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Important Tips for Renting a Car in Costa Rica

October 8, 2025 By Sammi 699 Comments

If you’re thinking about renting a car in Costa Rica for your vacation, this guide will be everything you need to understand how it works.

We’ll explain the details of Costa Rican car rental insurance, best car rental agencies, car rental costs and deciding the best car for your trip to have a smooth and stress free Costa Rica car rental process.

This post has affiliate links which we may earn a small commission from if you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. Listed prices are quoted in USD and are estimates. More info: Disclosure

Mytanfeet Renting a Car in Costa Rica Guide

Mytanfeet is a licensed Costa Rican travel consulting company and we have helped thousands of readers rent a car in Costa Rica since 2014.

About Mytanfeet

Yeison, who is Costa Rican, has worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years and Samantha, from the United States, moved in 2012 to Costa Rica.

We’ve been traveling together throughout Costa Rica for over 15 years, gathering the most updated information to help you have the best car rental experience in Costa Rica.

Our website’s main purpose is to assist our readers plan their trip to Costa Rica: before, during and after, for a stress free, hassle free and worry free vacation.

Mytanfeet Costa Rica Car Rental Discount

If you’re ready to book your car, check out our exclusive Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits just for you!

We partner with Adobe Rent a Car and offer a minimum 10% discount off their rental car rate.

In addition, we offer freebies such as free additional drivers, free baby and booster seats, free luggage cover, free SIM card and a WIFI discount.

Furthermore, every single reservation made through Mytanfeet receives our customer service. We will assist you every step of the way to make sure your reservation is perfect.

Why Should You Rent a Car in Costa Rica

Here are some reasons why renting a car for your trip to Costa Rica will be the best option for you.

More Flexibility to Explore at Your Own Pace & Go Off the Beaten Path

The advantages of renting a car in Costa Rica are obvious: Go where you want, when you want.

As Costa Rica’s public transportation system is not very extensive, you won’t be restricted to anyone’s schedule but your own by renting a car in Costa Rica.

Having a rental car in Costa Rica allows you to go off the beaten path, stay at unique lodging, pick exactly what you want to do and see, leave when you want.

Explore and adventure at your own pace when you rent a car in Costa Rica.

Photo of a black pick up truck with the words "Mytanfeet" on the back, driving on a cleared dirt path with mountains in the background.
Driving through rural roads in Guanacaste

To maximize your vacation time, minimize the time spent figuring out how to get around.

For Long Term Stays in Costa Rica

Many people are visiting Costa Rica for long term stays, whether they want to experience living in Costa Rica or scope out a potential new home.

You can rent one for the entire period or rent a car when you want to explore.

Car Rental Costa Rica Monthly Rentals

Are you planning to be in Costa Rica for one month or longer?

Contact us and we will be happy to help you get a monthly rate for your rental.

If you want to experience Costa Rica like a local, then renting a car in Costa Rica is something you should do.

Costa Rica Car Rental Prices Are Comparable To Private Shuttles and Domestic Flights

When you add up the cost of booking private shuttles/domestic flights vs renting a car, renting a car is not outrageously more expensive.

Full Itinerary Transportation Cost Example

A classic Costa Rica 10 day itinerary is San Jose – La Fortuna – Monteverde – Manuel Antonio – San Jose. With private shuttles, the approximate cost is around $1100 USD for 1-6 people.

During high season, you can rent a 2wd subcompact crossover SUV for about ~$1100 USD with PLI and CDW insurance.

Without a rental car, you need to take taxis, Ubers or book tours with transportation to get around. These are extra costs to take into consideration.

Domestic Flights

Domestic flights cost anywhere from $80-250 USD per person one way. You are also limited to how much luggage you can bring on the small jumper planes and the schedules.

Furthermore, there aren’t local airstrips in every destination.

Convinced? Check out our car rental discount to compare prices and get quotes.

What Documents are Required to Rent a Car in Costa Rica as a Foreigner?

These are the required documents to rent a car in Costa Rica as a foreigner:

1. A valid original driver’s license
2. A valid original passport with a valid tourist visa stamp given at immigration
3. A physical credit card with the cardholder present that has enough funds for the payment and security deposit.

Canadians and Americans can rent a car in Costa Rica with their US and Canadian driver’s license.

An international driver’s license is not required in Costa Rica for Americans, Canadians and most countries in general.

However, if your driver’s license is not in Roman (Latin) script, then you will need to get an international driver’s license.

For example, if your license is 100% in Arabic or Russian without any English translation, then you will need an international driving permit or license.

Temporary paper copies or photocopies of your driver’s license are not accepted. Your driver’s license and passport cannot be expired or will expire during your car rental period.

Even if you have rented with the same company before, you need to bring your original driver’s license and original passport with you every time.

Requirements for Driving in Costa Rica

What is required to DRIVE in Costa Rica as a foreigner:

1. Your valid original passport with a valid tourist visa stamp given at immigration
2. A valid original driver’s license from your home country

You must have your driver’s license and passport with you whenever you drive in Costa Rica as a foreigner.

Read our driving in Costa Rica post for local tips to stay safe on the road.

Minimum Age

The minimum age to rent a car in Costa Rica ranges from 21-25 years of age.

Each company has their own minimum rental age policies which you will need to check. Some companies allow drivers younger than the minimum age with an extra fee/insurance.

Our partner Adobe Rent a Car has a minimum age of 23. They don’t allow drivers younger than 23 even if they are willing to pay an extra fee/insurance.

As for maximum age, there isn’t really a maximum age to rent a car in Costa Rica, depending on the agency.

Adobe doesn’t have a maximum age limit and senior drivers don’t need to pay an extra insurance or fee.

Adobe also has another condition that the driver must have been driving legally for at least 2 years.

What Side of the Road Does Costa Rica Drive On?

Costa Rica drives on the right hand side of the road, same as USA and Canada.

Cost of a Costa Rica Car Rental

Costa Rica car rental prices are not cheap.

How much your Costa Rica car rental costs depend on many factors such as, but not limited to: the type of rental car, demand, availability and the time of year.

Also, car rental rates in Costa Rica are dynamic, like flights. They are not static prices, so the price you see 6 months before your trip, will change when it’s 1 month before your trip.

Whether the price goes up or down, depends on the market at the moment.

Most Expensive Time to Rent a Car in Costa Rica

The most expensive time of year to rent a car in Costa Rica is the high tourism season. This is generally mid December to April.

Christmas, New Years and Easter week have the most expensive prices (peak season).

If you are visiting during peak season, book your car rental at least three to four months out. Car rentals go very fast during these times of year.

A mid size 4wd SUV can cost around $800 USD for one week in high season.

Fluctuating price depends on availability and demand and I’m talking about just the car rental rate.

Cheapest Time to Rent a Car in Costa Rica

The cheapest time to rent a car in Costa Rica are during low tourism seasons months such as May, September and October.

October usually has the cheapest rental car rates as it is the slowest tourism month.

Cost of Gas

Gas prices in Costa Rica fluctuate constantly.

However, gas prices are the same at every station.

The cost of gas in Costa Rica is around 662 CRC per liter which is approximately ~$4.99 USD per gallon (regular).

Super is around 677 CRC per liter and is around $5.11 USD per gallon.

Diesel in Costa Rica costs around 566 CRC per liter which is around $4.19 USD per gallon.

*Gas prices change very often, so these rates may not reflect the exact prices today.*

On average for a 1 week trip, if you drive around 500 kilometers (310 miles), you may spend around $70-80 USD for gas for a mid size gasoline SUV.

Additional Costs

There are a few additional costs to renting a car in Costa Rica.

First, from San Jose, there are several highway toll booths. These costs from 100 – 1000 CRC, about $.20-$2 USD.

Second, if your rental car is dirty inside, you may need to take it to the car wash ($10-20) before you return it.

If you return the car extremely dirty (vomit/mud/food stains/wine stains/excessive pet hair/excessive sand), agencies will charge you a fee of around $113 USD since they have to get it professionally cleaned.

Third, you cannot smoke inside rental cars in Costa Rica. If you do, the company will charge you a fine for this, usually around $113 USD.

Fourth, if you pick up and return from different offices or a location without an office, there will be an extra fee for this, for most rental car agencies. This can be from $25-$300 USD.

Lastly, if you get any extras like child booster seats, Wifi hot spot, SIM card, these have an extra cost.

We offer some freebies like free child seats and free luggage cover with our Costa Rica car rental discount!

How to Save Money on Car Rentals in Costa Rica

  • Travel during low season months like May, September and October.
  • Create an itinerary that does not require a 4×4. Here is a one week family itinerary flying to SJO Airport that does not require a 4×4.
  • Use your credit card car rental insurance to save money on insurance. It will be necessary to provide proof of coverage.
  • Rent a diesel car. Diesel is cheaper than gas in Costa Rica.
  • Avoid different pick up and return locations.

One more tip if you’re really counting pennies – rent a manual transmission car. Automatic cars can cost a few dollars more than a manual car a day.

You have to be a proficient and confident manual driver as Costa Rica has a lot of narrow roads, steep hills, mountain routes and unpaved streets.

Get our Costa Rica car rental discount to save on rentals and get extra benefits like 2 free drivers, free pre-paid SIM card, free cooler and much more!

The Process of Renting a Car in Costa Rica

Below is our recommended process.

Deciding Which Company to Rent With: Best Costa Rica Car Rental Companies

The first step is to decide which company to rent with.

Disclaimer: Mytanfeet has partnered with Adobe Rent a Car. They are Costa Rican operated and offer all-inclusive pricing.

Our partnership gives our readers car rental discounts and extra freebies such as free additional drivers, free child seats, free prepaid SIM card and much more.

However, you can find large international companies such as Alamo, Enterprise, Hertz, Sixt, Thrifty, Economy and Budget in Costa Rica.

There are also a couple Costa Rican car rental companies like Poas and Vamos.

That being said, the first step when it comes to deciding the company is to comparison shop.

Then you need to make sure to note specific details about each rental car company. It’s not just about finding the cheapest car rental possible.

You need to check the model and year of the rental car, number of offices, quality of customer service, amount of the security deposit and the insurance options for every single company.

Just because the rate is much cheaper, you may end up paying more (time and money wise) in the long run due to unfriendly agents, slow/unresponsive customer service, poorly maintained vehicles and shady practices.

Number of Offices

Something else when deciding which Costa Rican car rental company to rent with is the number of offices.

This is because some companies may only have two offices: one at San José International Airport and the other at Guanacaste Airport.

Why does the number of offices matter?

For example, if you are in Uvita and you run into issues with your car, the closest office of your car rental agency may be in San Jose which is a ~3.5 hour drive away.

Since they are so far away, it will take a whole day out of your vacation to get them to come check it out. You may end up wasting even more time if they have to change your car or tow it.

If it’s an emergency after business hours, you will be in even more trouble because many small agencies do not have a 24/7 emergency line.

Adobe has around 15 offices in Costa Rica and an after-hours emergency line, so if you run into any issues, there is a good chance there is an office nearby and they can assist you quickly.

What to Know About International Companies

You may have read from other tourists that car rentals are a scam in Costa Rica.

We completely understand why they feel that way. This is because of the way international companies present the taxes, fees, insurances and deposit in Costa Rica.

The thing with those companies is that they aren’t fully transparent about taxes, fees, the deposit and insurance.

You need to contact the Costa Rican office directly to be 100% clear about all fees and insurances.

Third Party Booking Sites: How to Avoid Hidden Fees/Taxes/Insurances When Renting a Car in Costa Rica (Why Your Quote is So Cheap)

If you book a car on third party sites like Expedia, Kayak, Carrentals, an airline, Orbitz, etc. they usually only show you the car rental price, which can look insanely cheap ($5 USD a day, $10 USD a day).

This is because these third party websites only show you the car rental price. They do not include ANY of the insurances, deposits, taxes and fees.

So when you go to pick up the car, they will add on all these insurances, taxes and fees you didn’t know anything about and it’ll end up being way more expensive.

This is why many people feel like they got scammed when renting a car in Costa Rica.

To avoid this situation, check directly with the Costa Rican agency to get the final price and ask them about the deposit amount and insurances.

With our partnership to offer our readers a car rental discount, what you see on your reservation is exactly what you pay.

No hidden fees, taxes, insurances. All clear and upfront. All inclusive prices from the beginning to end.

Costa Rica Car Rental Insurance: How it Works

This is the most confusing thing about Costa Rica car rentals because every company sells insurances differently and uses different names.

Furthermore, there is a mandatory insurance in Costa Rica, so make sure that is included in your quote so you know your total price breakdown.

When it comes to our partner, Adobe Rent a Car, they offer 3 types of insurances online:

Liability (PLI), Car Protection (CDW) and Extended Protection (SPP).

Adobe rent a car insurances
Adobe Rent a Car insurances

They offer 1 insurance in person, called TPW, which is only for those who use their credit card car rental coverage to decline Car Protection.

Liability Insurance (PLI)

This is the mandatory car rental insurance in Costa Rica. The mandatory third party liability insurance from Adobe costs between $13-25 USD a day.

This Liability insurance covers up to $20,000 USD in 3rd party damages with 20% deductible and 3rd parties (not in vehicle) up to $100,000 USD with 0 deductible.

This mandatory insurance in Costa Rica cannot be declined or removed using credit card insurance since there are no companies that cover this exact insurance.

Car Protection Insurance (CDW or LDW)

This basic insurance covers the rented vehicle damage in a collision, rollover or theft.

You are still responsible for the $1000 + tax USD deductible (total $1130 USD) and the rental company then covers the rest. This insurance does not cover any third party damages, vandalism or tires.

You can decline this insurance by using your credit card world wide car rental coverage. You will need proof of coverage in order to decline the Car Protection Insurance.

My Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Infinite credit card offers worldwide car rental insurance and I can use it to decline Adobe’s Car Protection insurance.

Extended Protection Insurance (SPP)

This insurance is 100% optional. It goes on top of Liability and has 0 deductible and covers windows, vandalism, 24/7 road side assistance (one of the Mytanfeet benefits is 24/7 road assistance in every reservation), tire damage and tow trucks.

The insurance also covers 100% of 3rd party damages up to $2 million USD.

You can add this insurance when you sign the rental agreement if you’re not sure if you want to add it beforehand.

Third Party Waiver Insurance (TPW)

The TPW insurance is offered ONLY in person, and only to those who are declining Car Protection Insurance by using their credit card car rental coverage.

It increases your third party (Liability) coverage to $4 million USD from $20,000 USD. The Liability deductible goes down to $0 USD from 20%. This insurance costs $9.99 + tax USD a day.

You can read more detailed information about Adobe Rent a Car insurance in this post.

Flat Tires

Flat tire change are not covered under any of the insurances. You will be provided all the necessary tools and a spare tire to change the flat/punctured tire yourself.

If you need help, you can go to any gas station and they can help you change out the flat tire for a small fee.

Then, you can go to any of the rental offices of your agency to change out the spare.

Extended Insurance only covers damaged tires. It does not cover flat tire change. In order to be covered for damaged tires, you will need to get the LDW + CDW + SPP insurances.

Deposit

The security deposit is the amount the company will hold on your credit card during the duration of your car rental.

The Costa Rican car rental deposits have a huge range as they are based on the type of insurances your purchase. These deposits vary depending on the rental agency.

For example, if you purchase only mandatory insurance, your deposit may be $3000 at one agency.

If you get every insurance available, your deposit may be $500. If you waive one insurance and only get mandatory insurance, your deposit can be $5,000… or more.

So you will need to make sure the credit card you’re using has a big enough limit for the deposit and payment.

Some companies will allow clients to use one credit card for the deposit and another for the payment in case your card doesn’t have a high enough limit for the deposit and car rental.

The condition is that both credit cards must be the same brand. For example, they cannot accept one VISA and one Mastercard.

How to Pay the Deposit

Deposits and payment of the rental cannot be paid in cash in Costa Rica. Credit card holders have to be present to sign paperwork and pay for the rental.

This is another reason why we prefer working with Adobe Rent a Car. Their deposit is straightforward ($1000 USD flat). But we have a benefit for readers who book through Mytanfeet!

For Mytanfeet reservations, we offer a special deposit benefit. It is $750 USD for all reservations that decline Car Protection Insurance. It is $500 USD if you purchase all 3 insurances or purchase Liability and Car Protection Insurance.

Are Debit Cards Accepted for the Deposit?

Adobe does take debit cards if clients sign a waiver form.

However, the debit card deposit can take up to 7 business days to return to your bank account, whereas it is 24-72 hours for credit cards.

IMPORTANT: Our deposit benefit does NOT apply to those using a debit card. Your deposit will be $1000 USD if you use a debit card, no exceptions. Clients need to sign a form saying they understand these conditions when using a debit card.

Also if you have one of those cards that function as both a debit and credit card, then Adobe will treat it as a debit card.

Digital cards are not accepted, meaning no Apple Pay, Google Wallet, etc.

Airport Pick Up and Return

Can you pick up your car rental at the airport in Costa Rica?

Yes and no. San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport are too small for car rental companies to operate inside.

Therefore, all the offices are located around a 10-15 minute drive from the airport. Rental companies offer transportation to their office to collect the car.

There are some companies that do offer their cars inside the airport but this is very few, mostly these are ultra VIP clients.

Even if the rental car companies has a counter inside the international airports, they will still take you to their off site office to sign the rental agreement and collect the car.

Adobe airport pick up - Costa Rica car rental
Adobe Rent a Car airport shuttle at San Jose Airport

Adobe Rent a Car offers a complimentary meet and greet shuttle for their clients.

The Adobe agent will meet the clients outside the airport terminal exit, bring them to the shuttle and take them to their office to complete the rental agreement and collect the car.

You can watch videos of the pick up process for Adobe at San José International Airport and Adobe at Guanacaste Airport here.

Returning the Car

For airport returns, clients will return the car to their airport office. Then Adobe shuttles them for free to the airport. Most other car rental agencies also work this way.

Early Morning/Late Night Return to SJO Airport

At the San Jose International Airport, clients who have a flight at an odd hour can arrange to leave the car in the parking lot with the keys in the glove box for an extra fee.

Be sure to arrange this with your agency.

For those who rent through Mytanfeet by booking with our Costa Rica car rental discount, we will help you arrange this and take care of the details.

Gas and Mileage

Some companies have an option to choose for prepaid gas. Or clients can fill it up before returning the car, or they can return it at whatever level and the company will charge a fee to fill it up.

For Adobe, when clients receive the car, the tank will be full. For the return, clients can fill up before returning the car or the clients can return it at any level and Adobe will charge accordingly.

Read about how to get gas in Costa Rica here.

There may also be restrictions on mileage for some rental car agencies, depending on the type of rental car. Adobe has unlimited mileage for rentals under 30 days.

Costa Rica uses the metric system (kilometers) but it is the same when they say unlimited mileage.

Extras

Common car rental extras are additional drivers, GPS, Wi-fi hot spot, baby/booster seats, SIM card, dog seat cover, luggage cover, cooler and surf racks.

Prices vary between agencies.

With Adobe, our deal gives readers 2 free additional drivers, free baby and booster seats, free SIM card with 1000 CRC preloaded credit, free cooler (if available), free dog seat cover, free luggage cover and free surf racks.

We also have a Wi-fi deal that if you rent for more than 10 days, you only pay for the first ten days.

adobe rent a car extras
Adobe extras: Mytanfeet readers get free baby and booster seats and 33% off GPS

The Wi-fi hot spot is useful if you do not have an international data plan. You can connect up to 5 devices and it has unlimited data.

That way you’ll always have Internet on your phone so it’s useful if you don’t plan to get an international data plan.

The prepaid SIM card is also useful to have a local phone number.

What Kind of Car Should You Rent in Costa Rica?

Rental car companies have many car categories for all budgets and needs. The type of car you rent in Costa Rica will depend on your itinerary and the size of your group.

Here are some common cars and vehicle categories.

Full size 7 seater SUV: Mitsubishi Montero Sport, Toyota Prado, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Palisade.

Mid size SUV 5 seater: Toyota Rav4, Nissan Rogue, Kia Sportage, Ford Explorer, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Kona.

Compact SUV: Hyundai Venue 2wd, Hyundai Creta 2wd, Mitsubishi ASX 4wd, Suzuki Vitara 4wd and Geely Gx3 2wd.

Sedan/compact sedan: Hyundai Verna, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i10, Hyundai Gran i10, Suzuki Swift, Kia Soluto.

Vans (8/9 – 12 seaters): Hyundai Staria

Jeeps are not readily available to rent in Costa Rica. There are 4×4 cars and trucks, but not specifically the brand Jeep.

Convertibles are also not available to rent in Costa Rica. Trust me, you will not want to drive a a convertible in Costa Rica anyways.

Get more information on the type of cars to rent in Costa Rica here.

Automatic vs Manual

Make sure the car you rent is an automatic if you can’t drive manual.

Some companies will label the car as “AT” for automatic transmission and “MT” for manual transmission.

Manual transmissions cars are a tiny bit less expensive. Nowadays, most Costa Rican car rental agencies have automatic transmission for the majority of their fleet.

If you rent a manual transmission, you need to be a confident and proficient manual driver. Costa Rica has a lot of steep and curvy hills, potholes and unpaved roads, especially in the rural and remote places.

If you think you won’t feel comfortable driving manual in a foreign country, don’t. It will be worth paying a little bit more for an automatic to not have that stress.

Furthermore, if you’re from any of the countries that drive on the left side of the road, we highly recommend an automatic transmission.

Avoid worrying about driving on the other side of the road and changing gears with the opposite hand at the same time.

Car and Engine Size

Engine sizes in Costa Rica are smaller than the USA. A sedan in Costa Rica normally has a 1.6 L, 4 cylinders engines.

SUVs are typically 1.6-2 L, 4 cylinders engines. Full size SUVs with diesel engines are 2.4 L – 3 L.

If you want a bigger engine like a V6 or V8, it is not common in Costa Rica. If you find one, it will be much more expensive as they are considered premium/ultra premium.

You will pay more if you want to rent an automatic, V6 engine, American car.

IMPORTANT: Due to smaller engine sizes, your car may have trouble going up a hill, even if your entire group of 4 plus luggage fits in the sedan.

You may want to consider a bigger car in those situations if your accommodation is up in the mountains and you will be fully loading your car.

Rental Car Condition

If you notice a company offering very cheap rates, check the year of their rental cars. Some companies that have cheap car rental prices in Costa Rica use old cars (5 years or more).

You will need to take that into consideration because of the rough roads and how tourists drive.

The older the car, the more mileage it has, the more problems they may have and more incidents/accidents they may have been in.

Adobe changes their rental cars every 2 years or when they hit 100,000 kilometers (around 62,000 miles).

However, some car rental agencies with very cheap rates rent cars that are 5, 7, even 10+ years old with 300,000 kilometers or more (around 185,000 miles).

The condition of a 5 year old rental car in Costa Rica isn’t the same as a 1 year old rental car AT ALL!

I would much prefer to pay a bit more for a newer car in excellent condition and low mileage, rather than an older, less well maintained rental car with hundreds of thousands of miles on it.

Inspection

Some rental car companies no longer offer doing an inspection with the agent when you collect the car.

Do your own inspection, take your own photos and videos and document anything you see when you first get the car.

Is a 4×4 necessary in Costa Rica?

Some places may require a 4wd but in general, a car with high clearance is more important for many places in Costa Rica, particularly during the dry season months such as January, February, March and April.

In rainy season, it will be required to rent a 4wd for more rural areas or mountainous places with unpaved roads.

That time of year has bigger potholes and muddier roads. These are months such as May through December.

Renting a car in Costa Rica views
Our Mitsubishi Montero Sport

Here are some popular routes:

  • Guanacaste to Arenal: 4×4 not necessary. See the Guanacaste to Arenal route here.
  • Monteverde: High clearance car highly recommended due to the Monteverde roads. 4wd/4×4 recommended in rainy season if staying outside of the town center.
  • Puerto Viejo: 4×4 not necessary. The road to and around Puerto Viejo is paved.
  • Uvita: High car recommended and 4wd is necessary for many hotels up in the mountains.

We created two driving in Costa Rica posts with more information: Driving around Costa Rica videos and Costa Rica road conditions.

Other Important Things to Know About Costa Rica Car Rentals

  • If you get a ticket, pay it when you drop off the car. There is a law that can prohibit you from exiting the country if you don’t.
  • Child seats are required for children under 12 years of age.
  • Rental vehicles cannot be driven across the Costa Rican border to Nicaragua or Panama.
  • Keep the contract and car documents (registration). If you lose them, you may pay a fine.
  • All drivers must have their passport and driver’s license (original, not copies or photos) with them while they are driving.
  • For payments, you cannot use the credit card of a person who is not present.
  • If you get into an incident, report it to the necessary authorities and the car rental company ASAP. If you do not, you can face fines or legal issues.
  • Damage from driving through rivers or any body of water is not covered by any type of insurance.
  • Damage from driving under the influence is not covered by any type of insurance.
  • It is the law to wear seat belts in Costa Rica, front and back seats.

The Mytanfeet Costa Rica Car Rental Discount

Mytanfeet is very pleased to partner with Adobe Rent a Car to give our readers an exclusive Costa Rica car rental discount and extra freebies!

“Why Adobe?” you may ask.

When it comes to reputable Costa Rica car rental companies, Adobe Rent a Car is the leader.

They are a 100% Costa Rican operated company with the largest fleet of cars that are no more than 2 years old.

Furthermore, they offer all-inclusive pricing.

We also offer extra benefits: 2 free additional drivers, 0% deductible on Liability Protection insurance (up to $20,000 USD), road assistance on all reservations, a free prepaid SIM card for duration of booking, free baby and booster seats, free surf racks, free dog seat covers, WiFi deal, free car delivery and pick up, one hour car return leniency and a special deposit deal.

You’ll also receive Mytanfeet customer service, as we’ll help you make sure your reservation is exactly the way you want it and help you with any questions you have.

Get our Costa Rica car rental discount to book a car, have a trip of a lifetime and save money while doing it!

You can read about our experience with Adobe Rent a Car and why we recommend them.

If our renting a car in Costa Rica article was helpful, feel free to pass it along. Our goal is to give the best information and help our readers out as much as possible!

Filed Under: About Costa Rica

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chris says

    December 12, 2015

    Hi, I’m planning to rent a cqr and travel from Liberia to Playa Grande. 2 adults & 2 kids and we are just staying close to the area. I mostly need the car to travel to different beaches around the area and also to tamarindo. How are the roads there? could I go with the car rather than the 4×2 / 4×4 ? Do most people get the sup protetction plan as well?
    thanks in advance. I loved going thru your Blog… very imformative

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 12, 2015

      Hi Chris, that area isn’t too bad. The road to Grande isn’t really paved, but it’s not horrible. The road to Tamarindo is paved normal and the roads to the main beaches in that area are fine like Avellanas (not paved but not bad), Brasilito, Conchal, Flamingo, those beaches. People get the super protection for more coverage, so that’s up to you if you’d like to get it. I rented a car a couple months ago and got the super protection plan because I knew I was going to areas where the road was rough.

      Reply
      • Chris says

        March 31, 2016

        I just wanted to say THANKS!!!!!. Adobe Car rental was a great!! We went with a SUV Creta and it was perfect for all the roads on the pacific coast. I was a bit considered because I couldn’t clean out the sand all over the inside of the vehicle. I returned and no problems, no questions asked with great fast service. GPS was a plus and having the protection added made it worry free.

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          April 1, 2016

          Hi Chris, that is so great to hear! I’m glad you had a good experience with Adobe! That’s exactly what we want all our readers to have when they are in CR 🙂

          Reply
  2. David says

    December 6, 2015

    We will be in CR from Jan. 15-24. Our first time! We are flying into San Jose. Our plan, so far, is to rent a car and drive up to La Fortuna/Arenal area and spend 3 days exploring the area, with stops along the way at Volcan Poas, Los Chorros & Catarata del Toro waterfalls. Then we drive back to San Jose for one night. Then we drive to Limon area and spend 3 days exploring the Caribbean coast, with stops along the way at Volcan Irazu, and white water rafting on the Pacuare River. Then drive back to San Jose for one night, and leave Jan. 24. Do you think we need a 4×4 and/or GPS? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 7, 2015

      If you stay on the main roads, you won’t need a 4×4. The road to La Fortuna, up Poas, Irazu and to Limon are nice paved roads. As for a GPS, you may need one for some spots, there are lots of signs for Poas, Irazu and Arenal and Limon is only one road from San Jose, but you may need one if you want to explore around and I don’t remember if there is a lot of signage for Chorros and Del Toro.

      Reply
  3. Rich says

    December 4, 2015

    I tried to sent you an introductory email, but I got an error.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 5, 2015

      Thanks Rich, we just fixed it!

      Reply
  4. Sammi says

    December 2, 2015

    Hi Awana, you can rent a golf cart to get around town, but you will need a car to get to other beaches. We have a rent a car tips post:
    Costa Rica car rental tips

    From Playas del Coco, the best surfing beaches are Playa Tamarindo (most popular, more for beginners and lessons). We have a post about it here: Playa Tamarindo

    Playa Grande, also good for beginners but certain tides and spots are excellent for intermediates and high levels. Our post is here: Playa Grande

    And Playa Avellanas, which I would say is more for intermediates and high level surfers.

    Those three are the best surfing beaches closest to Coco.

    Reply
  5. Awana says

    December 2, 2015

    We will be staying in Playa del Coco. can you rent a car in Playa del Coco? We were thinking about renting a golf cart there for most of the time. But need to rent a car to find some good surfing spots around there. What do you recommend for good surfing spots?

    Reply
  6. Rose Broglio says

    November 20, 2015

    Wow, what a great site and so much info. Love the videos of the roads. Looking to rent car from abode from your site but not sure what to get. It is 1adult and 2 children 10,12 years of age. We fly into Liberia, spend first night at playa Hermosa , then next morning staying 3 nights at arenal observatory lodge then back to playa flamingo 3nights and then back to Liberia. Not sure we need 4×4 will a compact do or do we need small suv? Do we really need at gps? Coming feb 2016.

    From reading your responses sounds like I fill in dates and car choice it will add the mandatory insurance and final price will really be the price. Do they pick up at airport or is there a shuttle. Thank you so excited to check out the rest of your reviews and site.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 23, 2015

      Hi Rose! The only unpaved roads are to Arenal Observatory Lodge, you won’t need a 4X4 necessarily, and you’re coming in February so there won’t be any rain. The road to the lodge is the one into the national park and it’s like a 15 minute drive on gravel roads but nothing horrible when it’s dry. We’ve driven our compact car there before and it was fine!

      As for a GPS, for those locations you won’t really need one. Hermosa, Flamingo and Liberia are all really easy to find (signs everywhere) and the lodge has signs as well, and they have directions on their website. I don’t think you’ll really need one to be honest since those locations are pretty well marked and if you get lost, every local will know those locations (and expats).

      They will pick you up at the airport by shuttle and take you to their office to finish the paperwork and you’ll get your car there. Just fill out the form, pick the car and insurances, and other things you might want like booster seat, etc. and you’re good to go! Let us know if you have any other questions Rose 🙂

      Reply
      • Rose Broglio says

        November 23, 2015

        Thanks helpful info. Okay renting the car but when it comes to pick up at office or at airport. I know you said above to take shuttle to the office. May seem silly question but form says pickup car at office or airport. I only hesitate to fill in because i read that you should not asked to be picked up at airpot because they will charge you extra for the drive to office and if there is a shuttle in airport to their office should take that since no additional cost. Which should i mark, not sure if it affects cost or a hidden extra charge. thank you.
        Rose

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          November 23, 2015

          Hi Rose, the Adobe office is not right at the actual airport so they will pick you up in a shuttle to their office at no charge. The office is not far away, it’s like a 5 minute ride. You will see an Adobe employee waiting outside the airport holding a sign with your name.

          Reply
  7. Barb Owens says

    November 18, 2015

    Thank you so much for all the information you provide! I am in the process of deciding on a rental vehicle. We are driving from Liberia to Samara, along the coast road (if possible) to Playa Junquillal, up to La Fortuna and Rincon de la Viejas and then to Playa del Coco. Will be alright in a Hyundai Tuscon 4 x 2 or is a 4 x 4 necessary. We are travelling Feb 27 – Mar 19, 2016. Is the 4 x 2 high enough off the ground to travel the back roads?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 19, 2015

      Hi Barb, a 4X2 should be fine, especially since you’re coming during dry season so you won’t need to worry about rain or anything like that. The road to Samara and Junquillal are gravel roads for a good chunk of it but nothing terrible. Then La Fortuna to Coco is a nice paved road, Rincon de la vieja National park is all gravel roads but nothing horrible either. Also just take note that they are re-doing the InterAmericana highway 1 in Liberia so there’s a ton of construction going on there right now.

      Reply
      • Barb says

        November 20, 2015

        Will a 4 x 2 be OK to go Rio Celeste?
        I am still waiting for a response from my email inquiry to Adobe. I spoke with Ruth at their office on Wednesday, Nov 18th and then sent her an e-mail requesting a quote. I expected a quicker response…Does it usually take a few days?

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          November 20, 2015

          Hi Barb, a 4X2 should be fine. I just emailed Adobe and gave them a heads up, they should be contacting you shortly. Sorry for the delay!

          Reply
          • Barb says

            November 22, 2015

            My rental is now booked. I spoke with Luis @Adobe by telephone. He was extremely helpful in answering all of my questions and explaining the different insurance options. Thank you so much!

          • Sammi says

            November 23, 2015

            Excellent! I am very glad to hear 🙂

  8. Randee says

    November 16, 2015

    Hi Guys! Love your blog, definitely using all your knowledge for our Costa Rica trip!! I wanted to reach out and see if you have any advice about our road trip. We are already renting a 4×4 with Adobe. Here is our plan:
    San Jose to Domincal
    Domincal to Montezuma (ferry)
    Montezuma to Brasilito
    Brasilito to Fortuna
    Fortuna to San Jose

    Also, are there gas stations often? Should we plan on buying a gas can?

    Thanks!
    Randee

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 16, 2015

      Hey Randee! Yep there are gas stations often, the only one I would say make sure you fill up before is Dominical to Montezuma and then depending which route you take, Montezuma to Brasilito. All of those routes are at least 3-4 hours, can help you gauge if you need to fill up before or not.

      Reply
  9. yeison says

    November 7, 2015

    Hello Robert,

    I hope you are doing great! Some of the roads where you are going experience are gravel, not for longs distances and on very bad shape but if you can try to get a higher car like a mid suv will be perfect.

    The hill of death “Cerro de la muerte” is not that bad it just has a terrible name 😉 we have driven it many times and is all good just be careful and do not speed on the curves. We have some good deals right now if you book using our site. Have a great trip and let us know if there is anything we can help

    Reply
  10. Robert Sheldon says

    November 5, 2015

    Thanks for your informative blog. We are planning a return trip to Costa Rica this Spring, travelling from San Jose to Savegre Lodge, then on to San Vitio and the Wilson Gardens. Not sure of the rest of the trip, possibly same route return, possibly on to Golfito and then back to San Jose. What are the roads like? Paved or gravel? Any reason a 4 wheel drive is needed? We don’t really plan off road side trips. We are a bit wary about driving the “hill of death”, having not driven on our past trip to Costa Rica. Your thoughts are appreciated.

    Reply
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