Costa Rica is an exquisite nation to go to, particularly when you’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has develop into the place to go to in Latin America over the previous 10 years, and for good purpose. Of course, with that recognition comes a rise in costs. Costa Rica has develop into 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 instances and touring by plenty of totally different means, we expect we have now 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. This is first-hand data.
So, how a lot cash do you might want to journey to Costa Rica, and is price range journey within the nation even potential? Let’s dive into the price range breakdown for a Costa Rica vacation.
Is It Expensive To Visit Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is form of an costly nation to go to. It’s costlier than different Central American international locations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless usually reasonably priced in comparison with the United States and Western Europe. If you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive price of dwelling, 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 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 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 when 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 price range of round $500, however that doesn’t embrace 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 will be explored on a smaller price range, it’s not fairly as fulfilling when 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 might be $1,000+ per night time. Whether you wish to journey low-cost or reside it up, you will discover loads of choices in your value vary.
Budget vacationers are more than likely to remain at personal residences, hostels, or low-cost inns. The common Costa Rican hostel expenses $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly price range for lodging in Costa Rica will be as little as $120. I’ll say that when you’re touring with one other individual, renting an condominium might be the very best 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 non-public lavatory 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 price range of $170-200 per individual for a complete week.
A mid-range price range in Costa Rica means you’ll be able to 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 night time, you’ll be able to afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This improbable five-star lodge is simply $150 per night time for 2, and this beautiful cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a price range of $400-700 per individual for a complete week.
Luxury vacationers would possibly select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re plentiful in Costa Rica, however their price varies fairly a bit relying on the situation. An all-inclusive resort with direct seaside entry will usually run you $400-500 per night time per individual. But select a resort with out direct seaside entry, and also you’ll pay almost half that quantity for a similar stage of service. In basic, count on five-star inns and all-inclusive resorts to price $300-500 per night time, 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 reasonably priced than the Pacific coast, largely as a result of the cities there aren’t fairly as widespread with vacationers.
If you’re simply searching for 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 inns and resorts the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from lounging on the seaside 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 essential as the place. Travel to Costa Rica in May 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. 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 night time. That’s if you wish to camp in a tent on the grounds of a hostel; when you want 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 price range inns and personal residences are $50-100 per night time, and a number of the inns I’ve seen that provide double rooms for $80-100 per night time are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Range:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star inns. If you’ll be able to price range about $600 per individual for lodging for the week, you’ll have your choose of inns and residences throughout Costa Rica.
Luxury:
All-inclusive beachfront resorts are the epitome of luxurious in Costa Rica. Spend your days enjoyable on the seaside 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 price of $1,000.
Cost of Transportation
If 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 outdated public transportation. Sure, 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 just an hour faster, so it’s usually not value it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly when you’re attempting to go to Costa Rica on a price range.
For shorter journeys, Uber is most popular to taxis. Local 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 be a very good possibility for transfers between two cities which might be comparatively shut to at least one one other, as it may be considerably quicker than the bus however not extraordinarily costly.
So, what must you price range for transportation?
It actually is determined by your journey model. If you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, you then 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 really want to go someplace far every single day of your keep; take someday to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day enjoyable on the seaside.
Also, when you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, break up the price of the exercise between the price range for leisure and transportation. If you’ll be able to arrange the tour by yourself, it is going to be quite a bit cheaper, nevertheless it’s comprehensible when 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 price range 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 generally is a bit sketchy within the night.
Car 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. If 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.
Car rental is $55-60 per day, together with fuel and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per individual, and when you’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 permits you to 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 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 overwhelmed path usually are not fairly as clean; usually, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes will be fairly large. If you’re contemplating automotive rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you may be advantageous with smaller autos. But 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 bulk of your price range 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 often get a very good deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airlines gives 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 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 would possibly be capable of get a greater deal when you journey within the low season.
Cost of Food
Eating out in Costa Rica will be expensive when you aren’t aware of the native methods. The principal 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 is never nearly as good as the worth would point out.
While $30 for a principal 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 sort of a luxurious deal with at a very good 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 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 very best native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is essential for Costa Rica on a price range.
Also, it’s essential to take into account that consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is mostly costlier than within the smaller cities. Destinations off the overwhelmed 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 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 often $6-10 in a restaurant, relying on whether or not it consists of meat.
Gallo Pinto is one other conventional Costa Rican dish based mostly on beans and rice. It is 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 very best native dessert that you will discover in nearly each restaurant, and it’s so scrumptious that you simply’ll wish 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 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 when you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Local grocery shops in Costa Rica are plentiful in reasonably priced recent fruit and greens, and you’ll usually get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the aspect 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 basically low-cost in Costa Rica, and you’ll often 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’ll be able to try the costs and availability of elements within the closest store to you.
Also, many grocery shops within the greater 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 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 Much To Budget For Food In Costa Rica
Budget vacationers who store for groceries and eat out solely a few instances can simply get by with a price range of $50 per week. Eating a number of vegetarian meals shall be even cheaper, as recent 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. If they stick with sodas, a price range of $100-150 per week for one individual 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.
Luxury 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 principal 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 when you wished.
But say you eat breakfast on the lodge, go to a extra reasonably priced place for lunch, and splurge for dinner. That’s a price range of $300-500 per week for meals and drinks.
Cost of Activities
How a lot cash will you spend on sightseeing and actions whilst you’re in Costa Rica? That largely is determined by what you love to do; there are lots of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you can simply discover a very good 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 preferred place like Arenal Volcano National Park, or get pleasure from 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 wish to expertise these bucket record adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier various, however value 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 folks, 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 price range of $20 per exercise provides you all kinds of choices, because it covers every little thing 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 rising it as a result of the actions are the very best factor about Costa Rica. If you’ll be able to handle a weekly price range 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 in all probability wish to do one thing enjoyable every single day of their keep. A weekly price range of $150-200 needs to be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable your entire time.
Luxury vacationers are more than likely to spring for expensive actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. If you’re doing one thing that prices $100 every single 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 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 complete week, not together with the return flight. And take into account I’ve allotted a better price range 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 continuously, you can simply get by with a price range 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 price range for meals and drinks.
Budget For 2 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
Budget 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. Luxury vacationers are prone to spend not 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 in case you are a backpacker on a price range or somebody searching for luxurious; you might be assured to have a tremendous journey. While it’s true that Costa Rica is just not the most affordable vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it would break the financial institution both. If you comply with our strategies above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica figuring out which you can maintain your price range the place you want it and have a good time as nicely.