How expensive is Costa Rica really?
Costa Rica is on most traveller’s bucketlist. With good reason. The incredible wild life, the lush green jungles and the dreamy beaches where you can surf on the waves until the sun sets are just a few reasons why the country is a little heaven on this earth. And yet, there are a few things I wish I knew before travelling to the country of “Pura Vida”. I knew that Costa Rica is known to be quite expensive, but I was still surprised.
The Switzerland of Central America
Before arriving in Costa Rica, I have been told that the country is the most expensive destination in Central America. Some even refer to it as the Switzerland of Central America. I assumed it would just be a little bit less cheap than its neighbor countries or maybe equally as pricy as my home country Germany.
Spoiler: I was wrong.
Costa Rica really is an expensive destination. Very expensive. While you can adjust a few things to your budget and find affordable options, it seems impossible on other ends. I was not on a super tight budget when travelling the country and yet I was unpleasantly surprised multiple times. After having travelled through Asia and most parts of Europe, Costa Rica seemed to be one of the most expensive places I’ve ever been to.
The costs for transportation
One of the main expenses during my trip to Costa Rica was transportation. I was travelling by bus so most of the time, I needed to get a bus ticket to get from one place to another. Before arriving, I booked an airport transfer from Liberia to Tamarindo for around 40 USD. Looking back, this was even cheap considering it was an airport pick-up.
In Costa Rica, there are a few main places anyone travelling the country visits. Therefore, you can book your transportation in between these stops directly at your hostel or hotel. For example from Tamarindo you can book buses to Santa Teresa, Monteverde, La Fortuna, San José or Puerto Viejo. All routes have a fixed price which you need to pay to the driver before you get on the mini bus. They do vary a little bit depending on the distance, but mostly you pay between 50 and 100 USD per person. Which is quite expensive considering you are sharing a mini bus with around 10 other people and drive for about 2 to 4 hours. In Central America. Yet, the rides are quite comfortable and they have AC and sometimes even WiFi and you get regular breaks on longer journeys.
The most expensive route I took was from Uvita to Puerto Viejo. I paid around 100 USD, but to be fair it was a full day of travelling and we needed to basically cross the whole country. In Santa Teresa, everybody moves around on ATVs. I paid 80 USD for 24 hours plus fuel to explore the area independently.
Of course, you can get transportation cheaper and there are public buses which offer a better deal. But they also require longer travel routes and you need to get to the bigger cities first and then change the bus. I took a public bus from Uvita to San José, which went fine and cost me about 40 USD less than booking a ticket for a typical mini van. But as I said, the option is not always possible or will cost you much more time and effort.
Click here to check out the ideal itinerary for 3 weeks in Costa Rica.
Food and drinks in Costa Rica
Another non-budget-friendly place is the supermarket in Costa Rica. I was honestly shocked about the prices when I first bought groceries. I did not expect to be able to eat out every night but I also was not prepared for supermarkets to be this expensive. Fruits, bread and snacks had the same price as back in Germany or even higher. One time, we paid around 14 USD for a bread and cream cheese. Surely, this was mostly in touristy areas and there might be cheaper prices in the rural regions. But without a car, it is not possible to shop somewhere else.
Even local fruit stands were surprisingly expensive. Local restaurants go under the name “sodas” and offer simple but delicious food. A plate of fried rice with vegetables and fries was around 12 USD. Western restaurants were of course more expensive and are not something you plan on going when trying to stick to your budget in Costa Rica.
Drinks were also quite pricy. A fancy Piña Colada in a pineapple at the beach in Santa Teresa cost 12 USD. A cocktail in a restaurant or bar was around the same price or even more expensive. If you want to buy yourself a drink at the supermarket to take to the beach and enjoy while watching the sunset, expect to pay between 3 and 7 USD.
Entries to waterfalls and national parks
I am used to paying an entry fee when entering a national park. If the area is well-maintained, this is not something I argue about. But Costa Rica is on another level.
An example: The entry to the El Tigre Waterfall Hike in Monteverde is 33 USD per person. It is an 3- to 4-hour hike. Yes, the area is well-maintained, and they seem to take care of the area and the hiking path. Still, it is an enormous amount of money to pay and then hike on your own through the rainforest. Plus, you have to pay up to 15 USD for the shuttle bus (which is the only option to get there if you are not travelling by car). This already summarizes to almost 50 USD for a day activity and you haven’t eaten yet.
The La Fortuna Waterfall costs 18 USD entry for an adult, same as the Manuel Antonio National Park. The Nauyaca Waterfalls near Uvita and Domenical are around 12 USD to enter.
All the prices are just the entry fees. If you want a guide by your side or a transportation, you need to pay extra.
I do not want to sound too negative about these prices. I am more than fine paying a fee to the locals to be allowed to enter their beautiful piece of land. Yet many areas of Costa Rica do feel incredibly touristy and as if profit is the main focus. I do not mind paying a small entrance fee, but the prices in Costa Rica did seem a bit over the top sometimes.
How expensive is accommodation?
I stayed in hostels most of my trip. Sometimes I switched to a guest house, if they had cheap options or an Airbnb. As we were two people travelling, sharing the costs for a double room could sometimes be the same price as two hostel beds in a dormitory.
For a dorm bed in a well-rated hostel you should expect to pay between 25 and 35 USD per night. An Airbnb private room with bathroom and kitchen could cost up to 50 USD per night, depending on the location.
Of course, Costa Rica is also home to some quite luxurious stays, so the prices for accommodation have no limit.
Ziplining, Canyoning and Co.
Costa Rica is the place for adrenaline lovers. In almost any place on the typical travel route through the country, you can participate in fun activities. A classic is the zipline in Monteverde, canyoning or a night walk tour through the jungle.
While all of this is without doubts super fun, it has its price. In Monteverde, a zip line adventure will cost you a little over 50 USD. A night walk can be done in La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio or Monteverde between 25 and 40 USD. We paid 45 USD, but had a delicious dinner included.
If you want to try surfing, be prepared for huge prices as well. Especially if you want to book a teacher. In Santa Teresa a 90-minutes session is 60 USD if you are a couple and 70 USD if you are a single person. Yes, quite a number.
Monteverde is actually one of the most expensive places in Costa Rica when it comes to activities. But it’s also the place with the most offers. Check out the price list on the left for more information.
Shopping in Costa Rica: a distant dream for budget-travellers
Shopping in Costa Rica is another level of expensive. It starts by simple souvenirs such as notebooks or magnets, which they will charge you between 6 and 12 USD. If you are strolling around in places such as Santa Teresa, you will quickly notice the beautiful boutiques next to the road. They sell anything from bikinis to dresses and skirts, pretty shirts and jewelry. While it is fun to look around, you will be quickly irritated when you check the prices. I’ve seen bikinis for over 60 USD, skirts for over 100 USD and a souvenir shirt is around 30 USD.
Yes, these are boutiques and these items might be more expensive in other countries as well. But not as much. In Puerto Viejo, for example, they have some nice shops where you can buy souvenirs and the typical fashion you would also find in Asia or Southern Europe at the beach. With a slight difference in the price. While the beach dress would be around 4 USD in Asia and maybe 15 USD in Europe, it was up to 30 USD or even more in Costa Rica.
Therefore, a long shopping day seems more like a distant dream to travellers on some sort of budget. Souvenirs for your loved ones or even for yourself will stay limited. At least you’re saving space in your backpack now 🙂
Can you even travel Costa Rica on a budget?
Costa Rica is expensive (if my point wasn’t clear already 🙂 ). But you can still manage to travel the country on a budget. It might not be the same budget you can use for South East Asia or South America, but there are still ways to keep your trip a bit cheaper.
You can use the local bus to travel around and mostly stay in hostels. And of course, you can also skip a few activities which are usually the most expensive part in a trip like this one.
What I had to quickly learn while travelling Costa Rica: It will cost me more than I planned and I will have to spend more money than I initially wanted. But at the same time, this is probably the only time I will ever be in Costa Rica. It’s now or never. And if a zipline over the green jungle of Monteverde is 70 USD, that’s how it is. And if the waterfall is over 30 USD and it’s way too much, I will stay pay it. Because I am here and now is the time to explore the country.
So yes, you can adjust Costa Rica to your budget. But also do not miss out on experiences you’ve always dreamt of having, just because they are more expensive than you thought they would be.
Because in the end, even if Costa Rica was one of the most expensive destinations I’ve ever been to and I have been shocked almost daily when we checked for prices, I would still recommend it. It is a unique destination and it’s exactly what you see on these incredible pictures, maybe even more.
