Kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Costa Rica: costs, timelines and permits

A kitchen or bathroom remodel in Costa Rica is priced by scope, not by a standard rate: Costa Rican appraiser Díaz Peritajes puts a typical modern kitchen at $5,000 to $15,000 and a renovated master bathroom at $3,000 to $8,000, and imported fixtures, stone and new plumbing push costs above that. You almost always need a municipal licence. Small works worth up to ten base salaries (₡4,622,000 in 2026) can be licensed as minor works without a professional's signature under article 83 bis of the Ley de Construcciones, but any change to the structure, wiring or plumbing systems needs a full permit with a CFIA-registered professional.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the rules of your municipality before you start work.

This guide covers what drives the cost, which permit your job needs, materials that survive humidity and salt air, waterproofing and ventilation, imported versus local fixtures, and how long each stage takes. At Decentra, renovations are quoted by scope.

How much does a kitchen or bathroom remodel cost in Costa Rica?

There is no official price list for remodels, and published figures for Costa Rica are scarce. The most specific recent ranges we found come from Díaz Peritajes, a Costa Rican property appraisal firm:

Treat these as a starting point. The author bases them on appraisal experience; they are not a survey of contractor prices. A luxury kitchen with custom joinery, stone counters and imported appliances can cost several times more, and so can a bathroom where the plumbing has to move.

What drives the price

• Moving plumbing. Every fixture that changes position needs new drain runs, and on a concrete slab that usually means cutting the floor. Fixtures that stay put avoid that cost.
• Electrical capacity. New appliances, an induction cooktop or air conditioning may need new circuits or a larger panel. Older Costa Rican houses often were not wired for today's loads (Q Costa Rica).
• Cabinetry. Built-to-measure local joinery, imported cabinets and ready-made units sit at very different prices.
• Counters and tile. Granite is common in new Costa Rican homes and condos, while quartz is more common in luxury projects and costs more (Tico Times).
• Imported fixtures and appliances. Freight, duties and taxes add to anything bought abroad. See our guide to importing building materials before you buy.
• What you find behind the walls. Leaks, termites, corroded pipes or unpermitted past work add cost once demolition starts.

The fair way to compare quotes is line by line: demolition, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile, cabinets, counters, fixtures, appliances and permit.

Do you need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom in Costa Rica?

Almost always yes, even if the work is small. Some expat guides say non-structural work such as cabinets, tile and painting typically needs no permit (Two Weeks in Costa Rica). The law says otherwise: since the 2017 reform, Law 9482, anyone can carry out repairs, remodels, extensions and other minor works without a professional's signature, but the works must have a licence from the municipality (Ley de Construcciones, article 83 bis).

What counts as a minor work under article 83 bis

• Value cap. Up to ten base salaries under Law 7337. The base salary for 2026 is ₡462,200 (EY, January 2026), so the cap is ₡4,622,000.
• No changes to building systems. Works that, in the municipal officer's technical opinion, modify the structural, electrical or mechanical system of the building and put occupants at risk are not minor works.
• No splitting. If new minor-works licences are requested for the same property within twelve months and the municipality finds a larger job is being split to avoid controls, it may refuse the new licence, and you can apply for a full permit.
• Local rules. Each municipality sets its own minor-works regulation (Law 9482, sole transitory provision).

Municipal rules vary, so read yours. Escazú, for example, defines a minor work as construction of up to 30 m², asks for drawings signed by a responsible professional, the cadastral plan and, after approval, an INS workers' risk policy, and, for work inside an existing condominium, a notarized written authorization from the owners, the board or the administrator (Municipalidad de Escazú).

When a remodel becomes a full permit

Source: Ley de Construcciones, article 83 bis, as reformed by Law 9482. The municipal officer decides borderline cases, so ask before you start. Working without the right licence can create a problem when you sell or insure the house; our guide to unpermitted construction in Costa Rica explains the risks and how to legalize past work.

Materials for humidity and salt air

Costa Rica's humidity and, on the coast, salt air are hard on kitchens and bathrooms. Choose materials for the climate first and the look second.

• Cabinet boxes. Ask what the cabinet carcasses are made of before you sign. For a humid room, choose moisture-resistant panels or solid wood, with every edge sealed and the boxes raised off the floor on legs or a plinth.
• Hardware and fixtures. Steel corrodes faster near the sea. The Australian Stainless Steel Development Association recommends grade 304 for urban or rural exposure and more resistant grades closer to the sea, such as 316 by distance from the shore and 2205 for severe marine conditions, plus smooth finishes and regular washing (ASSDA).
• Counters. Granite and quartz both work. For natural stone, ask the supplier how often it should be resealed and get that in writing at handover.
• Tile and grout. Choose tile rated for wet floors, and ask for epoxy or sealed grout in showers and around sinks.
• Paint and ceilings. Use paints rated for wet rooms, and avoid closed ceiling cavities that trap moist air.
• Appliances. Near the coast, ask the supplier whether the warranty covers corrosion and whether local service exists.

Waterproofing a bathroom properly

The tile is the finish; the protection against leaks sits underneath it. Ask your contractor to show you each of these before any tile is set:

1. Slope. The shower floor must slope to the drain so water never sits.
2. Membrane. The waterproofing membrane should cover the shower floor, continue up the shower walls and seal into the drain body.
3. Flood test. Before any tile goes on, plug the drain, fill the shower and let the water sit. TEC, a tile installation products maker, recommends waiting 24 hours before checking for leaks and notes the whole process can take as long as 48 hours (TEC Specialty Products).

If a leak or a flood does happen, the US EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mould (EPA).

Ventilation and mould in a Costa Rican kitchen or bathroom

The US EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally between 30% and 50%, and running exhaust fans or opening windows when you shower, cook or wash dishes (EPA). In a humid climate that means mechanical ventilation, not only a window.

• Bathroom fan. The ASHRAE 62.2 residential ventilation standard calls for 50 cfm if the fan runs intermittently or 20 cfm if it runs continuously (ASHRAE 62.2 checklist, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs).
• Kitchen hood. The same standard calls for 100 cfm for an intermittent kitchen fan, or a continuous rate of 5 air changes per hour.
• Duct to the outside. The exhaust air has to leave the house. Ask for the duct to end at a wall or roof cap outdoors, not inside the attic.
• Air conditioning. A mini-split also removes moisture, but only while it runs; it does not replace exhaust.

Hot water is the other bathroom system to check in older homes. In many older Costa Rican houses the kitchen had no hot water, and adding it throughout may mean instant heaters at each point of use (Q Costa Rica). Any new heater circuit should be designed and installed as electrical work, with the permit that implies.

Imported or local fixtures and cabinets?

Local supply is better than many buyers expect. Owners who renovated in Costa Rica report a good local selection of kitchen and bathroom fixtures and locally built cabinets, and found that a sink bought in the US cost about twice as much once shipping and taxes were added (Two Weeks in Costa Rica).

Import where it really pays: a specific appliance, a fixture with no local equivalent, or a finish you cannot get here. Before you buy, check that spare parts are sold in Costa Rica; many faucet brands do not supply parts to local stores (Tico Times). Our import guide covers duties, brokers and warranty risks, so we do not repeat them here.

How long does a kitchen or bathroom remodel take?

The schedule depends on the scope and on when materials arrive. One couple's full house renovation took about a month and a half for the main work (Two Weeks in Costa Rica). This is how the stages line up:

Have cabinets, stone and imported items confirmed and scheduled before the old room comes out, so you lose the use of it for the shortest time.

Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom in a condo

In a condominium, the building's rules come before your design. Ask the administrator for the reglamento and the work rules: allowed hours, noise, deliveries, use of the elevator and whether you can touch shared pipes, risers or façade elements. Some municipalities ask for a notarized authorization from the condominium before they issue a minor-works licence, as Escazú does (Municipalidad de Escazú).

Checklist before you remodel

• Decide whether plumbing fixtures stay in place or move.
• Confirm whether the job is a minor work or needs a full permit, and get the licence before demolition.
• In a condo, get the administrator's written authorization and work rules.
• Specify moisture-resistant cabinet boxes and hardware suited to your distance from the sea.
• Require a full shower membrane and a flood test before tile.
• Vent bathroom fans and kitchen hoods to the outside.
• Order cabinets, stone and imported items early, and check spare parts.
• Get a line-by-line written quote and a contingency for what is found behind the walls.

How Decentra helps with kitchen and bathroom remodels

Decentra Homes is a design-build custom home builder in Costa Rica that also renovates existing homes. Renovations are quoted by scope, with no $350,000 minimum; that minimum applies to new builds only. Our renovations page shows how we work, and Casa Escazú is an interior renovation of a hillside home in Escazú with a rebuilt kitchen and renewed bathrooms.

Design and construction are CFIA-licensed under SANYC Ingeniería (CFIA registration CC-10880). If you want a second opinion on a house or a quote before you commit, our construction consulting is $200 per hour with a CFIA-licensed engineer and architect with 15 years of experience. Message us on WhatsApp or through our contact page, or visit our showroom in Altos de Flamingo, Playa Flamingo, by appointment.