Qibla direction in Costa Rica
The Qibla in Costa Rica lies towards the north-east. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 58.9° in San José to 60.2° in Puerto Limón, and the Kaaba is between 12,868 km and 13,088 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 34 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in Costa Rica can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 1.3°. Puerto Limón is the closest to the Kaaba (12,868 km) and Nicoya the farthest (13,088 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 59.8°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in Costa Rica: questions
What is the Qibla direction in San José?
59.8° from true north, towards the north-east, 12,971 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in Costa Rica is closest to Makkah?
Puerto Limón, 12,868 km from the Kaaba, among the 34 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alajuela | 59.7° | north-east | 12,979 km |
| Aserrí | 59.8° | north-east | 12,976 km |
| Canas | 59.2° | north-east | 13,039 km |
| Cartago | 59.9° | north-east | 12,959 km |
| Chacarita | 59.5° | north-east | 13,034 km |
| Curridabat | 59.8° | north-east | 12,968 km |
| Esparza | 59.5° | north-east | 13,023 km |
| Guápiles | 59.8° | north-east | 12,927 km |
| Heredia | 59.8° | north-east | 12,970 km |
| Liberia | 58.9° | north-east | 13,059 km |
| Nicoya | 59.1° | north-east | 13,088 km |
| Paraíso | 59.9° | north-east | 12,956 km |
| Patarrá | 59.9° | north-east | 12,969 km |
| Puerto Limón | 60.2° | north-east | 12,868 km |
| Puntarenas | 59.5° | north-east | 13,040 km |
| Purral | 59.8° | north-east | 12,965 km |
| Quesada | 59.5° | north-east | 12,982 km |
| San Diego | 59.9° | north-east | 12,965 km |
| San Felipe | 59.8° | north-east | 12,975 km |
| San Isidro de El General | 60.2° | north-east | 12,966 km |
| San José | 59.8° | north-east | 12,971 km |
| San José | 58.9° | north-east | 13,012 km |
| San Juan de Dios | 59.8° | north-east | 12,974 km |
| San Miguel | 59.9° | north-east | 12,972 km |
| San Pablo | 59.8° | north-east | 12,969 km |
| San Pedro | 59.8° | north-east | 12,968 km |
| San Rafael | 59.8° | north-east | 12,976 km |
| San Rafael Abajo | 59.8° | north-east | 12,996 km |
| San Rafael Arriba | 59.8° | north-east | 12,973 km |
| San Vicente | 59.8° | north-east | 12,966 km |
| San Vicente de Moravia | 59.8° | north-east | 12,966 km |
| Siquirres | 60.0° | north-east | 12,907 km |
| Tejar | 59.8° | north-east | 12,996 km |
| Turrialba | 60.0° | north-east | 12,935 km |