Occidental

About Occidental:

Occidental covers 2.01 square kilometres at 1,435 metres, and together with Oriental it forms the city of Cartago itself. Its eastern edge is Calle 4, which leaves the Ruinas de Santiago Apóstol, the Mercado Municipal and the Basílica de los Ángeles a few blocks away on the Oriental side. Avenida 11 separates it from Carmen to the north, and the north-western corner starts where the railway comes in from Loyola, in San Nicolás. The Cementerio General on Calle 26 sits at the western edge, where Guadalupe begins, while Diagonal 18 draws the southern line against El Tejar and Aguacaliente. The postal code is 30102.

Getting around is easy by Costa Rican standards. Avenida Central is also Ruta 10, so the city’s main east–west road runs straight through the district, and Ruta 228 heads south from here to El Tejar. Cartago’s railway station stands inside Occidental, on Avenida 3 between Calles 4 and 6, with interurban trains to the Estación del Atlántico in San José, 24 kilometres away. The Max Peralta hospital, the market and the main squares are all a few blocks east, so daily errands rarely need a car.

The barrios are Cinco Esquinas, Fátima, El Molino, Murillo, Palmas, San Cayetano, Laborio and parts of Hospital and Jesús Jiménez. Laborio keeps an old word alive: the laboríos, or naboríos, were the indigenous servants the Spanish settled on the south-western side of the colonial city from 1590. The Cementerio General goes back to a royal order of 6 November 1813 that moved burials outside the city, and its marble tombs and mausoleums were declared a historic landmark in 1991. Ciudadela Murillo has its own small ermita, and Barrio Fátima has its school and a sports field.

Almost every block is built up. The 2011 census counted 9,901 residents, down from 11,139 in 2000, which works out at close to 5,000 people per square kilometre. Cartago was flattened by earthquakes in 1841 and again in 1910, and anyone looking at one of the older houses should keep that history in mind. Buyers here are mostly Cartago families moving within the city and small-business owners who want a home and a storefront under one roof. Tenants tend to be single workers and couples who want the train, the shops and the hospital on foot.

Houses in Occidental:

Most houses are one- or two-storey family homes on narrow urban lots, with a garage or covered parking at the front. In Barrio Fátima a three-bedroom house of around 100 square metres is the usual size, and these sit at the more affordable end of the district. Larger and older houses closer to downtown cost considerably more and often come with rooms added over the years, storerooms, a back patio and a wide front. When you compare houses for sale in Occidental, look at the land use as closely as the floor plan, because many of these properties are allowed to take a business as well.

Rentals in Occidental:

Rentals fall into two groups. Around Barrio Fátima there are mini-apartments with one bedroom, a small living area and a laundry corner, set up for a single tenant. Two-bedroom apartments with covered parking behind an electric gate are the other common type, and some include water in the rent. Three-bedroom houses with two bathrooms and room for two cars also come up, Residencial El Molino among them. If you are looking at apartments for rent in Occidental and plan to commute by train, check how many blocks separate the unit from the station.

Commercial Property in Occidental:

Because the district begins at the edge of downtown, commercial property is a real part of the market here. Fitted corner premises of around 250 square metres come up for sale, along with larger properties of 700 square metres or more pitched at anyone wanting to set up a business. Mixed-use houses, with the family upstairs or behind and a shop or office on the street, are a familiar sight in El Molino and along the main avenues. Before you buy commercial property in Cartago on this side of town, confirm that your activity is permitted in that zone and that the municipality will grant the business licence.

FAQ:

• Is Occidental the same as downtown Cartago?

  Only half of it. The city of Cartago is made up of two districts, Oriental and Occidental, and the line between them is Calle 4. The ruins, the market and the Basílica are on the Oriental side, while the railway station, the Cementerio General and barrios such as Fátima, El Molino and Laborio are in Occidental. Check the district on the cadastral plan, as the two are often mixed up.

• How do I get from Occidental to San José?

  The quickest option for many residents is the interurban train, which leaves from Cartago’s station inside the district and runs to the Estación del Atlántico in San José. By road the capital is 24 kilometres away, and buses run between the two cities throughout the day.

• What should I check before buying one of the older houses?

  Start with the structure and the extensions. Cartago has a long earthquake history, and many older houses here have had rooms, storerooms or a second floor added over the decades, so have an engineer look at the building and confirm that the additions match the cadastral plan and had permits. Ask the Municipalidad de Cartago for a land-use certificate under the Plan Regulador, updated in 2024, which marks special-control and urban-renewal zones in parts of the city. Then compare the owner, the plan and any liens with the Registro Nacional record.

• Can I rent here on my own?

  Yes. Small one-bedroom units aimed at a single tenant are common around Barrio Fátima, and two-bedroom apartments with parking suit couples. Ask whether water is included, as landlords handle utilities differently.

• Is there any land left to build on?

  Very little. Occidental is two square kilometres of city streets, so building land usually comes as an older house on a larger lot or as a corner property with mixed or commercial use. Before you buy, find out what the zone allows you to build and how many storeys.