What a day in Costa Rica really costs
Costa Rica is the priciest country in Central America, but it is still affordable if you plan. Prices are in US dollars (USD), which circulates freely alongside the local colon (CRC, around 510 to the dollar).
Rough daily budgets per person:
- Backpacker: 45 to 65 USD (hostel dorm, sodas, public buses)
- Mid-range: 90 to 150 USD (private room, restaurants, a tour or two)
- Comfort: 200 USD and up (boutique hotels, rental car, guided trips)
Sample prices
- Casado (rice, beans, plantain, meat) at a soda: 4 to 7 USD
- Restaurant main in a tourist town: 12 to 20 USD
- Imperial beer at a bar: 2.50 to 4 USD
- Local coffee: 1.50 to 3 USD
- Hostel dorm bed: 13 to 20 USD
- Mid-range double room: 55 to 110 USD
- National park entry (Manuel Antonio): about 18 USD
- Zip-line canopy tour: 50 to 75 USD
Transport
Public buses are the budget hero: San Jose to La Fortuna runs around 5 to 8 USD and to Manuel Antonio about 9 USD. Shared shuttles (Interbus, Caribe Shuttle) cost 50 to 60 USD but save hours. Car rental looks cheap online but mandatory liability insurance adds 12 to 20 USD a day, so confirm the full price. Fuel is roughly 1.25 USD per liter.
Money and cards
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; many businesses can charge in USD or CRC. Pay in colones to avoid poor dynamic-conversion rates. Withdraw colones from bank ATMs (BAC, Banco Nacional) and decline the machine's currency conversion. Carry small bills for sodas, buses and rural areas. Tipping is easy: a 10 percent service charge is already added to most restaurant bills.
Ways to save
- Eat at sodas, the local family diners, instead of tourist restaurants
- Travel in the green (rainy) season, May to November, for lower rates
- Use public buses between major towns
- Book national parks online in advance to lock the price
- Buy groceries at Automercado or a feria (farmers market) for self-catering
- Refill a water bottle: tap water is safe in most of the country
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