Is Costa Rica Costly? Precise Prices To Go to In 2024

Costa Rica is a good looking nation to go to, particularly should you’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has change into the place to go to in Latin America over the previous 10 years, and for good motive. After all, with that recognition comes a rise in costs. Costa Rica has change into fairly dear in comparison with its neighboring international locations, but it surely’s nonetheless low-cost in comparison with standard vacationer locations in North America and even Western Europe. 

After visiting the nation a number of occasions and touring by numerous completely different means, we expect now we have a good suggestion of the particular prices of journey in Costa Rica. Heck, we even have good mates who moved down there and are loving it, in addition to different mates who owned and ran a lodge in Costa Rica for years. That is first-hand data.

So, how a lot cash do that you must journey to Costa Rica, and is funds journey within the nation even potential? Let’s dive into the funds breakdown for a Costa Rica vacation. 

Is It Costly To Go to Costa Rica? 

Costa Rica is sort of an costly nation to go to. It’s costlier than different Central American international locations, but it surely’s nonetheless typically reasonably priced in comparison with america and Western Europe. When you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive price of residing, I doubt you’ll discover Costa Rica very costly. 

Additionally, there are tons of the way it can save you cash whereas touring Costa Rica. Skip the guided excursions and discover as a lot as you may by yourself, and attempt to keep away from eating places that cater particularly to English-speaking vacationers. Most excursions and eating places that purpose to draw as many English-speaking guests as potential have particular costs for vacationers and cost them 3 times as a lot as they do locals. If there’s a minimum of one fluent Spanish speaker in your group, it must be straightforward to keep away from the inflated vacationer costs when visiting Costa Rica. 

On high of that, will probably be considerably cheaper to go to the nation within the low season. Plan a visit between Could and November, and it can save you some huge cash on flights, lodging, actions, and even meals. So long as you don’t thoughts that it’s the wet season (however nonetheless heat), you may nonetheless have a ton of enjoyable in Costa Rica. 

Frequent Questions About Visiting Costa Rica

Price Of Lodging 

Costa Rica is an efficient vacation spot for anybody as a result of the lodging choices vary from $20 dorm beds to all-inclusive resorts which might be $1,000+ per evening. Whether or not you wish to journey low-cost or stay it up, you can find loads of choices in your value vary. 

Finances vacationers are more than likely to remain at non-public flats, hostels, or low-cost resorts. The common Costa Rican hostel prices $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly funds for lodging in Costa Rica will be as little as $120. I’ll say that should you’re touring with one other particular person, renting an condo might be the perfect budget-friendly possibility. 

For about $350-400 per week, you may lease a spacious one-bedroom apartment for two, the place you’ll have a non-public rest room and kitchen. Since you’ll have entry to a kitchen,  you may cook dinner most of your meals and save fairly a bit of cash on meals. And that’s on a funds of $170-200 per particular person for a whole week.  

A mid-range funds in Costa Rica means you may keep in nearly each kind of lodging within the nation, barring a flowery beachfront resort with all-inclusive service. With a funds of $70-100 per evening, you may afford the majority of the lodging within the nation. 

This fantastic five-star hotel is simply $150 per evening for 2,  and this pretty cabin in the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a funds of $400-700 per particular person for a whole week. 

Luxurious vacationers may select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re ample in Costa Rica, however their price varies fairly a bit relying on the placement. An all-inclusive resort with direct beach access will typically run you $400-500 per evening per particular person. However select a resort with out direct seashore entry, and also you’ll pay almost half that quantity for a similar stage of service. Basically, anticipate five-star resorts and all-inclusive resorts to price $300-500 per evening, per particular person, so about $1,800-3,000 per week. 

How a lot you spend on the lodge relies upon fairly a bit on the place precisely you’re staying in Costa Rica. The Caribbean coast is extra reasonably priced than the Pacific coast, largely as a result of the cities there aren’t fairly as standard with vacationers. 

When you’re simply searching for a spot the place you may have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good possibility. There are many resorts and resorts the place you may take pleasure in lounging on the seashore and sipping cocktails, and also you’ll be saving cash in comparison with the resorts on the opposite facet of the nation. 

One other factor to remember is that when is simply as vital as the place. Journey to Costa Rica in Could or June, and also you’ll get the perfect lodge offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate continues to be dry sufficient. Resorts are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.  

Price of Transportation

When you’re not pressed for time and like to economize, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and stick with good previous public transportation. Certain, they’re a bit sooner than the native buses, however they’re additionally considerably costlier. A vacationer shuttle from Monteverde to San Jose is roughly $50-70, whereas the general public bus is simply $7. The shuttle is just an hour faster, so it’s typically not value it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly should you’re making an attempt to go to Costa Rica on a funds.  

For shorter journeys, Uber is most well-liked to taxis. Native taxi drivers are typically sketchy and may attempt to rip you off; Uber is far safer as you comply with a value beforehand. Uber can also be possibility for transfers between two cities which might be comparatively shut to at least one one other, as it may be considerably sooner than the bus however not extraordinarily costly. 

So, what must you funds for transportation? 

It actually relies on your journey model. When you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, you then simply have to funds for the switch to and from the airport. 

A tough every day funds for Costa Rica could be $15 for funds vacationers, $40 for mid-range vacationers, and round $80-100 for luxurious vacationers. And that’s since you don’t actually need to go someplace far day by day of your keep; take someday to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day enjoyable on the seashore. 

Additionally, should you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, cut up the price of the exercise between the funds for leisure and transportation. When you can set up the tour by yourself, will probably be rather a lot cheaper, but it surely’s comprehensible should you favor to have a information with you out of the country. 

The cities and cities in Costa Rica are typically walkable, so that you don’t have to funds a lot to discover the vacationer sights. When you keep in downtown San Jose, you’ll be capable to stroll to each main attraction within the metropolis. I simply wouldn’t suggest strolling alone after darkish, as a result of some areas of town is usually a bit sketchy within the night. 

Automobile Rental In Costa Rica

Renting a automotive is mostly not a funds journey tip, however it will possibly prevent fairly a bit of cash in Costa Rica. When you’re planning to go to the nationwide parks and journey to extra secluded locations, automotive rental is by far the most cost effective possibility for getting across the nation. 

Automobile rental is $55-60 per day, together with gasoline and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per particular person, and should you’re touring with a couple of different particular person, it’s a no brainer. Having a automotive in Costa Rica additionally offers you the final word freedom to discover the nation and means that you can skip guided excursions as you don’t want to fret about transportation. Plus, you don’t want it each single day; lease a automotive for 4 days of every week’s keep, and that comes out to a transportation funds of $18 per particular person for all the week. 

Driving in Costa Rica is mostly very protected, and the primary roads are in good situation. Roads off the overwhelmed path are usually not fairly as easy; typically, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes will be fairly large. When you’re contemplating automotive rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you can be high-quality with smaller autos. However if you wish to discover nature and go to nationwide parks, you’ll encounter rougher roads, and I counsel a automobile with a excessive floor clearance. These are normally priced at $75-85 per day. 

Flights to Costa Rica

The majority of your funds for transportation in Costa Rica shall be allotted in the direction of the flight to the nation. When you’re coming from america, you may normally get deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airways presents round-trip flights from Miami which might be beneath $200 per particular person, which is dirt-cheap in comparison with the price of flying out of Europe. 

The most affordable round-trip flights from Europe I’ve seen have been round $700, and people have been uncommon. The common price of a return flight from Europe to Costa Rica was $850, though you may be capable to get a greater deal should you journey within the low season. 

Price of Meals

Consuming out in Costa Rica will be dear should you aren’t acquainted with the native tips. The principle factor to know is that many eating places have menus in Spanish and English, with greater costs on their English menus. These eating places are vacationer traps, and the meals is never nearly as good as the value would point out. 

Whereas $30 for a fundamental course isn’t an outrageous quantity, it’s costly in Costa Rica, the place the common price of a restaurant meal is $10-20. A $30 meal is nearly a luxurious deal with at native restaurant, not only a burger and a few fries at a vacationer joint. 

The important thing to consuming good however low-cost in Costa Rica is to search out sodas. These are small, family-owned, hole-in-the-wall eating places that normally don’t also have a menu in English. It’s the place all of the locals eat, and you’ll normally have a very nice meal for simply $10. You get to eat the perfect native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is essential for Costa Rica on a funds. 

Additionally, it’s vital to needless to say consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is mostly costlier than within the smaller cities. Locations off the overwhelmed path will supply higher offers each for lodging and meals, and it’s another excuse why it is best to take into account staying in a city that’s not included in all of the vacationer guides for Central and South America. 

Grocery Purchasing In Costa Rica

Finances vacationers are unlikely to eat out for each meal in Costa Rica. It can save you a good sum of money should you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Native grocery shops in Costa Rica are ample in reasonably priced contemporary fruit and greens, and you’ll typically get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the facet of the street. Even simply 1,000 CRC ($2) goes a great distance in Costa Rica and is sufficient for a home-cooked meal. Pineapple is actually low-cost in Costa Rica, and you’ll normally get three items for about $2. 

A weekly funds of 25,000 CRC ($50) is sufficient to cowl breakfast and dinner for 2, in addition to drinks. It’s greatest to buy at native supermarkets; Maxi Pali even has an internet store the place you may take a look at the costs and availability of components within the closest store to you.

Additionally, many grocery shops within the larger cities in Costa Rica have a ready meals part. Meals are normally priced at 2,000-3,000 CRC ($4-6), and the parts are very beneficiant. It received’t be the tastiest meals you eat in Costa Rica, however it would maintain you full, and it’s cheaper than consuming out. 

How A lot To Finances For Meals In Costa Rica

Finances vacationers who store for groceries and eat out solely a few occasions can simply get by with a funds of $50 per week. Consuming a number of vegetarian meals shall be even cheaper, as contemporary produce is mostly very reasonably priced in Costa Rica. 

Mid-range vacationers may do one grocery run after which eat out for one meal per day. In the event that they stick with sodas, a funds of $100-150 per week for one particular person must be sufficient. Some days, you’ll spend rather less, and others, you’ll spend a bit extra, however that sum of money must be sufficient to cowl all meals and drinks in Costa Rica. 

Luxurious vacationers usually tend to eat for each meal except they’re staying in all-inclusive lodging. Fancy eating places in Costa Rica are fairly costly, and the value of fundamental programs ranges from $25-40. A tasting menu in San Jose’s fanciest restaurant is round $110 per particular person with out wine pairings, so you can simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals should you wished. 

However say you eat breakfast on the lodge, go to a extra reasonably priced place for lunch, and splurge for dinner. That’s a funds of $300-500 per week for meals and drinks. 

Price of Actions

How a lot cash will you spend on sightseeing and actions when you’re in Costa Rica? That largely relies on what you love to do; there are a lot of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you can simply discover chunk of the nation with out spending something. Uncover the climbing trails, swim within the sea, and stroll round San Jose, marveling on the structure and the native vibes. 

However if you wish to go to a preferred place like Arenal Volcano Nationwide Park, or take pleasure in a day of deep-sea fishing, the prices shortly add up. I like how Costa Rica is sweet each for vacationers preferring to discover the free actions and for individuals who wish to expertise these bucket record adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier different, however value it for the expertise. 

One factor to notice is that lots of the touristy issues to do in Costa Rica have particular costs for foreigners, which permits them to maintain the prices low for locals. It’s a bit infuriating to pay $20 for one thing that’s free for many different folks, however that’s simply a part of touring to Costa Rica. 

Finances vacationers are prone to stick with free actions and revel in 2-3 paid excursions throughout their keep. A tough funds of $20 per exercise offers you all kinds of choices, because it covers every little thing from kayaking to nationwide park entrances and entry to waterfalls. A weekly funds might be as little as $50, however I like to recommend rising it as a result of the actions are the perfect factor about Costa Rica. When you can handle a weekly funds of $100 for leisure, you may even squeeze in one of many pricier experiences like ziplining in Monteverde or La Fortuna’s hanging bridges. 

Mid-range vacationers will in all probability wish to do one thing enjoyable day by day of their keep. A weekly funds of $150-200 must be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable all the time. 

Luxurious vacationers are more than likely to spring for dear actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. When you’re doing one thing that prices $100 day by day, you may simply spend $600-700 for every week in Costa Rica. 

Finances For 1 Week in Costa Rica

Finances For two Weeks in Costa Rica