Is Costa Rica Expensive to Travel? Costa Rica Travel Costs

How much does a trip to Costa Rica cost? Is Costa Rica expensive to visit? Since Costa Rica is known for being fairly expensive, cost is a legitimate concern. Many people wonder exactly how much is the cost of traveling in Costa Rica and how much they’ll spend on their vacation.

Here is our detailed guide breaking down the Costa Rica travel costs, from food, activities, transportation, lodging and more for an idea of how much your Costa Rica travel expenses will be.

Prices quotes in USD and per adult unless otherwise stated. This post has affiliate links.

Is Costa Rica Expensive for Tourists?

Even though Costa Rica is in Central America, one of the biggest misconceptions is that it is a cheap country. Do not expect prices to be like Southeast Asia or Mexico. Costa Rica is one of the most expensive countries in Central and South America for living and traveling.

Costa Rice Travel Costs: Flights

Thanks to a lot of airlines opening new flights into Costa Rica, you can find very reasonable flights to Costa Rica. With lots of competition and two international airports, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on flights to Costa Rica anymore.

Flights normally run around $500-900 USD roundtrip depending on your origin destination and time of travel. For example, Seattle – Liberia is around $650-800 USD normally with Alaska Airlines. Sometimes you can even find flight deals for $500 roundtrip from Seattle during the off season.

The cheapest time to fly to Costa Rica is May, September and October. The most expensive times are December through April. July can sometimes be a little expensive.

I recommend signing up to your preferred airline’s mailing list because they’ll send promos to their email subscribers first. Since my family is in Washington state, I am an Alaska airlines member and am on their mailing list to get their promos first.

Tips for Finding the Cheapest Airfare to Costa Rica

• Try to be flexible on your dates. Google Flights has a calendar to see prices and you can sign up for alerts. Some low season dates with cheap airline tickets are after Thanksgiving to mid December, January after New Years, September and October.
• Check both Guanacaste Airport and San Jose International airport. The Guanacaste Airport is generally a tad more expensive than San Jose but comparison shop first because it’s not always more expensive. You can read this post to see which international airport in Costa Rica to fly into for your itinerary.
• Sign up to Dollar Flight Club. This website finds cheap flights and mistake fares. They occasionally have some to Costa Rica and Central America. Definitely worth the upgraded membership. Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights) is another one.
• Basic economy (saver fare): all airlines are offering a type of basic economy ticket price. It’s the cheapest fare but with limitations like no choosing seats, board very last, etc.

Read more on how to get cheap flights to Costa Rica in this post!

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Hotels

In Costa Rica, we have all sorts of accommodation. We have everything from standard hotels, camping sites, glamping resorts, hostels, tree houses, boutique lodges, birding lodges and all inclusive resorts.

Depending on what your budget is and what kind of vacation you want, you can spend as low as $25 a night to $500 a night per person.

Average Prices for Hotels in Costa Rica

• Hostels: ~$20 for one bed in a dorm. Not guaranteed to have hot water or AC, usually no breakfast included. If you want air conditioning, usually you will need to upgrade to a private room or pay an extra fee.
• Basic/budget hotel: $75 for one room, two people. This includes a private room with hot water, AC and private bathroom. Some may also have private rooms with shared bathrooms.
• Mid-range hotel: $90-150. Mid range hotels usually include hot breakfast, AC, hot water, Wi-Fi, cable, coffee maker, a mini fridge and basic bathroom amenities.
• High end hotel: Starting around $250 and up. These high end hotels usually have a great view, an on-site restaurant, hot water, hot breakfast included, fridge, coffee maker, full bathroom amenities and an infinity pool. Not all high end hotels are built the same – some are boutique and locally owned, some are international chains.
• All-inclusive resorts: Starting around $250 per person, all inclusive resorts have a variety of food choices from buffets to a la carte restaurants, multiple pools, night time entertainment, a gym, shopping center, child care, business center and day time activities.
• One week surf camp: $1000-8000 per person depending on the camp and what they include (meals, transportation, other activities, type of room, etc.)

Tips to Save Money on Accommodation

• Many standard hotels in Costa Rica include a hot breakfast in the rate so you can save some money on food
• Travel during the off/rainy season (generally May to November). However, the first and second week of July is considered high season because the schools have two weeks off for mid summer break. August to October doesn’t see many US/Canadians but it is a popular time for Europeans on the Caribbean side. September and October are the cheapest months since they are the lowest months in tourism.
• Like the hotel’s Facebook or Instagram. Many of them throw promotions exclusively on their social media platforms during low season.
• Look on VRBO or Airbnb for rentals. You can find many apartments/condos/rooms for a similar or cheaper price and you can save money by cooking and eating in. Read our guide to using Airbnb in Costa Rica
• Use our Costa Rica hotel deals to save money! Check our deals page here for the promo codes.

Best Hotel Booking Sites for Costa Rica

First, check the hotel’s direct website. Sometimes hotels will offer promos for those booking directly. If not, compare prices with various websites and take note of the various cancellation policies and details of each room/reservation.

Second, check with Mytanfeet! Sometimes we offer promos for certain hotels in Costa Rica. We already offer a couple on our Costa Rica deals page which you can check. And we are constantly working on forming new business partnerships and deals to share with our readers.

One more thing to note is that some hotels may not show up on hotel search engine websites, so browse around on Google Maps first to get an idea of hotels in the area.

Read more tips on finding accommodation in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Transportation

There are a few ways to get around Costa Rica.

• Public transportation: The bus system in Costa Rica is very wallet friendly though not always super timely or convenient. You can hop on a city bus for $1 (500 colones) across town or cross the country for around $10 USD (~5,00 colones). Read our tips for taking public transportation in Costa Rica here.
• Taxis: A good option for short trips, definitely not for long ones. Make sure they use the meter. Here are Yeison’s tips on taking a taxi in Costa Rica.
• Uber: Uber is very common in the main cities such as San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago. It is also found in many other places like Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Jaco, La Fortuna, Playas del Coco and Tamarindo. We’ve never had a problem calling one at 4 AM in Heredia to go to San Jose International Airport and we’ve found the prices to be very reasonable.
• Shuttle: Shared and private shuttles in Costa Rica are a good way to get around with door to door hotel service. Shared shuttles are about $59 USD per adult and private shuttles can be anywhere from $90 – $350 USD depending on number of passengers and destinations.
• Car rental: Renting a car in Costa Rica can get very expensive and unfortunately prices have gone up due to COVID. Do your research to see what kind of car you need for your trip and the total price you’ll pay.
• A one week car rental for a 4 door automatic sedan can run around $500 with mandatory insurance and an automatic mid size 5 pax 4wd SUV can run around $1100 a week with mandatory insurance. Prices vary depending on time of year, type of transmission, insurances, fees, taxes and extras which are not reflected in the examples above.
• Flying: There are several domestic airlines such as Sansa and Green. Depending on the time of year and route, flights range from about $70-$250 one way per person.

Tips for Saving Money on Transportation in Costa Rica

Unfortunately, there’s not a whole you can do on saving money in this aspect. The cheapest way to get around Costa Rica is to take the public bus but not everyone wants to take the public bus, especially if they’re on a short trip or with a large group.

If you want to rent a car, pick destinations and hotels that do not require a 4wd so you can rent a sedan which is much cheaper than a 4wd. If you can drive a stick, rent a manual as they are a tad bit cheaper than automatic cars (but make sure you’re a proficient manual driver).

You can also combine methods of transportation if you don’t want to rent a car for the entire period. Some people will bus or shuttle to their destinations, and then rent a car for just a couple of days.

If you plan to rent a car, make sure to take advantage of our Costa Rica car rental discount and extra freebies to help you save some $$!

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Tours

If you want to do something like ziplining, white water rafting or sailing, you need to book a tour. I always tell visitors that you can skip tours if they’re on a tight budget but the trip may not be as fun or fulfilling. It’s always worth it to do at least one tour.

Average Cost of Tours in Costa Rica

Most tours include roundtrip transportation, entrance fees and bilingual guide. Full day tours usually include a meal.

• Ziplining: $70-100 per person.
• 1 day White water rafting: $85-129 per person including lunch.
• Sunset sailing: $75-115 per person for a half day tour which includes lunch, snacks, drinks and snorkel equipment.
• Half day sport fishing: $500 including equipment, snacks (depending on type of boat)
• 2 tank certified dive: $120 per adult
• Combo adventure tour (zipline, horseback riding, lunch, mud baths, hot springs, tubing): $120 without transportation and guide, $160-185 per adult with transportation and guide.
• Canyoning (waterfall rappell): $120 per person.
• National Park entrance fee: $6-$18 per foreign adult. Cahuita National Park is free!
• Guided hike with transportation and guide: $65 per person depending on the destination.
• 2 hour group surf lesson: $60 per person including board rental.
• Horseback riding: $60-90 per person depending on the length and location.

Tips for Saving Money on Tours

For big groups, ask for a group discount or for group prices (usually 6+).

If you have your own form of transportation (car rental), you can do self guided hikes and walks. For example, you can drive yourself to Rincon de la Vieja National Park, pay the national park fee and do a self guided hike to the waterfall.

Find cheap/free things to do in Costa Rica. For example, check out our 5 free things to do in Monteverde post to find cool local spots like the El Arbol Hueco!

Get our Costa Rica tours discount! Mytanfeet offers discounts on tours in San Jose, La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero and Guanacaste. We also offer individual discounts for adventure parks and activities like Rainforest Adventures Braulio Carrillo, Hacienda El Viejo, Diamante Eco Adventure Park, Vista Los Sueños Park, La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park, The Springs hot springs day pass, Tortuga Island 1 day cruise, Pacuare River white water rafting and Vandara Explore Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Food

Food costs vary in the country. Touristic areas are no doubt more expensive than local or rural areas. The average price for a typical Costa Rican lunch in a soda (typical local restaurant) located in a touristic beach town can be around $10 USD including taxes and a drink.

If you are in the cities or more rural areas, eating out is cheaper than the touristic places.

Average Cost of Food in Costa Rica

• A smoothie: ~$1.50 (800 colones). A milkshake or special fruit smoothie can be a bit more (2000 CRC).
• Local beer: ~$2.50 (1,200 CRC). Craft beer costs much more, around 4000 CRC per beer (~$7)
• Traditional breakfast: ~$5.50 (3,000 CRC)
• Traditional lunch: ~$8.50 (4,500 CRC)
• A 1750 ml bottle of water: ~$2.20 (1,200 CRC)

Tips for Saving Money on Food in Costa Rica

You can save money on food in Costa Rica by buying groceries and cooking your own meals if you have a kitchen. Read more about grocery stores in Costa Rica here. Pro tip: buy local brands. Ignore American brands as they are very expensive.

One more option other than eating at local restaurants is to look for a bakery or panaderia. You can get empanadas, enchiladas and sandwiches for $1-2 USD each.

Additionally, book a hotel with hot breakfast included.

One more way to save money on food is by drinking the tap water. Tap water in Costa Rica is actually safe to drink in most locations. Just make sure to ask your hosts as some places in Costa Rica like Osa Peninsula and Tortuguero do not have drinkable tap water. Bring your own insulated water bottle to always have cold water with you. Some hotels will offer bottled water that you can fill up with.

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Souvenirs

You can find Costa Rica souvenir stores everywhere. A t-shirt is around $25, a painted cup is around $15, a little trinket like a wooden toucan statue is around $15. If you’re buying several items, you can usually get a discount if you’re paying in cash, around 10%.

A cheap place for souvenirs is the supermarkets. Many supermarkets in Costa Rica like Maxi Pali have their own small “souvenir” section with cute Costa Rica trinkets and other things. How authentic it is though, is a different question.

At the end of it, when it comes to souvenirs, my recommendation is to look for arsenal items or made in Costa Rica only items to help support local businesses, even if it does cost a bit more.

Costa Rica Travel Costs: Tipping

Read all about tipping in Costa Rica. Since Costa Rica is a touristic country, it is very much appreciated to tip something as a tourist even though typically in their culture, it is not mandatory.

The standard percentage to tip is 10%.

Overall Costa Rica Travel Costs

Here is an idea of what your trip will be like according to a very general budget (not including airfare) per person:

$50 a day, you have to travel minimally. Sleep in a bed in a dorm or cheap hotel, eat at bakeries or local restaurants and walk around the beach. No tours.

$75-$100 a day upgrade to a private room in a hostel, have a couple beers, take a tour or surf lesson or two.

$150-175 a day, you’re looking at a nice mid-range hotel, a few tours and renting a car. Includes meals at places other than sodas and more cocktails or even some craft beer.

$200-375, you’re looking at a very nice hotel or resort, guided tours, renting a car or hiring a private shuttle and dinners at more expensive restaurants.

$400 and up: At this price, you will probably be staying at an all-inclusive or a very upscale, luxury resort, having nice dinners, booking private transportation and booking many tours.

Handling Money and Prices

USD are readily accepted in Costa Rica and items in tourism are quoted in USD. These are tours, hotels and shuttles. Even some souvenir stores quote their prices in USD. You can read more about handling money in Costa Rica in this post.

So there you have it, the breakdown of costs of traveling in Costa Rica and you have a better idea of how much a trip to Costa Rica costs. For more of an idea, check our 1 week Costa Rica travel budget breakdown to see how much we spent.

Want to read more Costa Rica travel tips? Here you go!

Best mosquito repellent

Packing list for Costa Rica

Tips for driving in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Vacation Checklist

• First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
• Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
• Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
• Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
• Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
• Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica. Get 10% off your Airalo eSIM package with our promo code “mytanfeet”
• Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.

Join our mailing list and get our free Costa Rica eBook!