Costa Rica is a ravishing nation to go to, particularly when you’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has turn out 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 turn out to be fairly dear in comparison with its neighboring nations, however it’s nonetheless low cost in comparison with in style vacationer locations in North America and even Western Europe.
After visiting the nation a number of instances and touring by a variety of totally different means, we predict we’ve 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 info.
So, how a lot cash do you’ll want to 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 nations, however it’s nonetheless usually reasonably priced in comparison with the USA and Western Europe. Should you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive value of dwelling, I doubt you’ll discover Costa Rica very costly.
Additionally, there are tons of how it can save you cash whereas touring Costa Rica. Skip the guided excursions and discover as a lot as you possibly can by yourself, and attempt to keep away from eating places that cater particularly to English-speaking vacationers. Most excursions and eating places that intention to draw as many English-speaking guests as potential 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 needs to be straightforward to keep away from the inflated vacationer costs when visiting Costa Rica.
On prime of that, it is going to 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 possibly can nonetheless have a ton of enjoyable in Costa Rica.
Frequent Questions About Visiting Costa Rica
Is Costa Rica Costly For Holidays?
Costa Rica is an costly vacation vacation spot in comparison with different nations in Central America. However when you select your lodge properly, benefit from the free sights, and be good about the place you eat, a visit to Costa Rica doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution.
What Is The Common Price of a Journey to Costa Rica?
The typical value of a visit to Costa Rica is $800-1,300 USD for mid-range vacationers. It’s potential to journey to the nation with a smaller funds of round $500, however that doesn’t embrace the price of a return flight.
How A lot Does An Common Meal Price in Costa Rica?
A mean meal in Costa Rica prices $15. Loads of cheaper and pricier choices can be found, however $15 ought to get you a pleasant meal in most eating places.
How A lot Cash Do You Want For 7 Days In Costa Rica?
You want not less than $1,200 for seven days in Costa Rica with lodging and a return flight (from the US). Though the nation will be explored on a smaller funds, it’s not fairly as pleasant when you miss out on enjoyable actions for the sake of saving cash.
Price Of Lodging
Costa Rica is an effective 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 night time. Whether or not you need to journey low cost or dwell it up, you will see loads of choices in your worth vary.
Finances vacationers are almost certainly to remain at personal residences, hostels, or low cost lodges. The typical Costa Rican hostel fees $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly funds for lodging in Costa Rica will be as little as $120. I’ll say that when you’re touring with one other particular person, renting an house might be the most effective budget-friendly choice.
For about $350-400 per week, you possibly can hire a spacious one-bedroom house for 2, the place you should have a personal lavatory and kitchen. Since you’ll have entry to a kitchen, you possibly can 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 possibly can 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 night time, you possibly can afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This incredible five-star lodge is simply $150 per night time for 2, and this pretty cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a funds of $400-700 per particular person for a whole week.
Luxurious vacationers would possibly select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re considerable in Costa Rica, however their value varies fairly a bit relying on the situation. An all-inclusive resort with direct seashore entry will usually run you $400-500 per night time per particular person. However select a resort with out direct seashore entry, and also you’ll pay practically half that quantity for a similar degree of service. Generally, anticipate five-star lodges and all-inclusive resorts to value $300-500 per night time, 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 in style with vacationers.
Should you’re simply on the lookout for a spot the place you possibly can have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good choice. There are many lodges and resorts the place you possibly can 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 necessary as the place. Journey to Costa Rica in Could or June, and also you’ll get the most effective lodge offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate remains to be dry sufficient. Accommodations are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.
Finances:
Finances vacationers can discover lodging in Costa Rica for as little as $10 per night time. That’s if you wish to camp in a tent on the grounds of a hostel; when you favor to have a mattress in a room and entry to a shared lavatory, you’ll have to spend not less than $20-25 per night time. Double rooms in funds lodges and personal residences are $50-100 per night time, and a few of the lodges I’ve seen that provide double rooms for $80-100 per night time are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Vary:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star lodges. Should you can funds about $600 per particular person for lodging for the week, you’ll have your choose of lodges and residences throughout Costa Rica.
Luxurious:
All-inclusive beachfront resorts are the epitome of luxurious in Costa Rica. Spend your days enjoyable on the seashore or by the pool, getting cocktails delivered to your lounge chair. The resorts begin at roughly $600 per night time for 2 vacationers, with many choices that exceed the nightly charge of $1,000.
Price of Transportation
Should you’re not pressed for time and like to economize, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and persist with good previous public transportation. Positive, they’re a bit quicker 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 barely an hour faster, so it’s usually not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly when you’re making an attempt to go to Costa Rica on a funds.
For shorter journeys, Uber is most popular to taxis. Native taxi drivers are generally sketchy and would possibly attempt to rip you off; Uber is way safer as you comply with a worth beforehand. Uber can also be a superb choice for transfers between two cities which can be comparatively shut to 1 one other, as it may be considerably quicker than the bus however not extraordinarily costly.
So, what must you funds for transportation?
It actually depends upon your journey fashion. Should 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 day by day funds for Costa Rica can be $15 for funds vacationers, $40 for mid-range vacationers, and round $80-100 for luxurious vacationers. And that’s since you don’t really want to go someplace far every single day of your keep; take at some point to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day enjoyable on the seashore.
Additionally, when you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, cut up the price of the exercise between the funds for leisure and transportation. Should you can manage the tour by yourself, it is going to be so much cheaper, however it’s comprehensible when you favor to have a information with you in another country.
The cities and cities in Costa Rica are usually walkable, so that you don’t have to funds a lot to discover the vacationer sights. Should you keep in downtown San Jose, you’ll be capable of 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 could be a bit sketchy within the night.
Automotive Rental In Costa Rica
Renting a automobile is mostly not a funds journey tip, however it may possibly prevent fairly a bit of cash in Costa Rica. Should you’re planning to go to the nationwide parks and journey to extra secluded locations, automobile rental is by far the most cost effective choice for getting across the nation.
Automotive rental is $55-60 per day, together with gasoline and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per particular person, and when you’re touring with multiple different particular person, it’s a no brainer. Having a automobile in Costa Rica additionally offers you the last 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 automobile for 4 days of per 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 secure, and the primary roads are in good situation. Roads off the overwhelmed path usually are not fairly as clean; usually, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes will be fairly large. Should you’re contemplating automobile rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you’ll be fantastic with smaller automobiles. 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 often priced at $75-85 per day.
Flights to Costa Rica
The majority of your funds for transportation in Costa Rica shall be allotted in direction of the flight to the nation. Should you’re coming from the USA, you possibly can often get a superb deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airways presents round-trip flights from Miami which can be below $200 per particular person, which is dirt-cheap in comparison with the price of flying out of Europe.
The most cost effective round-trip flights from Europe I’ve seen have been round $700, and people have been uncommon. The typical value of a return flight from Europe to Costa Rica was $850, though you would possibly be capable of get a greater deal when you journey within the low season.
Price of Meals
Consuming out in Costa Rica will be dear when you aren’t aware of 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 isn’t pretty much as good as the worth would point out.
Whereas $30 for a most important course isn’t an outrageous quantity, it’s costly in Costa Rica, the place the typical value of a restaurant meal is $10-20. A $30 meal is sort of a luxurious deal with at a superb 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 hunt out sodas. These are small, family-owned, hole-in-the-wall eating places that often don’t also have a menu in English. It’s the place all of the locals eat, and you’ll often have a very nice meal for simply $10. You get to eat the most effective native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is vital for Costa Rica on a funds.
Additionally, it’s necessary to take into account that consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is mostly costlier than within the smaller cities. Locations off the overwhelmed path will provide higher offers each for lodging and meals, and it’s one more reason why it’s best to think about staying in a city that’s not included in all of the vacationer guides for Central and South America.
Regardless of the place you keep and the way a lot cash you’ll be able to spend on meals in Costa Rica, listed here are some meals that it’s best to intention to attempt, even when it means you need to splurge:
Casado is a Costa Rican dish consisting of rice, plantain, black beans, tortilla, salad, and optionally meat. It’s often $6-10 in a restaurant, relying on whether or not it contains meat.
Gallo Pinto is one other conventional Costa Rican dish primarily based on beans and rice. It’s historically served for breakfast with fried eggs and often prices 3,500-4,500 CRC ($7-9).
Arroz con leche is to Costa Rica what Tiramisu is to Italy. It’s the most effective native dessert that you will discover in nearly each restaurant, and it’s so scrumptious that you just’ll need to eat it after each meal. The candy rice pudding is often priced at 1,300-2,000 CRC, which is roughly $3-4.
Grocery Buying In Costa Rica
Finances vacationers are unlikely to eat out for each meal in Costa Rica. It can save you a good amount of cash when you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Native grocery shops in Costa Rica are considerable in reasonably priced contemporary fruit and greens, and you’ll usually get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the facet of the street. 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’ll often 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 a web based store the place you possibly can try the costs and availability of elements within the closest store to you.
Additionally, many grocery shops within the larger cities in Costa Rica have a ready meals part. Meals are often priced at 2,000-3,000 CRC ($4-6), and the parts are very beneficiant. It gained’t be the tastiest meals you eat in Costa Rica, however it would preserve 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 instances 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 would possibly do one grocery run after which eat out for one meal per day. In the event that they persist with sodas, a funds of $100-150 per week for one particular person needs to be sufficient. Some days, you’ll spend rather less, and others, you’ll spend somewhat extra, however that amount of cash needs to 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 most important 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 would simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals when 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 depends upon what you love to do; there are lots of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you would simply discover a superb 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 shortly add up. I like how Costa Rica is sweet each for vacationers preferring to discover the free actions and for many 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.
Finances vacationers are more likely to persist 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 all the things 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 most effective factor about Costa Rica. Should you can handle a weekly funds of $100 for leisure, you possibly can 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 every single day of their keep. A weekly funds of $150-200 needs to be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable all the time.
Luxurious vacationers are almost certainly to spring for dear actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. Should you’re doing one thing that prices $100 every single day, you possibly can simply spend $600-700 for per week in Costa Rica.
Finances For 1 Week in Costa Rica
Right here’s a breakdown of a mid-range funds for one week in Costa Rica:
$600 for lodging
$150 meals
$250 for transportation
$200 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
That’s round $1,200 per particular person for a whole week, not together with the return flight. And remember I’ve allotted the next funds for meals and actions; when you have been to spend a few days having fun with the free issues to do in Costa Rica and eat out much less incessantly, you would simply get by with a funds of $1,000 per week.
Finances vacationers can expertise Costa Rica for $400-500 in per week, whereas luxurious vacationers will spend not less than $2,500. I have to say that, for luxurious vacationers, reserving an all-inclusive resort drastically reduces the funds for meals and drinks.
Finances For two Weeks in Costa Rica
A two-week funds for a mid-range traveler in Costa Rica is just about simply double the weekly funds:
$1,200 for lodging
$300 meals
$500 for transportation
$400 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
Finances vacationers could make do with $800-1,000 for 2 weeks, whereas mid-range vacationers want $2,000-2,500 for the most effective expertise. Luxurious vacationers are more likely to spend not less than $5,000 for an all-inclusive two-week trip in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is certainly one in all our favorite nations in Latin America. It doesn’t actually matter in case you are a backpacker on a funds or somebody on the lookout for luxurious; you might be assured to have an incredible journey. Whereas it’s true that Costa Rica is just not the most cost effective vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it would break the financial institution both. Should you comply with our strategies above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica figuring out that you would be able to preserve your funds the place you want it and have a good time as nicely.