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

Costa Rica is a gorgeous nation to go to, particularly if you happen to’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has grow to be the place to go to in Latin America over the previous 10 years, and for good motive. After all, with that reputation comes a rise in costs. Costa Rica has grow to be fairly expensive in comparison with its neighboring international locations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless low-cost in comparison with widespread vacationer locations in North America and even Western Europe. 

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

So, how a lot cash do you should journey to Costa Rica, and is price range journey within the nation even attainable? Let’s dive into the price range breakdown for a Costa Rica vacation. 

Is It Costly To Go to Costa Rica? 

Costa Rica is type of an costly nation to go to. It’s costlier than different Central American international locations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless usually inexpensive in comparison with the USA and Western Europe. In case you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive price of dwelling, 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 goal to draw as many English-speaking guests as attainable have particular costs for vacationers and cost them thrice as a lot as they do locals. If there’s not less than 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, it is going to be considerably cheaper to go to the nation within the low season. Plan a visit between Might 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. 

Widespread 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 can be $1,000+ per evening. Whether or not you need to journey low-cost or stay it up, you can find loads of choices in your value vary. 

Funds vacationers are most certainly to remain at personal residences, hostels, or low-cost motels. The typical Costa Rican hostel fees $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly price range for lodging in Costa Rica could be as little as $120. I’ll say that if you happen to’re touring with one other individual, renting an condominium might be the perfect budget-friendly possibility. 

For about $350-400 per week, you may hire a spacious one-bedroom condominium for 2, the place you’ll have a personal lavatory and kitchen. Since you’ll have entry to a kitchen,  you may prepare dinner most of your meals and save fairly a bit of cash on meals. And that’s on a price range of $170-200 per individual for a whole week.  

A mid-range price range 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 price range of $70-100 per evening, you may afford the majority of the lodging within the nation. 

This incredible five-star resort is simply $150 per evening for 2,  and this pretty cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a price range of $400-700 per individual 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 situation. An all-inclusive resort with direct seaside entry will typically run you $400-500 per evening per individual. However select a resort with out direct seaside entry, and also you’ll pay almost half that quantity for a similar degree of service. Basically, anticipate five-star motels and all-inclusive resorts to price $300-500 per evening, per individual, so about $1,800-3,000 per week. 

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

In case you’re simply in search of a spot the place you may have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good possibility. There are many motels and resorts the place you may take pleasure in lounging on the seaside 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 essential as the place. Journey to Costa Rica in Might or June, and also you’ll get the perfect resort offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate remains to be dry sufficient. Resorts are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.  

Price of Transportation

In case you’re not pressed for time and like to save cash, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and keep on 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 simply an hour faster, so it’s usually not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly if you happen to’re making an attempt to go to Costa Rica on a price range.  

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 be possibility for transfers between two cities which can be comparatively shut to 1 one other, as it may be considerably sooner than the bus however not extraordinarily costly. 

So, what do you have to price range for transportation? 

It actually will depend on your journey type. In case you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, then you definately simply have to price range for the switch to and from the airport. 

A tough day by day price range for Costa Rica could be $15 for price range 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 stress-free on the seaside. 

Additionally, if you happen to plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, break up the price of the exercise between the price range for leisure and transportation. In case you can set up the tour by yourself, it is going to be loads cheaper, nevertheless it’s comprehensible if you happen to choose to have a information with you abroad. 

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

Automotive Rental In Costa Rica

Renting a automotive is mostly not a price range journey tip, however it might prevent fairly a bit of cash in Costa Rica. In case you’re planning to go to the nationwide parks and journey to extra secluded locations, automotive rental is by far the most affordable possibility for getting across the nation. 

Automotive rental is $55-60 per day, together with fuel and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per individual, and if you happen to’re touring with multiple different individual, it’s a no brainer. Having a automotive in Costa Rica additionally provides you the final word freedom to discover the nation and lets you skip guided excursions as you don’t want to fret about transportation. Plus, you don’t want it each single day; hire a automotive for 4 days of every week’s keep, and that comes out to a transportation price range of $18 per individual for your entire week. 

Driving in Costa Rica is mostly very secure, and the principle roads are in good situation. Roads off the crushed path should not fairly as clean; typically, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes could be fairly massive. In case you’re contemplating automotive rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you’ll be superb with smaller autos. However if you wish to discover nature and go to nationwide parks, you’ll encounter rougher roads, and I counsel a car with a excessive floor clearance. These are normally priced at $75-85 per day. 

Flights to Costa Rica

The majority of your price range for transportation in Costa Rica shall be allotted in the direction of the flight to the nation. In case you’re coming from the USA, you may normally get deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airways affords round-trip flights from Miami which can be underneath $200 per individual, 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 typical price of a return flight from Europe to Costa Rica was $850, though you may be capable of get a greater deal if you happen to journey within the low season. 

Price of Meals

Consuming out in Costa Rica could be expensive if you happen to aren’t accustomed to the native tips. The principle factor to know is that many eating places have menus in Spanish and English, with larger costs on their English menus. These eating places are vacationer traps, and the meals is never pretty much as good as the worth would point out. 

Whereas $30 for a primary course isn’t an outrageous quantity, it’s costly in Costa Rica, the place the typical 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 may 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 vital for Costa Rica on a price range. 

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

Grocery Buying In Costa Rica

Funds vacationers are unlikely to eat out for each meal in Costa Rica. It can save you a good sum of money if you happen to store for groceries and prepare dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Native grocery shops in Costa Rica are ample in inexpensive recent fruit and greens, and you may typically get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the facet of the highway. Even simply 1,000 CRC ($2) goes a good distance in Costa Rica and is sufficient for a home-cooked meal. Pineapple is de facto low-cost in Costa Rica, and you may normally get three items for about $2. 

A weekly price range 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 a web-based store the place you may try the costs and availability of substances within the closest store to you.

Additionally, many grocery shops within the greater 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 can maintain you full, and it’s cheaper than consuming out. 

How A lot To Funds For Meals In Costa Rica

Funds vacationers who store for groceries and eat out solely a few occasions can simply get by with a price range of $50 per week. Consuming a number of vegetarian meals shall be even cheaper, as recent produce is mostly very inexpensive 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 keep on with sodas, a price range of $100-150 per week for one individual must be sufficient. Some days, you’ll spend rather less, and others, you’ll spend somewhat 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 worth of primary programs ranges from $25-40. A tasting menu in San Jose’s fanciest restaurant is round $110 per individual with out wine pairings, so you might simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals if you happen to needed. 

However say you eat breakfast on the resort, go to a extra inexpensive place for lunch, and splurge for dinner. That’s a price range of $300-500 per week for meals and drinks. 

Price of Actions

How a lot cash will you spend on sightseeing and actions whilst you’re in Costa Rica? That largely will depend on what you love to do; there are a lot of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you might simply discover chunk of the nation with out spending something. Uncover the mountaineering 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 well-liked place like Arenal Volcano Nationwide Park, or take pleasure in a day of deep-sea fishing, the prices rapidly add up. I like how Costa Rica is sweet each for vacationers preferring to discover the free actions and for individuals who need to expertise these bucket checklist adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier various, however price 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 individuals, however that’s simply a part of touring to Costa Rica. 

Funds vacationers are more likely to keep on with free actions and revel in 2-3 paid excursions throughout their keep. A tough price range of $20 per exercise provides you all kinds of choices, because it covers all the things from kayaking to nationwide park entrances and entry to waterfalls. A weekly price range could possibly be as little as $50, however I like to recommend growing it as a result of the actions are the perfect factor about Costa Rica. In case you can handle a weekly price range 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 need to do one thing enjoyable day by day of their keep. A weekly price range of $150-200 must be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable your entire time. 

Luxurious vacationers are most certainly to spring for expensive actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. In case you’re doing one thing that prices $100 day by day, you may simply spend $600-700 for every week in Costa Rica. 

Funds For 1 Week in Costa Rica

Funds For two Weeks in Costa Rica