What a trip to Costa Rica really costs: the 13% and the "paying in dollars" trap

Costa Rica is pricier than its Central American neighbors, taxes are usually already baked into menu prices, and paying in dollars almost always rounds against you. Here is a realistic budget.

Costa Rica markets itself as a premium eco-tourism destination and prices itself accordingly — it is noticeably more expensive than Nicaragua, Guatemala or Honduras, closer to a moderate US vacation cost in tourist areas.

A realistic daily budget

A mid-range day — a comfortable eco-lodge or hotel, meals including one restaurant sit-down, local transport and one paid activity like a park entrance or guided tour — typically runs $90–$160 per person. Guided adventure activities (zip-lining, rafting, a guided volcano or cloud-forest tour) commonly add $50–$120 per person per excursion on top of that.

Taxes and service charges are usually already in the price

Costa Rican law requires a 13% sales tax and typically a 10% service charge to be included in the posted price at restaurants — if a menu price looks suspiciously round, the taxes are probably already folded in, so check the final receipt rather than assuming you need to tip an additional 10% on top of a service charge that is already there.

Dollars, colones and ATMs

The colón (CRC) is the official currency, but US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, including by many ATMs that dispense either currency — convenient, but paying or withdrawing in dollars is usually a worse deal because businesses round the exchange rate in their favor. Use colones for small purchases when you can, and choose the colón option at ATMs and card terminals rather than the dollar one.