Current local time in Alajuela, Costa Rica
The live clock above shows the time in Alajuela. Alajuela is in the America/Costa Rica time zone, UTC−6 right now (CST).
| Country | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Region | Alajuela |
| Population | about 218,000 |
| Coordinates | 10.02° N, 84.23° W |
| Time zone | America/Costa Rica |
| Abbreviation | CST |
| UTC offset | UTC−6 |
| Daylight saving time | No |
Daylight saving time
Alajuela doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC−6 (CST) all year.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 5:41 AM | 5:47 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| June solstice | 5:17 AM | 5:59 PM | 12 h 42 min |
| September equinox | 5:26 AM | 5:33 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | 5:48 AM | 5:21 PM | 11 h 32 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Alajuela at about 11:46 AM in mid-January. On standard time, local clocks run about 23 minutes behind the sun, because Alajuela sits at 84.2° W, while its time zone is centred on 90.0° W.
Alajuela time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Alajuela |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 1 hour ahead in Jan, 2 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Los Angeles | 2 hours behind in Jan, 1 hour behind in Jul | |
| London | 6 hours ahead in Jan, 7 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Paris | 7 hours ahead in Jan, 8 hours ahead in Jul | |
| Dubai | 10 hours ahead | |
| Mumbai | 11.5 hours ahead | |
| Shanghai | 14 hours ahead | |
| Tokyo | 15 hours ahead | |
| Sydney | 17 hours ahead in Jan, 16 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Alajuela |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | 19 km (12 mi) | same time |
| Cartago | 37 km (23 mi) | same time |
| Masaya, Nicaragua | 297 km (185 mi) | same time |
| Managua, Nicaragua | 325 km (202 mi) | same time |
| Matagalpa, Nicaragua | 371 km (230 mi) | same time |
| Leon, Nicaragua | 395 km (245 mi) | same time |
| Esteli, Nicaragua | 413 km (256 mi) | same time |
| Chinandega, Nicaragua | 429 km (267 mi) | same time |
Other cities in Costa Rica
Questions people ask
What time zone is Alajuela in?
Alajuela is in the America/Costa Rica time zone, UTC−6, all year.
Does Alajuela have daylight saving time?
Alajuela doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC−6 (CST) all year.
Why isn't noon in Alajuela when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Alajuela's clocks follow a zone centred on 90.0° W, so on standard time they run about 23 minutes behind the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).