so it does not draw on a local system that is already stretched, and we design covers, rain capture and storage to cut top-ups. If you are still choosing a lot, check the water letter first; our guide to permits and water letters explains why.
Do you need a permit to build a pool in Costa Rica?
Yes. A pool is a structure and is permitted like the rest of the build:
- Plans by CFIA professionals. An architect or engineer should design the pool for the site's soil conditions (Howler), and the plans are registered with the CFIA through its APC platform before the municipal permit.
- Municipal building permit. Most municipalities require a permit even for small structures (Two Weeks in Costa Rica). The municipal permit fee is about 1% of construction value.
- Ministry of Health rules. Costa Rica's pool regulation, Executive Decree 35309-S, is written mainly for public pools, but it says private pools must meet its construction and water quality requirements. It also requires treatment chemicals to be registered with the Ministry of Health and bans chlorine gas in all pools (Reglamento sobre Manejo de Piscinas, 2009).
- Community rules. Some gated communities restrict pool size, design or use (RE/MAX Costa Rica, 2025). Check the condominium rules before design.
When the pool is part of a new home, it goes in the same plan set and permit as the house, which is simpler and faster than permitting it separately later. On lots near turtle nesting beaches, we also check local lighting rules before designing pool and garden lights. Skipping the permit is a false saving: it makes the house harder to insure and sell.
How long does it take to build a pool?
Construction time depends on size and complexity. One owner reports that concrete pools typically take about four weeks with an experienced crew (Two Weeks in Costa Rica), and one builder quotes 4 to 7 weeks for a plunge pool (Ticonstru). Infinity edges, spas and custom finishes take longer, and custom coping can carry long lead times. In a new home, the pool is built within the overall schedule, usually alongside the exterior works. Most of our homes are completed in 5 to 8 months on site.
The rainy season matters for pools in particular. Saturated ground can push against an open excavation, and an empty shell in high groundwater is at risk (Two Weeks in Costa Rica). We schedule excavation and the shell for dry weather where we can.
How we build pools
- Site review. Sun, wind, views, slope, access for the excavator and concrete truck, and where the machine room can go.
- Design. Size, depth, edge and features, drawn with the house so the levels, terrace and views work together.
- Engineering and permits. Structural design from the soil study and survey, CFIA registration and the municipal permit.
- Excavation and shell. Grade work, reinforced concrete shell and plumbing.
- Finish and equipment. Interior finish, filtration, salt or chlorine system, lighting and any custom features.
- Start-up and handover. Water balanced, equipment running and a maintenance walk-through.
See examples of pools in finished homes such as Casa de Acero in Playa Flamingo, Casa Dos Hermanas and the infinity pool at the Rainforest Ocean-View Villa in Manuel Antonio, or browse our portfolio. Full details of our pool work are on our pool construction page.
Price your pool
Send us the size you have in mind, a few photos of the site and whether it is part of a new home or a renovation, and we will price it from real drawings. Minimum construction budget: $350,000, before land. WhatsApp +506 8733-2930 or email info@decentrahomes.com.