Costa Rica is a ravishing nation to go to, particularly in the event you’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 cause. In fact, with that reputation comes a rise in costs. Costa Rica has turn out to be fairly dear in comparison with its neighboring nations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless low cost in comparison with common vacationer locations in North America and even Western Europe.
After visiting the nation a number of occasions and touring by plenty of totally different means, we predict we have now 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. That is first-hand info.
So, how a lot cash do it’s essential to journey to Costa Rica, and is price range journey within the nation even attainable? Let’s dive into the price range breakdown for a Costa Rica vacation.
Is It Costly To Go to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is type of an costly nation to go to. It’s dearer than different Central American nations, nevertheless it’s nonetheless typically reasonably priced in comparison with america and Western Europe. For those who’re coming from a rustic with a excessive price of dwelling, I doubt you’ll discover Costa Rica very costly.
Additionally, there are tons of how it can save you cash whereas touring Costa Rica. Skip the guided excursions and discover as a lot as you possibly can by yourself, and attempt to keep away from eating places that cater particularly to English-speaking vacationers. Most excursions and eating places that purpose to draw as many English-speaking guests as attainable 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 simple to keep away from the inflated vacationer costs when visiting Costa Rica.
On high of that, it is going to be considerably cheaper to go to the nation within the low season. Plan a visit between Might and November, and it can save you some huge cash on flights, lodging, actions, and even meals. So long as you don’t thoughts that it’s the wet season (however nonetheless heat), you possibly can nonetheless have a ton of enjoyable in Costa Rica.
Frequent Questions About Visiting Costa Rica
Is Costa Rica Costly For Holidays?
Costa Rica is an costly vacation vacation spot in comparison with different nations in Central America. However in the event you select your lodge properly, benefit from the free points of interest, and be good about the place you eat, a visit to Costa Rica doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution.
What Is The Common Price of a Journey to Costa Rica?
The common price of a visit to Costa Rica is $800-1,300 USD for mid-range vacationers. It’s attainable to journey to the nation with a smaller price range of round $500, however that doesn’t embody the price of a return flight.
How A lot Does An Common Meal Price in Costa Rica?
A mean meal in Costa Rica prices $15. Loads of cheaper and pricier choices can be found, however $15 ought to get you a pleasant meal in most eating places.
How A lot Cash Do You Want For 7 Days In Costa Rica?
You want not less than $1,200 for seven days in Costa Rica with lodging and a return flight (from the US). Though the nation will be explored on a smaller price range, it’s not fairly as pleasant in the event you miss out on enjoyable actions for the sake of saving cash.
Price Of Lodging
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 or not you wish to journey low cost or reside it up, you will discover loads of choices in your worth vary.
Funds vacationers are probably to remain at non-public residences, hostels, or low cost resorts. The common Costa Rican hostel prices $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 in the event you’re touring with one other individual, renting an residence might be the very best budget-friendly choice.
For about $350-400 per week, you possibly can lease a spacious one-bedroom residence for 2, the place you’ll have a non-public lavatory and kitchen. Since you’ll have entry to a kitchen, you possibly can cook dinner most of your meals and save fairly a bit of cash on meals. And that’s on a price range of $170-200 per individual for a whole week.
A mid-range price range in Costa Rica means you possibly can keep in nearly each sort of lodging within the nation, barring a flowery beachfront resort with all-inclusive service. With a price range of $70-100 per night time, you possibly can afford the majority of the lodging within the nation.
This unbelievable 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 whole week.
Luxurious vacationers would possibly select to remain in an all-inclusive resort. They’re considerable in Costa Rica, however their price varies fairly a bit relying on the placement. An all-inclusive resort with direct seaside entry will typically run you $400-500 per night time per individual. However select a resort with out direct seaside entry, and also you’ll pay practically half that quantity for a similar degree of service. Generally, anticipate five-star resorts 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 common with vacationers.
For those who’re simply in search of a spot the place you possibly can have a relaxed trip, Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast is an equally good choice. There are many resorts and resorts the place you possibly can take pleasure in 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.
One other factor to remember is that when is simply as necessary as the place. Journey to Costa Rica in Might or June, and also you’ll get the very best lodge offers. It’s the start of the moist season, so the vacationer crowds are minimal, however the climate remains to be dry sufficient. Accommodations are sometimes as much as 50% cheaper within the low season.
Funds:
Funds vacationers can discover lodging in Costa Rica for as little as $10 per night time. That’s if you wish to camp in a tent on the grounds of a hostel; in the event you desire to have a mattress in a room and entry to a shared lavatory, you’ll must spend not less than $20-25 per night time. Double rooms in price range resorts and personal residences are $50-100 per night time, and among the resorts I’ve seen that provide double rooms for $80-100 per night time are simply within the mid-range class.
Mid-Vary:
The choices for mid-range vacationers vary from secluded mountain cabins to five-star resorts. For those who can price range about $600 per individual for lodging for the week, you’ll have your choose of resorts and residences throughout Costa Rica.
Luxurious:
All-inclusive beachfront resorts are the epitome of luxurious in Costa Rica. Spend your days stress-free on the 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 charge of $1,000.
Price of Transportation
For those who’re not pressed for time and like to economize, I say keep away from the vacationer shuttles in any respect prices and keep on with good outdated public transportation. Positive, they’re a bit sooner 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 barely an hour faster, so it’s typically not price it to spring for this mode of transport, particularly in the event you’re attempting to go to Costa Rica on a price range.
For shorter journeys, Uber is most popular to taxis. Native taxi drivers are typically sketchy and would possibly attempt to rip you off; Uber is far safer as you comply with a worth beforehand. Uber can be a great choice for transfers between two cities which might be comparatively shut to 1 one other, as it may be considerably sooner than the bus however not extraordinarily costly.
So, what do you have to price range for transportation?
It actually relies on your journey model. For those who don’t plan to spend an excessive amount of time exterior your resort, then you definitely simply must price range for the switch to and from the airport.
A tough every day price range for Costa Rica could be $15 for price range vacationers, $40 for mid-range vacationers, and round $80-100 for luxurious vacationers. And that’s since you don’t actually need to go someplace far every single day of your keep; take in the future to stroll across the metropolis, or spend a day stress-free on the seaside.
Additionally, in the event you plan to go on guided excursions to nationwide parks, cut up the price of the exercise between the price range for leisure and transportation. For those who can manage the tour by yourself, it is going to be lots cheaper, nevertheless it’s comprehensible in the event you desire to have a information with you out of the country.
The cities and cities in Costa Rica are typically walkable, so that you don’t must price range a lot to discover the vacationer points of interest. For those who keep in downtown San Jose, you’ll have the ability to stroll to each main attraction within the metropolis. I simply wouldn’t suggest strolling alone after darkish, as a result of some areas of town generally is a bit sketchy within the night.
Automotive Rental In Costa Rica
Renting a automobile is mostly not a price range journey tip, however it may well prevent fairly a bit of cash in Costa Rica. For those who’re planning to go to the nationwide parks and journey to extra secluded locations, automobile rental is by far the most affordable choice for getting across the nation.
Automotive rental is $55-60 per day, together with fuel and insurance coverage. That’s cheaper than the vacationer shuttle per individual, and in the event you’re touring with multiple different individual, it’s a no brainer. Having a automobile 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 automobile for 4 days of every week’s keep, and that comes out to a transportation price range of $18 per individual for your complete week.
Driving in Costa Rica is mostly very protected, and the principle roads are in good situation. Roads off the overwhelmed path are usually not fairly as easy; typically, there’s no asphalt, and the potholes will be fairly large. For those who’re contemplating automobile rental only for simple transfers between cities, you’ll be advantageous with smaller automobiles. However if you wish to discover nature and go to nationwide parks, you’ll encounter rougher roads, and I recommend a automobile with a excessive floor clearance. These are normally priced at $75-85 per day.
Flights to Costa Rica
The majority of your price range for transportation in Costa Rica might be allotted in direction of the flight to the nation. For those who’re coming from america, you possibly can normally get a great deal on return flights to Costa Rica. Spirit Airways gives round-trip flights from Miami which might be beneath $200 per individual, which is dirt-cheap in comparison with the price of flying out of Europe.
The most affordable round-trip flights from Europe I’ve seen 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 have the ability to get a greater deal in the event you journey within the low season.
Price of Meals
Consuming out in Costa Rica will be dear in the event you aren’t aware of the native tips. The primary 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.
Whereas $30 for a foremost 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 nearly a luxurious deal with at a great native restaurant, not only a burger and a few fries at a vacationer joint.
The important thing to consuming good however low cost in Costa Rica is to hunt out sodas. These are small, family-owned, hole-in-the-wall eating places that normally don’t actually have a menu in English. It’s the place all of the locals eat, and you’ll normally have a very nice meal for simply $10. You get to eat the very best native meals and pay the identical costs because the locals, which is vital for Costa Rica on a price range.
Additionally, it’s necessary to take into account that consuming out in San Jose, Tamarindo, and La Fortuna is mostly dearer than within the smaller cities. Locations off the overwhelmed path will supply higher offers each for lodging and meals, and it’s another excuse 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.
Irrespective of 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 purpose to strive, even when it means it’s important to splurge:
Casado is a Costa Rican dish consisting of rice, plantain, black beans, tortilla, salad, and optionally meat. It’s normally $6-10 in a restaurant, relying on whether or not it contains meat.
Gallo Pinto is one other conventional Costa Rican dish primarily based on beans and rice. It’s historically served for breakfast with fried eggs and normally prices 3,500-4,500 CRC ($7-9).
Arroz con leche is to Costa Rica what Tiramisu is to Italy. It’s the very best native dessert that you could find in nearly each restaurant, and it’s so scrumptious that you just’ll wish to eat it after each meal. The candy rice pudding is normally priced at 1,300-2,000 CRC, which is roughly $3-4.
Grocery Procuring In Costa Rica
Funds vacationers are unlikely to eat out for each meal in Costa Rica. It can save you a good sum of money in the event you store for groceries and cook dinner meals, particularly on longer journeys. Native grocery shops in Costa Rica are considerable in reasonably priced contemporary fruit and greens, and you’ll typically get nice offers from locals promoting produce at stalls on the aspect of the street. Even simply 1,000 CRC ($2) goes a good distance in Costa Rica and is sufficient for a home-cooked meal. Pineapple is de facto low cost in Costa Rica, and you’ll normally get three items for about $2.
A weekly price range of 25,000 CRC ($50) is sufficient to cowl breakfast and dinner for 2, in addition to drinks. It’s finest to buy at native supermarkets; Maxi Pali even has an internet store the place you possibly can take a look at the costs and availability of substances within the closest store to you.
Additionally, many grocery shops within the larger cities in Costa Rica have a ready meals part. Meals are normally priced at 2,000-3,000 CRC ($4-6), and the parts are very beneficiant. It gained’t be the tastiest meals you eat in Costa Rica, however it should preserve you full, and it’s cheaper than consuming out.
How A lot To Funds For Meals In Costa Rica
Funds vacationers who store for groceries and eat out solely a few occasions can simply get by with a price range of $50 per week. Consuming a couple of vegetarian meals might be even cheaper, as contemporary 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. In the event that they keep on 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 a bit of extra, however that sum of money needs to be sufficient to cowl all meals and drinks in Costa Rica.
Luxurious 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 value of foremost programs ranges from $25-40. A tasting menu in San Jose’s fanciest restaurant is round $110 per individual with out wine pairings, so you can simply spend north of $1,000 simply on meals in the event you wished.
However 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.
Price of Actions
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 a lot of free issues to do in Costa Rica, and you can simply discover a great chunk of the nation with out spending something. Uncover the climbing trails, swim within the sea, and stroll round San Jose, marveling on the structure and the native vibes.
However if you wish to go to a well-liked place like Arenal Volcano Nationwide Park, or take pleasure in 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 many who wish to expertise these bucket checklist adventures. The latter goes to be the pricier various, however price 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’s a bit infuriating to pay $20 for one thing that’s free for many different individuals, however that’s simply a part of touring to Costa Rica.
Funds vacationers are prone to keep on with free actions and revel 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 may very well be as little as $50, however I like to recommend growing it as a result of the actions are the very best factor about Costa Rica. For those who can handle a weekly price range of $100 for leisure, you possibly can even squeeze in one of many pricier experiences like ziplining in Monteverde or La Fortuna’s hanging bridges.
Mid-range vacationers will most likely 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 complete time.
Luxurious vacationers are probably to spring for dear actions like scuba diving or white water rafting. For those who’re doing one thing that prices $100 every single day, you possibly can simply spend $600-700 for every week in Costa Rica.
Funds For 1 Week in Costa Rica
Right here’s a breakdown of a mid-range price range for one week in Costa Rica:
$600 for lodging
$150 meals
$250 for transportation
$200 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
That’s round $1,200 per individual for a whole week, not together with the return flight. And consider I’ve allotted the next price range for meals and actions; in the event you 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 can simply get by with a price range of $1,000 per week.
Funds vacationers can expertise Costa Rica for $400-500 in every week, whereas luxurious vacationers will spend not less than $2,500. I have to say that, for luxurious vacationers, reserving an all-inclusive resort drastically reduces the price range for meals and drinks.
Funds For two Weeks in Costa Rica
A two-week price range for a mid-range traveler in Costa Rica is just about simply double the weekly price range:
$1,200 for lodging
$300 meals
$500 for transportation
$400 for actions
$200 (US) – $850 (Europe) for flights
Funds vacationers could make do with $800-1,000 for 2 weeks, whereas mid-range vacationers want $2,000-2,500 for the very best expertise. Luxurious vacationers are prone to spend not less than $5,000 for an all-inclusive two-week trip in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is unquestionably one among our favorite nations in Latin America. It doesn’t actually matter if you’re a backpacker on a price range or somebody in search of luxurious; you’re assured to have an incredible journey. Whereas it’s true that Costa Rica will not be the most affordable vacation spot in Central America, that doesn’t imply it should break the financial institution both. For those who comply with our options above, it is possible for you to to journey Costa Rica realizing you can preserve your price range the place you want it and have a good time as properly.