San Jose Province
Costa Rica's metropolitan core: 53% of population in GAM, 4.3% GDP growth 2024, UNESCO Design City, $1,300 monthly living costs
San José Province (population 1.4 million) is Costa Rica's metropolitan core—a 4,966 km² territory where the Greater Metropolitan Area houses 53% of national population and generates most economic activity. The capital city alone sees over a million daily commuters, while the wider metro area of 2+ million residents anchors the 31-municipality GAM stretching to Alajuela, Heredia, and Cartago. The 2024 economy reflects Costa Rica's successful pivot: 4.3% GDP growth driven by services, technology, and tourism, with the province hosting headquarters for companies ranging from domestic financial services to multinational tech operations. San José won UNESCO's 'Design City' designation and joined the Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016—recognition of cultural infrastructure beyond commercial function. Yet the province pays a prosperity premium: ranked fourth most expensive Latin American city with $1,300+ monthly costs for a single person, creating affordability tensions as the metropolis expands. The province's 20 cantons encompass everything from the upscale Escazú district to working-class Desamparados, a socioeconomic gradient radiating from the historic center.