Costa Rica may be a little more expensive than other countries in Central America, but it can still be done if you’re on a bit of a budget. One of the best things about joining a group tour is that the majority of your expenses such as the accommodation, main excursions and entry into the national parks are already covered so you don’t have too much to think about. A daily budget of $30 – $40 USD would be advised to cover the following additional expenses.
If you want to keep it local and cheap, dine at a ‘soda bar’ where you can grab a mountain of a meal for a measly $5 – $7. A mid-range meal will come out at around $9 – $14. Dinner at a fancier restaurant will start at around $20 USD. Most restaurants include a 10% gratuity fee on the bill, so there is no need to provide any further tip.
In urban areas, taxis are around ₡630 ($1.17) for the first km and ₡610 ($1.13) for each additional km. In rural areas, taxis are around ₡770 ($1.43) per km.
For example, entrance into national parks, World Heritage Sites and optional excursions you choose to do in your free time.
Other costs you may incur on your travels in Costa Rica include donations to temples and sacred sites, souvenirs, and incidental items such as medicine or phone SIM cards.
Tipping in Costa Rica is quite different to the US, and while there are no specific ‘rules’ on how much to tip and when, there are a few general customs that you could adhere to. And if you see a tip jar on the counter, it is always well received and much appreciated if you drop in a couple of coins. Tipping as a custom is still relatively new in Costa Rica, having only become part of their culture a few decades ago. That said, tipping is mainly only expected from tourists – it is very unlikely that you will see any locals offering a tip.
At restaurants, a 10% service charge is usually included on your bill, so there is no need for a further tip. If the food and service was exceptional however, feel free to leave a couple of extra coins.
It is standard to to leave ₡500 or $1 USD per drink for the hotel bartenders. Also, leave around $1 USD per day for the maids, and either $0.50 – $1 per bag if anyone has helped with your luggage, depending on how far they carried them.
It is customary to tip the taxi driver around ₡500 – ₡2500 ($1 – $5 USD) depending on the distance. For short journeys it is perfectly fine to round up or tell the driver that they can keep the change.
You should always tip any tour guides for their service, especially if they did a good job. The size of the group will depend on how much you would tip. The total tip amount for an average to large group tour is around ₡2500 or $5 per person. For a small group tour, expect to give a tip of ₡5000 or $10 per person, and for a private tour, tip around ₡7500 – ₡10000 or $15 – $20 per person.
Haggling in Costa Rica is very different to say, India where it would be silly not to. First off, don’t ever try to haggle over prices in supermarkets or large stores! There are certain places where it is acceptable to bargain with the merchant or ask for a discount such as on street stalls and souvenir shops, but you must do it the Tico way! Remember, Costa Rica lives the ‘pura vida’ way, so stating in a firm voice “I will give you $20 for this” when the price is $40, will not go down very well! Ticos are very polite people, heavily dislike confrontation and will most likely be offended with such a harsh tone. If you would like a discount on a product, consider making small conversation with the merchant first, throw in a ‘pura vida’ or two into conversation and they will be more willing to give you a discount. If you are nice to Costa Ricans, they are nice back. Politely ask if they have any discounts on and they will most likely give you 5 – 10% off. And if you ask in Spanish, it’s even more likely. “Me podria hacer algún descuento por favor?” means “can you give me a discount please?”. It might sound a little odd to ask, but here it is very common. You will also often see additional, discounted prices if you pay in cash, so it’s always worth asking.
Costa Rica allows you to bring in 400 cigarettes (or 50 cigars, or 500g tobacco), 5L of alcohol, a personal supply of perfume and goods up to the value of $500. You will not be allowed to bring in any food items. Upon leaving Costa Rica, you are not allowed to bring back any flora or fauna or any cultural, handcrafted art such as Aztec, Incan or Mayan artefacts – this is highly illegal.
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