Costa Rica · Central Standard Time all year
Shabbat Times Costa Rica
This week's candle lighting and havdalah for San José, the next 12 weeks, and the towns visitors head for.
This week · Parashat Lech-Lecha
12 Cheshvan 5787
San José · Friday, October 23 · light candles
4:57 PM
18 minutes before sunset (5:15 PM).
- Sat, Oct 24, 5:47 PMShabbat ends. Havdalah.
✓ A second, independent calculation gives 4:57 PM, the same minute.
Across Costa Rica this Friday
- San José4:57 PM
- La Fortuna4:59 PM
- Liberia5:02 PM
- Tamarindo5:04 PM
- Jacó5:00 PM
- Quepos (Manuel Antonio)4:58 PM
Tamarindo lights 7 minutes after San José.
The clock in Costa Rica
No daylight saving. UTC−6 all year: an hour behind New York from November 1 to March 14, two hours behind the rest of the year.
Candles move 50 minutes a year, 4:53 PM in early November to 5:43 PM in early July.
Shabbat services in Costa Rica
- Chabad Lubavitch of Costa Rica, Escazú Village, local 110Friday: Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 PM, and no Friday-night mealSaturday: services 10:00 AM, then Kiddush and a meal, open to visitors with no reservation
- Chabad of Jaco, Jacó, the synagogue in the Chabad House complexFriday: Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00 PMSaturday: Shacharit 10:00 AMShabbat meals booked ahead on its site
- Chabad of Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa, across from Banana BeachFriday: Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv 6:00 PMSaturday: Shacharit 10:00 AMShabbat meals booked ahead on its site
- Centro Israelita Sionista de Costa Rica, Pavas, San JoséServices are for members and their guests. Visitors from abroad apply on its form at least 48 hours ahead, with a formal reference from their own community
From each congregation's own website, checked September 23, 2026. Confirm with them before you travel.
The next 12 weeks in San José
| Friday | Torah portion | Candle lighting | Shabbat ends | Hebrew date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30Vayera | Vayera | 4:55 PM | 5:45 PM | 19 Cheshvan |
| Nov 6Chayei Sara | Chayei Sara | 4:53 PM | 5:44 PM | 26 Cheshvan |
| Nov 13Toldot | Toldot | 4:53 PM | 5:44 PM | 3 Kislev |
| Nov 20Vayetzei | Vayetzei | 4:53 PM | 5:44 PM | 10 Kislev |
| Nov 27Vayishlach | Vayishlach | 4:54 PM | 5:46 PM | 17 Kislev |
| Dec 4VayeshevChanukah, first candle before Shabbat | VayeshevChanukah, first candle before Shabbat | 4:55 PM | 5:48 PM | 24 Kislev |
| Dec 11MiketzChanukah, eighth candle before Shabbat | MiketzChanukah, eighth candle before Shabbat | 4:58 PM | 5:51 PM | 1 Tevet |
| Dec 18Vayigash | Vayigash | 5:01 PM | 5:54 PM | 8 Tevet |
| Dec 25Vayechi | Vayechi | 5:04 PM | 5:57 PM | 15 Tevet |
| Jan 1Shemot | Shemot | 5:08 PM | 6:01 PM | 22 Tevet |
| Jan 8Vaera | Vaera | 5:12 PM | 6:04 PM | 29 Tevet |
| Jan 15Bo | Bo | 5:16 PM | 6:08 PM | 7 Shevat |
Print a free Shabbat calendar for Costa Rica.
One letter-size page for 2027 or for the Hebrew year 5787, with every candle lighting and the time Shabbat ends, the weekly portion and the festivals, worked out the same way as this page.
Every Shabbat of 2027 in San José, framed for your wall.
Each Friday's candle lighting and the time Shabbat ends, the week's portion and every festival, worked out for San José the same way as this page.
$79 framed, $36 as a print, free shipping to the US and Israel.
Make yours
How the times are worked out
18 minutes before sunset in San José
Sunset is worked out for San José's coordinates, 9.93° N, 84.08° W, with @hebcal/core, the open-source calculation behind hebcal.com, and every time is shown on local clocks (America/Costa_Rica). Shabbat ends at nightfall, when the sun is 8.5 degrees below the horizon and three stars would be out.
Eighteen minutes is the usual custom in most of the world. Israeli calendars print 20 for most cities, and Jerusalem lights 40 minutes before sunset and Haifa 30, so those pages use their own number instead.
Each Friday is also worked out a second way, with this site's own sunrise equation, and the two are compared whenever the page is built. Some communities wait longer before havdalah, so treat the minute as close rather than binding, and follow your own community's calendar.
Near Costa Rica this Friday
- Panama CityPanama5:40 PM
- CancunQuintana Roo, Mexico5:58 PM
- ArubaOranjestad5:59 PM
- MiamiFL, USA6:27 PM
- Miami BeachFL, USA6:27 PM
- Turks and CaicosProvidenciales5:59 PM
Away for Shabbat
- BahamasNassau6:17 PM
- Punta CanaDominican Republic5:47 PM
- Puerto RicoSan Juan5:38 PM
- St. ThomasCharlotte Amalie5:33 PM
Candle lighting this Friday, each for its own coordinates and custom. All cities on the list
Candle-lighting reminders for Costa Rica
A short reminder every Friday morning with this week's exact times.
One list, unsubscribe in a click. See our privacy policy.
Shabbat in Costa Rica: quick answers
What time is candle lighting in Costa Rica this Friday?+
In San José, candle lighting on Friday, October 23, 2026 is at 4:57 PM, 18 minutes before sunset.
What time does Shabbat end in Costa Rica?+
This week Shabbat ends at 5:47 PM on Saturday, October 24, when the sun is 8.5 degrees below the horizon.
Does Costa Rica change its clocks?+
No. Costa Rica keeps UTC−6 all year, with no daylight saving, so it is an hour behind New York from November 1 to March 14, two hours behind the rest of the year.
Why 18 minutes before sunset?+
Eighteen minutes is the usual custom in most of the world. Israeli calendars print 20 for most cities, and Jerusalem lights 40 minutes before sunset and Haifa 30, so those pages use their own number instead.
Where can a visitor go for Shabbat services in Costa Rica?+
Chabad Lubavitch of Costa Rica (Escazú Village, local 110): Friday: Kabbalat Shabbat 6:15 PM, and no Friday-night meal. Saturday: services 10:00 AM, then Kiddush and a meal, open to visitors with no reservation. Chabad of Jaco (Jacó, the synagogue in the Chabad House complex): Friday: Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00 PM. Saturday: Shacharit 10:00 AM. Shabbat meals booked ahead on its site. Chabad of Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa, across from Banana Beach): Friday: Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv 6:00 PM. Saturday: Shacharit 10:00 AM. Shabbat meals booked ahead on its site. Centro Israelita Sionista de Costa Rica (Pavas, San José): Services are for members and their guests. Visitors from abroad apply on its form at least 48 hours ahead, with a formal reference from their own community. Each is taken from the congregation's own website. Confirm with them before you travel.
Are these times exact?+
They are worked out for San José's coordinates the way Hebcal works them out, and checked against a second, independent calculation. Your community's own calendar is the authority for observance.
Israel.com works out these times for free, with no sign-up, and its readers keep it that way. Support Israel.com
Keep exploring
