Costa Rica is a ravishing nation to go to, particularly in case you’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. Of course, with that recognition comes a rise in costs. Costa Rica has grow to be fairly dear in comparison with its neighboring international locations, but it surely’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 occasions and touring by plenty of completely different means, we predict we’ve got 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. This is first-hand data.
So, how a lot cash do it is advisable journey to Costa Rica, and is finances journey within the nation even potential? Let’s dive into the finances breakdown for a Costa Rica vacation.
Is It Expensive To Visit Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is sort of an costly nation to go to. It’s dearer than different Central American international locations, but it surely’s nonetheless usually inexpensive in comparison with the United States and Western Europe. If you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive price of residing, I doubt you’ll discover Costa Rica very costly.
Also, 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’ll be able to 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 not less than one fluent Spanish speaker in your group, it needs to be simple to keep away from the inflated vacationer costs when visiting Costa Rica.
On prime of that, it will likely be considerably cheaper to go to the nation within the low season. Plan a visit between May and November, and it can save you some huge cash on flights, lodging, actions, and even meals. As lengthy as you don’t thoughts that it’s the wet season (however nonetheless heat), you’ll be able to nonetheless have a ton of enjoyable in Costa Rica.
Common Questions About Visiting Costa Rica
Is Costa Rica Expensive For Holidays?
Costa Rica is an costly vacation vacation spot in comparison with different international locations in Central America. But in case you select your lodge correctly, 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 Average Cost of a Trip to Costa Rica?
The common price 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 finances of round $500, however that doesn’t embody the price of a return flight.
How Much Does An Average Meal Cost in Costa Rica?
An common meal in Costa Rica prices $15. Plenty of cheaper and pricier choices can be found, however $15 ought to get you a pleasant meal in most eating places.
How Much Money Do You Need 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). Although the nation could be explored on a smaller finances, it’s not fairly as pleasurable in case you miss out on enjoyable actions for the sake of saving cash.
Cost Of Accommodation
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 you need to journey low-cost or stay it up, you will see that loads of choices in your value vary.
Budget vacationers are almost definitely to remain at non-public residences, hostels, or low-cost accommodations. The common Costa Rican hostel prices $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly finances for lodging in Costa Rica could be as little as $120. I’ll say that in case you’re touring with one other individual, renting an condominium might be the most effective budget-friendly possibility.
For about $350-400 per week, you’ll be able to lease a spacious one-bedroom condominium for 2, the place you’ll have a personal toilet and kitchen. Because you’ll have entry to a kitchen, you’ll be able to cook dinner most of your meals and save fairly a bit of cash on meals. And that’s on a finances of $170-200 per individual for a complete week.
A mid-range finances in Costa Rica means you’ll be able to keep in just about each sort of lodging within the nation, barring a elaborate beachfront resort with all-inclusive service. With a finances of $70-100 per evening, you’ll be able to afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This improbable five-star lodge is simply $150 per evening for 2, and this beautiful cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a finances of $400-700 per individual for a complete week.
Luxury vacationers may select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re considerable in Costa Rica, however their price varies fairly a bit relying on the placement. An all-inclusive resort with direct seashore entry will typically run you $400-500 per evening per individual. But select a resort with out direct seashore entry, and also you’ll pay almost half that quantity for a similar degree of service. In normal, count on five-star accommodations 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 lodge 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 in style with vacationers.
If you’re simply in search of a spot the place you’ll be able to have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good possibility. There are loads of accommodations and resorts the place you’ll be able to 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 aspect of the nation.
Another factor to remember is that when is simply as vital as the place. Travel to Costa Rica in May 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 continues to be dry sufficient. Hotels are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.
Budget:
Budget vacationers can discover lodging in Costa Rica for as little as $10 per evening. That’s if you wish to camp in a tent on the grounds of a hostel; in case you want to have a mattress in a room and entry to a shared toilet, you’ll have to spend not less than $20-25 per evening. Double rooms in finances accommodations and personal residences are $50-100 per evening, and a number of the accommodations I’ve seen that supply double rooms for $80-100 per evening are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Range:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star accommodations. If you’ll be able to finances about $600 per individual for lodging for the week, you’ll have your choose of accommodations and residences throughout Costa Rica.
Luxury:
All-inclusive beachfront resorts are the epitome of luxurious in Costa Rica. Spend your days stress-free on the seashore or by the pool, getting cocktails delivered to your lounge chair. The resorts begin at roughly $600 per evening for 2 vacationers, with many choices that exceed the nightly price of $1,000.
Cost of Transportation
If you’re not pressed for time and like to save cash, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and stick with good previous public transportation. Sure, they’re a bit sooner than the native buses, however they’re additionally considerably dearer. 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 usually not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly in case you’re attempting to go to Costa Rica on a finances.
For shorter journeys, Uber is most well-liked to taxis. Local 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 a superb 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 must you finances for transportation?
It actually will depend on your journey fashion. If you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, you then simply have to finances for the switch to and from the airport.
A tough every day finances for Costa Rica could be $15 for finances 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 each day of your keep; take in the future to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day stress-free on the seashore.
Also, in case you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, cut up the price of the exercise between the finances for leisure and transportation. If you’ll be able to manage the tour by yourself, it will likely be so much cheaper, but it surely’s comprehensible in case you want 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 finances a lot to discover the vacationer sights. If 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 the town is usually a bit sketchy within the night.
Car Rental In Costa Rica
Renting a automobile is usually not a finances journey tip, however it could possibly prevent fairly a bit of cash in Costa Rica. If you’re planning to go to the nationwide parks and journey to extra secluded locations, automobile rental is by far the most cost effective possibility for getting across the nation.
Car rental is $55-60 per day, together with fuel and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per individual, and in case you’re touring with multiple different individual, it’s a no brainer. Having a automobile in Costa Rica additionally offers 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; lease a automobile for 4 days of per week’s keep, and that comes out to a transportation finances of $18 per individual for all the week.
Driving in Costa Rica is usually 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 large. If you’re contemplating automobile rental only for simple transfers between cities, you can be advantageous with smaller autos. But if you wish to discover nature and go to nationwide parks, you’ll encounter rougher roads, and I recommend a automobile with a excessive floor clearance. These are normally priced at $75-85 per day.
Flights to Costa Rica
The bulk of your finances for transportation in Costa Rica shall be allotted in direction of the flight to the nation. If you’re coming from the United States, you’ll be able to normally get a superb deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airlines gives round-trip flights from Miami which can be beneath $200 per individual, which is dirt-cheap in comparison with the price of flying out of Europe.
The least expensive 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 of get a greater deal in case you journey within the low season.
Cost of Food
Eating out in Costa Rica could be dear in case you aren’t aware of the native methods. The fundamental 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 nearly as good as the worth would point out.
While $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 a superb native restaurant, not only a burger and a few fries at a vacationer joint.
The key 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 normally don’t actually 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 most effective native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is essential for Costa Rica on a finances.
Also, it’s vital to understand that consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is usually dearer than within the smaller cities. Destinations off the crushed path will supply higher offers each for lodging and meals, and it’s one more reason 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.
No matter the place you keep and the way a lot cash you’ll be able to spend on meals in Costa Rica, listed below are some meals that it is best to purpose 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 normally $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 is historically served for breakfast with fried eggs and normally 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 just about each restaurant, and it’s so scrumptious that you just’ll need to eat it after each meal. The candy rice pudding is normally priced at 1,300-2,000 CRC, which is roughly $3-4.
Grocery Shopping In Costa Rica
Budget vacationers are unlikely to eat out for each meal in Costa Rica. You can save a good amount of cash in case you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Local grocery shops in Costa Rica are considerable in inexpensive recent fruit and greens, and you’ll typically get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the aspect of the highway. Even simply 1,000 CRC ($2) goes a great distance in Costa Rica and is sufficient for a home-cooked meal. Pineapple is de facto low-cost in Costa Rica, and you’ll normally get three items for about $2.
A weekly finances 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’ll be able to try the costs and availability of components within the closest store to you.
Also, 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 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 Much To Budget For Food In Costa Rica
Budget vacationers who store for groceries and eat out solely a few occasions can simply get by with a finances of $50 per week. Eating a number of vegetarian meals shall be even cheaper, as recent produce is usually very inexpensive in Costa Rica.
Mid-range vacationers may do one grocery run after which eat out for one meal per day. If they stick with sodas, a finances of $100-150 per week for one individual needs to be sufficient. Some days, you’ll spend rather less, and others, you’ll spend a bit of extra, however that amount of cash needs to be sufficient to cowl all meals and drinks in Costa Rica.
Luxury vacationers usually tend to eat for each meal until they’re staying in all-inclusive lodging. Fancy eating places in Costa Rica are fairly costly, and the worth of fundamental 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 can simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals in case you needed.
But say you eat breakfast on the lodge, go to a extra inexpensive place for lunch, and splurge for dinner. That’s a finances of $300-500 per week for meals and drinks.
Cost of Activities
How a lot cash will you spend on sightseeing and actions when 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 can simply discover a superb chunk of the nation with out spending something. Discover the mountain climbing trails, swim within the sea, and stroll round San Jose, marveling on the structure and the native vibes.
But if you wish to go to a well-liked place like Arenal Volcano National Park, or take pleasure in a day of deep-sea fishing, the prices shortly add up. I like how Costa Rica is nice 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 most 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 is 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.
Budget vacationers are prone to stick with free actions and luxuriate in 2-3 paid excursions throughout their keep. A tough finances of $20 per exercise offers you all kinds of choices, because it covers the whole lot from kayaking to nationwide park entrances and entry to waterfalls. A weekly finances could possibly be as little as $50, however I like to recommend growing it as a result of the actions are the most effective factor about Costa Rica. If you’ll be able to handle a weekly finances of $100 for leisure, you’ll be able to even squeeze in one of many pricier experiences like ziplining in Monteverde or La Fortuna’s hanging bridges.
Mid-range vacationers will most likely need to do one thing enjoyable each day of their keep. A weekly finances of $150-200 needs to be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable all the time.
Luxury vacationers are almost definitely to spring for dear actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. If you’re doing one thing that prices $100 each day, you’ll be able to simply spend $600-700 for per week in Costa Rica.
Budget For 1 Week in Costa Rica
Here’s a breakdown of a mid-range finances 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 individual for a complete week, not together with the return flight. And take into account I’ve allotted the next finances for meals and actions; in case you have been to spend a few days having fun with the free issues to do in Costa Rica and eat out much less continuously, you can simply get by with a finances of $1,000 per week.
Budget vacationers can expertise Costa Rica for $400-500 in per week, whereas luxurious vacationers will spend not less than $2,500. I need to say that, for luxurious vacationers, reserving an all-inclusive resort drastically reduces the finances for meals and drinks.
Budget For 2 Weeks in Costa Rica
A two-week finances for a mid-range traveler in Costa Rica is just about simply double the weekly finances:
$1,200 for lodging
$300 meals
$500 for transportation
$400 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
Budget 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. Luxury vacationers are prone to spend not less than $5,000 for an all-inclusive two-week trip in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is unquestionably one in every of our favorite international locations in Latin America. It doesn’t actually matter in case you are a backpacker on a finances or somebody in search of luxurious; you’re assured to have a tremendous journey. While it’s true that Costa Rica just isn’t the most cost effective vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it would break the financial institution both. If you observe our solutions above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica understanding that you may preserve your finances the place you want it and have a good time as properly.