Server Colocation in Costa Rica: Costs, Setup, and Remote-Hands
March 06, 2024
Rodrigo Fernández
Director of Infrastructure
Server colocation in Costa Rica lets you install your own servers in rack space at the country's primary telecom carrier data center in San José, with building power, cooling, physical security, and submarine-cable connectivity operated by the facility. CR Servers leases rack units, operates its own networking and NOC on site, and publishes monthly rack pricing from $150 per 1U.
We lease rack space and operate our own equipment; the building's core power, security, and carrier connectivity are run by the national telecom operator. Clients get carrier-grade redundancy plus hands-on support from our bilingual team in San José.
What Is Server Colocation?
Server colocation means you own the hardware and software while a provider supplies rack space, power, cooling, physical security, and network access in a professional data center. CR Servers handles facility coordination, remote-hands, and 24/7 NOC monitoring; you retain full control of configurations, OS, and applications.
Colocation vs. On-Premises Hosting
| Feature | On-Premises Hosting | Colocation at CR Servers |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront costs | High (building, cooling, security) | Lower — leverage carrier-grade facility |
| Maintenance | In-house IT for facility tasks | Building ops by carrier; remote-hands available |
| Security | Office-level risk | 24/7 guards, biometrics, CCTV, locked racks |
| Scalability | Limited by office space | Add 1U–6U or network appliances as needed |
| Connectivity | Single ISP, limited redundancy | Multi-carrier fiber + submarine cable access |
Colocation Pricing at CR Servers (2026)
Published monthly rack rates in San José:
| Rack unit | Monthly (USD) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1U | $150 | Single server |
| 2U | $200 | Dual-node or deeper chassis |
| 3U | $250 | Storage-heavy server |
| 4U | $300 | GPU or multi-disk array |
| 5U | $350 | Expanded storage platform |
| 6U | $400 | Maximum standard rack depth |
| Firewall appliance | $100 | Edge security device |
| Network switch | $100 | Top-of-rack switching |
| Storage appliance | $150 | SAN or backup target |
Power is provided in standard 120 V and 208 V circuits with UPS and generator backup at the facility. Bandwidth and cross-connect details are scoped per contract — contact our team for a quote aligned to your traffic profile.
➡️ View live colocation plans and order online
Facility, Connectivity, and Security
CR Servers operates from leased rack space inside Costa Rica's primary telecom carrier facility in downtown San José — not a separate building we own. That site offers mature carrier interconnects and adjacency to major submarine cable landings.
Submarine and fiber paths
| Cable | Landing | Role |
|---|---|---|
| ARCOS-1 | Limón (Atlantic) | Regional ring — multiple failover paths |
| AMX-1 | Limón (Atlantic) | High-capacity Americas route |
| TAM-1 | Limón (Atlantic) | New backbone live since Dec 2025 |
| PAC | Esterillos (Pacific) | Pacific diversity vs Caribbean-only sites |
Security and SLA
- 24/7 armed security, biometric access, and CCTV at the carrier facility
- Locked rack doors for client equipment
- 99.9% uptime SLA on colocation services
- Scheduled facility access M–F, 8 AM–6 PM; emergency access via NOC
Remote-Hands, Access, and Shipping
| Service | Detail |
|---|---|
| Remote-hands | Reboots, cable swaps, visual inspections, basic troubleshooting by on-site staff |
| Business-hours access | Scheduled visits during facility business hours |
| Emergency access | 24/7 coordination through our NOC |
| Shipping & customs | Our San José team can walk you through rack sizing, international shipping, and Costa Rica customs steps before move-in |
Coordinate hardware delivery with us before shipping so rack space, power, and network ports are reserved.
Server Move-In Checklist
- Document everything — label servers and cables; map IPs, firewall rules, and port assignments.
- Pack for transit — anti-static materials, shock monitoring for long hauls; keep arrays climate-controlled.
- Install and burn in — mount gear, connect power, run a 72-hour stress test to validate cooling and draw.
- Hand off to NOC — share escalation contacts so monitoring and remote-hands are authorized.
FAQs
Does CR Servers own the data center building?
No. CR Servers leases rack space in Costa Rica's primary telecom carrier facility. The national telecom operator runs the building; we operate our servers, networking, support team, and NOC inside that footprint.
How much does colocation cost in Costa Rica?
At CR Servers, published rack rates start at $150/month for 1U and scale to $400/month for 6U, plus optional appliance slots for firewalls, switches, and storage. Final quotes depend on power, bandwidth, and contract term.
Can your team work on my hardware without me on site?
Yes. Remote-hands covers reboots, cable swaps, visual checks, and basic hardware tasks during business hours, with emergency coordination through the NOC.
Why colocate in Costa Rica instead of only using cloud?
Teams choose colocation when they need known jurisdiction, predictable monthly cost, hardware they control, and latency to Central America without hyperscaler egress surprises. Colocation pairs well with dedicated servers in the same facility.
Next Steps
CR Servers combines published rack pricing, carrier-grade facility access, and bilingual operators in San José. When you are ready to scope rack units, shipping, or hybrid cloud + metal architectures:
🔗 Start colocation with CR Servers
Related reading: VPS vs Dedicated Servers in Costa Rica · Costa Rica submarine cables and connectivity