Costa Rica is an exquisite nation to go to, particularly for those who’re within the temper for fairly seashores and jungle adventures. It has turn out to be 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 turn out to be fairly expensive in comparison with its neighboring nations, nevertheless 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 loads of totally different means, we expect we now have a good suggestion of the particular prices of journey in Costa Rica. Heck, we even have good mates who moved down there and are loving it, in addition to different mates who owned and ran a lodge in Costa Rica for years. This is first-hand info.
So, how a lot cash do you’ll want to journey to Costa Rica, and is funds journey within the nation even doable? Let’s dive into the funds 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 dearer than different Central American nations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless typically inexpensive in comparison with the United States and Western Europe. If you’re coming from a rustic with a excessive value of dwelling, I doubt you’ll discover Costa Rica very costly.
Also, there are tons of how it can save you cash whereas touring Costa Rica. Skip the guided excursions and discover as a lot as you’ll be able to by yourself, and attempt to keep away from eating places that cater particularly to English-speaking vacationers. Most excursions and eating places that purpose to draw as many English-speaking guests as doable have particular costs for vacationers and cost them thrice as a lot as they do locals. If there’s a minimum of one fluent Spanish speaker in your group, it ought to be straightforward to keep away from the inflated vacationer costs when visiting Costa Rica.
On prime of that, will probably 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 nations in Central America. But for those who select your lodge properly, benefit from the free points of interest, and be sensible 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 value 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 funds 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 a minimum of $1,200 for seven days in Costa Rica with lodging and a return flight (from the US). Although the nation may be explored on a smaller funds, it’s not fairly as pleasurable for those who miss out on enjoyable actions for the sake of saving cash.
Cost Of Accommodation
Costa Rica is an efficient vacation spot for anybody as a result of the lodging choices vary from $20 dorm beds to all-inclusive resorts which can be $1,000+ per evening. Whether you need to journey low-cost or stay it up, you’ll find loads of choices in your worth vary.
Budget vacationers are most certainly to remain at personal flats, hostels, or low-cost accommodations. The common Costa Rican hostel expenses $20 for a dormitory mattress, so the weekly funds for lodging in Costa Rica may be as little as $120. I’ll say that for those who’re touring with one other particular person, renting an condo might be the most effective budget-friendly possibility.
For about $350-400 per week, you’ll be able to lease a spacious one-bedroom condo for 2, the place you’ll have a non-public rest room 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 funds of $170-200 per particular person for a complete week.
A mid-range funds in Costa Rica means you’ll be able to keep in nearly each kind of lodging within the nation, barring a elaborate beachfront resort with all-inclusive service. With a funds of $70-100 per evening, you’ll be able to afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This improbable five-star lodge is simply $150 per evening for 2, and this beautiful cabin within the mountains is even cheaper. That’s a funds of $400-700 per particular person for a complete week.
Luxury vacationers would possibly select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re considerable in Costa Rica, however their value varies fairly a bit relying on the situation. An all-inclusive resort with direct seaside entry will usually run you $400-500 per evening per particular person. 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 normal, count on five-star accommodations and all-inclusive resorts to value $300-500 per evening, per particular person, so about $1,800-3,000 per week.
How a lot you spend on the lodge relies upon fairly a bit on the place precisely you’re staying in Costa Rica. The Caribbean coast is extra inexpensive than the Pacific coast, largely as a result of the cities there aren’t fairly as in style with vacationers.
If you’re simply on the lookout 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 accommodations 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 facet of the nation.
Another factor to bear in mind is that when is simply as essential as the place. Travel to Costa Rica in May or June, and also you’ll get the most effective lodge offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate 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 evening. That’s if you wish to camp in a tent on the grounds of a hostel; for those who want to have a mattress in a room and entry to a shared rest room, you’ll must spend a minimum of $20-25 per evening. Double rooms in funds accommodations and personal flats are $50-100 per evening, and a few of the accommodations I’ve seen that provide double rooms for $80-100 per evening are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Range:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star accommodations. If you’ll be able to funds about $600 per particular person for lodging for the week, you’ll have your choose of accommodations and flats throughout Costa Rica.
Luxury:
All-inclusive beachfront resorts are the epitome of luxurious in Costa Rica. Spend your days stress-free on the seaside 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 charge of $1,000.
Cost of Transportation
If you’re not pressed for time and like to save cash, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and stick with good outdated public transportation. Sure, they’re a bit quicker than the native buses, however they’re additionally considerably dearer. A vacationer shuttle from Monteverde to San Jose is roughly $50-70, whereas the general public bus is simply $7. The shuttle is just an hour faster, so it’s typically not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly for those who’re attempting to go to Costa Rica on a funds.
For shorter journeys, Uber is most well-liked to taxis. Local taxi drivers are generally sketchy and would possibly attempt to rip you off; Uber is far safer as you comply with a worth beforehand. Uber can also be an excellent possibility for transfers between two cities which can be comparatively shut to 1 one other, as it may be considerably quicker than the bus however not extraordinarily costly.
So, what must you funds for transportation?
It actually relies on your journey fashion. If you don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, you then simply must funds for the switch to and from the airport.
A tough every day funds for Costa Rica could be $15 for funds 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 each day of your keep; take sooner or later to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day stress-free on the seaside.
Also, for those who plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, break up the price of the exercise between the funds for leisure and transportation. If you’ll be able to set up the tour by yourself, will probably be lots cheaper, nevertheless it’s comprehensible for those who want to have a information with you in another country.
The cities and cities in Costa Rica are typically walkable, so that you don’t must funds a lot to discover the vacationer points of interest. If you keep in downtown San Jose, you’ll be capable of stroll to each main attraction within the metropolis. I simply wouldn’t advocate strolling alone after darkish, as a result of some areas of the town could be a bit sketchy within the night.
Car Rental In Costa Rica
Renting a automotive is mostly not a funds 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 cost effective possibility for getting across the nation.
Car rental is $55-60 per day, together with fuel and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per particular person, and for those who’re touring with a couple of different particular person, it’s a no brainer. Having a automotive in Costa Rica additionally offers 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 funds of $18 per particular person for your entire week.
Driving in Costa Rica is mostly very secure, and the primary roads are in good situation. Roads off the overwhelmed path will not be fairly as easy; usually, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes may be fairly massive. If you’re contemplating automotive rental only for straightforward transfers between cities, you can be tremendous with smaller autos. But if you wish to discover nature and go to nationwide parks, you’ll encounter rougher roads, and I recommend a automobile with a excessive floor clearance. These are often priced at $75-85 per day.
Flights to Costa Rica
The bulk of your funds for transportation in Costa Rica will likely be allotted in the direction of the flight to the nation. If you’re coming from the United States, you’ll be able to often get an excellent deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airlines affords round-trip flights from Miami which can be underneath $200 per particular person, which is dirt-cheap in comparison with the price of flying out of Europe.
The most cost-effective round-trip flights from Europe I’ve seen have been round $700, and people have been uncommon. The common value of a return flight from Europe to Costa Rica was $850, though you would possibly be capable of get a greater deal for those who journey within the low season.
Cost of Food
Eating out in Costa Rica may be expensive for those who aren’t conversant in the native tips. The fundamental 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 value would point out.
While $30 for a fundamental course isn’t an outrageous quantity, it’s costly in Costa Rica, the place the typical value of a restaurant meal is $10-20. A $30 meal is sort of a luxurious deal with at an excellent 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 most effective native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is essential for Costa Rica on a funds.
Also, it’s essential to understand that consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is mostly dearer than within the smaller cities. Destinations off the overwhelmed path will supply higher offers each for lodging and meals, and it’s another excuse 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.
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’s best to purpose to strive, even when it means you must 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 contains 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 most effective 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 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 sum of money for those who store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Local grocery shops in Costa Rica are considerable in inexpensive recent fruit and greens, and you’ll usually get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the facet of the highway. Even simply 1,000 CRC ($2) goes a great distance in Costa Rica and is sufficient for a home-cooked meal. Pineapple is admittedly low-cost in Costa Rica, and you’ll often get three items for about $2.
A weekly funds 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 an internet store the place you’ll be able to try the costs and availability of substances 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 occasions can simply get by with a funds of $50 per week. Eating a couple of vegetarian meals will likely be even cheaper, as recent 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. If they stick with sodas, a funds of $100-150 per week for one particular person ought to be sufficient. Some days, you’ll spend rather less, and others, you’ll spend slightly extra, however that sum of money ought to be sufficient to cowl all meals and drinks in Costa Rica.
Luxury vacationers usually tend to eat for each meal until they’re staying in all-inclusive lodging. Fancy eating places in Costa Rica are fairly costly, and the value of fundamental programs ranges from $25-40. A tasting menu in San Jose’s fanciest restaurant is round $110 per particular person with out wine pairings, so you could possibly simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals for those who needed.
But say you eat breakfast on the lodge, go to a extra inexpensive place for lunch, and splurge for dinner. That’s a funds 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 relies on what you love to do; there are numerous free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you could possibly simply discover an excellent chunk of the nation with out spending something. Discover the mountaineering 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 rapidly add up. I like how Costa Rica is nice each for vacationers preferring to discover the free actions and for many who need to expertise these bucket listing adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier various, 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 is a bit infuriating to pay $20 for one thing that’s free for many different individuals, however that’s simply a part of touring to Costa Rica.
Budget vacationers are prone to stick with free actions and luxuriate in 2-3 paid excursions throughout their keep. A tough funds of $20 per exercise offers you all kinds of choices, because it covers all the pieces from kayaking to nationwide park entrances and entry to waterfalls. A weekly funds may very well be as little as $50, however I like to recommend rising it as a result of the actions are the most effective factor about Costa Rica. If you’ll be able to handle a weekly funds 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 need to do one thing enjoyable each day of their keep. A weekly funds of $150-200 ought to be sufficient to find Costa Rica’s pure magnificence and have enjoyable your entire time.
Luxury vacationers are most certainly to spring for expensive actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. If you’re doing one thing that prices $100 each day, you’ll be able to simply spend $600-700 for per week in Costa Rica.
Budget For 1 Week in Costa Rica
Here’s a breakdown of a mid-range funds 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 particular person for a complete week, not together with the return flight. And take note I’ve allotted the next funds for meals and actions; for those who have been to spend a few days having fun with the free issues to do in Costa Rica and eat out much less incessantly, you could possibly simply get by with a funds of $1,000 per week.
Budget vacationers can expertise Costa Rica for $400-500 in per week, whereas luxurious vacationers will spend a minimum of $2,500. I have to say that, for luxurious vacationers, reserving an all-inclusive resort drastically reduces the funds for meals and drinks.
Budget For 2 Weeks in Costa Rica
A two-week funds for a mid-range traveler in Costa Rica is just about simply double the weekly funds:
$1,200 for lodging
$300 meals
$500 for transportation
$400 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
Budget vacationers could make do with $800-1,000 for 2 weeks, whereas mid-range vacationers want $2,000-2,500 for the most effective expertise. Luxury vacationers are prone to spend a minimum of $5,000 for an all-inclusive two-week trip in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is certainly certainly one of our favorite nations in Latin America. It doesn’t actually matter in case you are a backpacker on a funds or somebody on the lookout for luxurious; you might be assured to have an incredible journey. While it’s true that Costa Rica shouldn’t be the most cost effective vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it would break the financial institution both. If you comply with our options above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica realizing you can maintain your funds the place you want it and have a good time as effectively.