Costa Rica is a gorgeous nation to go to, particularly should you’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has turn 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 turn into fairly dear in comparison with its neighboring international locations, 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 occasions and touring by a number of totally different means, we expect we’ve got a good suggestion of the particular prices of journey in Costa Rica. Heck, we even have good associates who moved down there and are loving it, in addition to different associates who owned and ran a lodge in Costa Rica for years. That is first-hand data.
So, how a lot cash do you could journey to Costa Rica, and is price range journey within the nation even doable? Let’s dive into the price range 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, however it’s nonetheless usually inexpensive in comparison with the US and Western Europe. When 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 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 doable have particular costs for vacationers and cost them 3 times as a lot as they do locals. If there’s no 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 prime 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 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 international locations in Central America. However should 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 Common Price of a Journey to Costa Rica?
The typical price of a visit to Costa Rica is $800-1,300 USD for mid-range vacationers. It’s doable to journey to the nation with a smaller price range of round $500, however that doesn’t embody the price of a return flight.
How A lot Does An Common Meal Price in Costa Rica?
A median 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 no less than $1,200 for seven days in Costa Rica with lodging and a return flight (from the US). Though the nation might be explored on a smaller price range, it’s not fairly as pleasurable should 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 might be $1,000+ per evening. Whether or not you need to journey low cost or reside it up, you’ll discover loads of choices in your value vary.
Funds vacationers are most definitely to remain at non-public residences, hostels, or low cost resorts. The typical Costa Rican hostel costs $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly price range for lodging in Costa Rica might be as little as $120. I’ll say that should you’re touring with one other individual, renting an residence might be the very best budget-friendly possibility.
For about $350-400 per week, you possibly can hire a spacious one-bedroom residence for 2, the place you should have a personal rest room 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 price range of $170-200 per individual for a whole week.
A mid-range price range in Costa Rica means you possibly can keep in nearly each sort of lodging within the nation, barring a elaborate beachfront resort with all-inclusive service. With a price range of $70-100 per evening, you possibly can afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This incredible five-star lodge is simply $150 per evening for 2, and this beautiful cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a price range of $400-700 per individual for a whole week.
Luxurious vacationers would possibly 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 seashore entry will typically run you $400-500 per evening per individual. However select a resort with out direct seashore entry, and also you’ll pay practically half that quantity for a similar stage of service. Generally, anticipate five-star resorts 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.
When you’re simply searching for a spot the place you possibly can have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good possibility. There are many resorts and resorts the place you possibly can get pleasure from 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 bear in mind is that when is simply as vital as the place. Journey to Costa Rica in Might or June, and also you’ll get the very best lodge offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate remains to be dry sufficient. Inns are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.
Funds:
Funds 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; should you want to have a mattress in a room and entry to a shared rest room, you’ll must spend no less than $20-25 per evening. Double rooms in price range resorts and personal residences are $50-100 per evening, and a few of the resorts I’ve seen that provide double rooms for $80-100 per evening are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Vary:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star resorts. When you can price range about $600 per individual for lodging for the week, you’ll have your decide of resorts and residences throughout Costa Rica.
Luxurious:
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.
Price of Transportation
When you’re not pressed for time and like to save cash, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and persist with good outdated public transportation. Certain, 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 simply an hour faster, so it’s usually not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly should you’re attempting to go to Costa Rica on a price range.
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 value beforehand. Uber can also be a great possibility for transfers between two cities which might be comparatively shut to 1 one other, as it may be considerably quicker than the bus however not extraordinarily costly.
So, what do you have to price range for transportation?
It actually relies on your journey fashion. When you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, you then simply must price range for the switch to and from the airport.
A tough every 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 really want to go someplace far on daily basis of your keep; take in the future to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day stress-free on the seashore.
Additionally, should you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, cut up the price of the exercise between the price range for leisure and transportation. When you can manage the tour by yourself, it is going to be so much cheaper, however it’s comprehensible should 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 must price range 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 the town could be a bit sketchy within the night.
Automobile Rental In Costa Rica
Renting a automotive is mostly not a price range journey tip, however it may 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 affordable 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 individual, and should you’re touring with multiple different individual, it’s a no brainer. Having a automotive in Costa Rica additionally provides you the last word freedom to discover the nation and permits you to 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 per 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 protected, and the primary roads are in good situation. Roads off the crushed path are usually not fairly as easy; typically, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes might be fairly massive. When you’re contemplating automotive rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you may be effective with smaller automobiles. However 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 majority of your price range for transportation in Costa Rica will probably be allotted in direction of the flight to the nation. When you’re coming from the US, you possibly can normally get a great deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airways affords round-trip flights from Miami which might 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 had been round $700, and people had been uncommon. The typical price of a return flight from Europe to Costa Rica was $850, though you would possibly be capable to get a greater deal should you journey within the low season.
Price of Meals
Consuming out in Costa Rica might be dear should you aren’t conversant in the native tips. The principle factor to know is that many eating places have menus in Spanish and English, with increased costs on their English menus. These eating places are vacationer traps, and the meals isn’t nearly as good as the value would point out.
Whereas $30 for a foremost 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 a great 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 down 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 very best native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is vital for Costa Rica on a price range.
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 crushed path will supply 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.
Irrespective 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 it’s important 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’s 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 very best native dessert that yow 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 normally priced at 1,300-2,000 CRC, which is roughly $3-4.
Grocery Purchasing 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 should you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Native grocery shops in Costa Rica are ample in inexpensive contemporary fruit and greens, and you may 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 absolutely 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 possibly can take a look at the costs and availability of elements 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 gained’t be the tastiest meals you eat in Costa Rica, however it’ll 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 will probably be even cheaper, as contemporary produce is mostly very inexpensive 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 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 until they’re staying in all-inclusive lodging. Fancy eating places in Costa Rica are fairly costly, and the value of foremost 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 should you wished.
However say you eat breakfast on the lodge, 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 when you’re in Costa Rica? That largely relies on what you love to do; there are lots of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you can simply discover a great chunk of the nation with out spending something. Uncover the mountain 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 get pleasure from 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 many who need to expertise these bucket checklist adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier different, 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 prone to persist with free actions and luxuriate 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 may very well be as little as $50, however I like to recommend growing it as a result of the actions are the very best factor about Costa Rica. When you can handle a weekly price range 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 most likely need to do one thing enjoyable on daily basis 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 definitely to spring for dear actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. When you’re doing one thing that prices $100 on daily basis, you possibly can simply spend $600-700 for per week in Costa Rica.
Funds For 1 Week in Costa Rica
Right here’s a breakdown of a mid-range price range 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 whole week, not together with the return flight. And bear in mind I’ve allotted a better price range for meals and actions; should you had 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 price range of $1,000 per week.
Funds vacationers can expertise Costa Rica for $400-500 in per week, whereas luxurious vacationers will spend no less than $2,500. I have to say that, for luxurious vacationers, reserving an all-inclusive resort drastically reduces the price range for meals and drinks.
Funds For two Weeks in Costa Rica
A two-week price range for a mid-range traveler in Costa Rica is just about simply double the weekly price range:
- $1,200 for lodging
- $300 meals
- $500 for transportation
- $400 for actions
- $200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
Funds vacationers could make do with $800-1,000 for 2 weeks, whereas mid-range vacationers want $2,000-2,500 for the very best expertise. Luxurious vacationers are prone to spend no less than $5,000 for an all-inclusive two-week trip in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is certainly one among our favorite international locations in Latin America. It doesn’t actually matter if you’re a backpacker on a price range or somebody searching for luxurious; you might be assured to have a tremendous journey. Whereas it’s true that Costa Rica will not be the most affordable vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it’ll break the financial institution both. When you comply with our options above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica understanding which you can maintain your price range the place you want it and have a good time as effectively.
