Planning your first trip to Costa Rica and feeling overwhelmed by all the details? You are not alone!
This guide combines helpful Costa Rica facts with everything we’ve learned in an easy-to-use format made specifically for first-time visitors. Whether you’re wondering about currency, tipping, time zones, language barriers, or driving logistics—this guide has you covered.
Costa Rica is one of the places Bill and I choose to come back to again and again—most recently for an extended stay—because it’s just that special. You are going to love it!
Consider this your shortcut to planning an unforgettable Bucket List trip to Costa Rica—with a whole lot less stress. Use the Table of Contents to jump to what you need—or just keep scrolling for all the key Costa Rica facts.
The Provinces of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is divided into 7 different provinces and it’s very important to know which one you are in. The Provinces are similar to our states, Cantons are like counties and Districts are the cities.
For example, La Fortuna is in the District of La Fortuna, the Canton of San Jose, and the Province of Alajuela.
Many towns or beaches have the same name – and if you don’t know which province you are in, you might select the wrong one from what you intended.
For example, if I put in Playa Hermosa into either my Weather app or my Maps app, several options come up. Which one is the right one?
So double check before you head out that you chose the correct one, especially if you’re driving to a new place.
PLAN YOUR TRIP WITH OUR
FAVORITE TOOLS
– Best Lodging site: Booking.com
– Book Day Tours here: Viator.com
– Rent Cars here: RentalCars.com
Currency
In Costa Rica, the official currency is the colones (CRC or ₡), but they also take US Dollars at most places, especially places geared to tourism. If you pay in US dollars, change will be given in colones. Small businesses may not accept large bills such as $50 or $100 because it will use up all of their money to give you change.
The US dollars must be in good condition, without any tears or marks. We’ve watched store clerks examine them closely and then reject any that aren’t perfect.
Paper banknotes: ₡1,000, ₡2,000, ₡5,000, ₡10,000, ₡20,000
Coins: ₡1, ₡5, ₡10, ₡25, ₡50, ₡100, ₡500
Credit and debit cards, including VISA and Mastercard, are accepted at most places. We were able to use Apple Pay with our phones too in a few places.
But cash is still required in some spots:
- Some smaller shops, restaurants, and businesses may not take credit cards.
- Independent tour guides are not set up to take card payments, nor are the parking lot “attendants”.
- We pay for most of our accommodations on booking platforms with a credit card. But in Costa Rica, it is far more common be asked to pay for your lodging in cash upon arrival, even when booked on Booking.com.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Costa Ricans (Ticos) often refer to ₡1000 as a “mil” – that confused me at first. Referring to one thousand as a million? But they will say things like “tip the parking lot attendant one to two mil” and they mean ₡1,000 or ₡2,000.
Costa Rica is not as cheap as it used to be. We went to Walmart when we first landed in San Jose to stock up on food for the week. The prices on many items were more expensive than in the US. Not all of them, but a lot of them.
Kari’s Most Important Travel Tip: If you plan to buy liquor for your time in Costa Rica, check out the duty-free shop at the Airport. We found a 1 liter bottle of brand name rum for $10. So we stocked up! Later, I paid $23 for the same bottle at a grocery store.
Kari’s Travel Tip: In most restaurants, you will go up to the Cashier to pay your bill, rather than at the table. They generally don’t bring you a bill.
Currency Conversion
We always use the Xe app to check the most up-to-date exchange rates.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Currently, $1 is approximately equivalent to 500 colones. To ballpark it, I divide the colones price by 500. Something that is 2500 colones is approximately $5. This lets me do quick math when we are out and about.
Kari’s Travel Tip: You really don’t have to get colones before you come to Costa Rica. You can withdraw some from a bank ATM once you get to your first destination.
I normally don’t recommend using the ATM at the airport, but if you are going to be driving away from San Jose, there are toll-booths so you might want to withdraw $15-20 in colones to pay the tolls.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Always choose to be charged in the local currency when using your credit or debit card. This avoids double conversion fees.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Be sure to call your bank to let them know your travel dates and locations. This will prevent any issues with your card being blocked while abroad.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Try to use up any leftover colones on your last day. We spend ours on snacks and beverages before we head home.
Tipping Culture in Costa Rica
Tipping in Costa Rica is similar to how it is in the US. People in the tourist or hospitality industry work very hard for low wages and any extra bit can go a long way towards feeding their families. But it is up to you to decide if and when to tip. Unlike the US, it not expected, but it’s very much appreciated.
One difference to be aware of is that restaurants and cafes will automatically add a 10% service charge, required by law. This amount is supposed to be shared amongst the employees. Tipping additional is totally up to you.
Kari’s Travel Tip: You can tip in either US dollars or CR colones.
Language
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish, spoken quickly and with a lot of emotion. It’s fun to hear, though I can’t keep up with speaking or understanding it myself.
Many Ticos (Costa Rican residents), especially those working in the hospitality and tourism sectors, speak at least some amount English. At restaurants, the menus are usually in both Spanish and English. Guides usually speak English pretty well. But in Costa Rica, you will run into plenty of people who speak zero English.
Kari’s Travel Tip: It’s a good idea to learn a few key Spanish phrases. Even if you don’t say them perfectly, the locals will really appreciate that you’re trying. Here are some helpful phrases to start with:
- Yes = Si
- Please = Por favor
- Thank You = Gracias
- Hello = Hola
- Goodbye = Adiós
- That is delicious! = ¡Qué rico!
- Good morning = Buenos días
- Good evening = Buenas noches
- Where is a bathroom? = ¿Dónde hay un baño?
- Where is a grocery store? = ¿Dónde hay una tienda de comestibles?
One of most common phrases in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida” – it expresses their laid-back attitude toward peace and contentment.
Google Translate
For everything else, I use Google Translate. It’s my go-to app for translating both ways—whether I’m typing or speaking the words I need.
I often use it in stores to ask for things like “I’m looking for ham” or “Where are the onions?” I type or speak it, then show the employee the translation.
The camera feature is another lifesaver! I can snap a photo of a menu or food label, and Google Translate will translate it instantly.
A few other words to know as a visitor in Costa Rica:
- Tico = Costa Rican native or resident
- Playa = Beach
- Mirador = Viewpoint or overlook
- Soda = Small restaurant
Time Zone
Costa Rica is in the Central Time Zone, same as Chicago, Dallas and our hometown in Minnesota. They do not observe Daylight Savings Time, so their clocks are consistent all year long. So when we are in Daylight Savings mode in the US (March – October), Costa Rica is on Mountain Time, similar to Denver.
The sun rises and sets at about the same time all year round. Sunrise is typically about 6:00 AM and the Sun sets about 5:30 PM and it’s pretty dark by 6:00. We try to avoid driving long distances in the dark because of the narrow winding roads.
Costa Rica is great for Americans because the jet lag is minimal, if at all. And you can easily connect with friends and family back in the states because you are all awake at the same time (unlike when you go to Southeast Asia or Australia).
Are these Costa Rica Facts helping with your trip planning? There’s more helpful info ahead, so keep on reading!
Date Format
Costa Rica formats their dates as DD-MM-YYYY, which is different from the MM-DD-YY format used in the US (where August 12, 2023 is written as 08-12-23). In Costa Rica, the date would show as 12-08-2023.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Date format is particularly important when you’re buying tickets, or when completing forms or applications. Be careful when entering your birthdate, passport issue date, and expiration date – always follow the format provided on the application!
Want to get this Guide in a PDF to take with you? Just fill out the form below:
International Phone Code
Costa Rica’s country code is +506 (followed by the 8-digit local number).
To get the + sign, press and hold the zero key for a second while in dialing mode. Then, you can add Costa Rica’s country code (506) and the local number.
WhatsApp is the primary app for calls, texts, and file sharing in Costa Rica (and many other places such as Europe and Southeast Asia).
People here don’t use traditional texting or calling services like we do in the US.
Kari’s Travel Tip: I recommend downloading WhatsApp before your trip and learning how it works. It’s incredibly useful for communicating with your drivers, guides, accommodation hosts, and other travelers you meet.
We use WhatsApp to keep in touch with family while we’re abroad. As long as I’m on Wi-Fi or using my Airalo eSim for data, I avoid international roaming charges from my US carrier.
WhatsApp uses your US phone number, but it only works with others who are using the app. If you’re sharing your number, make sure to include the +1 in front of your area code. You can also create a QR code on WhatsApp for them to scan.
Airalo eSim
I use an Airalo eSim to stay connected while traveling abroad.
They offer a specific eSim for Costa Rica, or a Latin America Regional eSim that covers 17 countries across Central and South America, including Mexico.
The Regional one is a little more expensive, but useful if you will be visiting more than one country during your travels.
It’s very easy to install, activate, and use. You can select which apps use your eSim data. I usually turn off apps I don’t need while traveling, like weather apps or businesses back home.
You can always top it off with more data if needed.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Install and activate the eSim before leaving home. This way, you’ll have data ready as soon as you land and connect to the local network.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Make sure your phone is set up for international roaming and that it’s been unlocked for the eSim. If you’re not sure, call your cellular provider.
Driving & Getting Around Costa Rica
The Ticos drive on the right side of the road, just like we do in the US, so that part is easy. The main roads are paved and in generally pretty good condition. They often have only one lane of traffic in each direction and there aren’t many traffic lights.
In fact, there isn’t much traffic control at all. We saw a few roundabouts, lots of stop signs, but almost no traffic lights.
The road signs are in Spanish, but in the same shapes and colors as in the US.
There are just a few roads in Costa Rica with toll booths. They are all around the San Jose area, including Route 27, Highway 1 and Highway 2. You’ll need Costa Rican colones to pay – choose the lane that says “Manual” for payment type.
Once you get into more rural areas, or off the main highways, the smaller roads are often very narrow and winding – if there are cars parked, you’ll need go slow to pass them.
Sometimes they are paved, sometimes they aren’t. But they are much more likely to be rough and bumpy with ruts and potholes. We did not have a 4×4, so we just went slow and took our time going over the rough spots.
In the towns, the streets are very narrow and there are often cars parked on both sides. Many of them are one-way streets so pay close attention to the signs.
You can park for free along the curb as long as it isn’t painted yellow. But there are also deep gutters along the edge of many streets, so it takes some practice to get close to the edge without putting your tires into the gutter.
At gas stations, the attendants pump the gas. You are not allowed to pump your own. Check the receipt before you leave the station to make sure you were only charged for the amount of gas you received.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Plan on it taking longer to get from Point A to Point B than Google Maps or Waze say it will. Often significantly longer. With most roads having just one lane in each direction, there can be big backups if you get stuck behind a big truck who can’t go very fast. There is also congestion at popular stops like the Crocodile Bridge or selected beaches. And going slow over the rough patches also adds time.
IMPORTANT: The addresses are not straightforward with a house number and a street. Instead, they are often in reference to something else. And many streets don’t have any kind of sign.
- The address at our first Airbnb was “Colina Monito Road Barrio Los Lirios. 2da casa después de Mountain Top Park, Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica” which translates to “two houses past the Mountain Top Park”.
- The address of the TucanTico Lodge was “De la escuela de cerro plano 150metros al este y 50 metros al sur, 60109 Monteverde Costa Rica, Costa Rica” which translates to “From the Cerro Plano school 150 meters to the east and 50 meters to the south”
- Our whale watching trip left from “150 meters west of the gas station in Uvita”. There are 3 gas stations in that town, so we almost missed our tour!
Kari’s Travel Tip: Obviously, you can’t put descriptions like that into your Maps app, right? I recommend using the business name rather than the address. But my Airbnb was an apartment at the back of someone’s house so we used the Mountain Top Park as an address to get us home each day.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Waze is the most often recommended app to use for navigation, because it works better if you can’t get a signal. I personally find Waze very clunky to use – it often sends us in circles with frequent re-routing. We used Google Maps as much as we could and we hit Start before we leave our accommodation.
Kari’s Travel Tip: If you have two people, it’s immensely helpful to have one navigate while the other drives. Even with Waze or Google Maps, the roads veer and swerve so often, that you have to stay on top of it or you miss a turn.
Kari’s Travel Tip: ALWAYS lock your car and take all your belongings with you whenever you leave your car. Even if you’re just running into a store or bathroom. Car break-ins happen frequently in Costa Rica.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Before booking a car rental, ask what the total cost will be with all fees and insurance. Otherwise, you may be quoted the rental price, only to be surprised when you show up that the total cost is MUCH higher due to fees and insurance. Renting a car in Costa Rica is expensive so you need to do a lot of research, read reviews and then ask for the total cost.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Read my entire guide to driving in Costa Rica
Parking “Attendants”
One thing that we have not encountered anywhere else on our travels (yet anyway) is paying someone to watch your car while it’s parked. This can happen in many places, including parking lots, at tourist stops, and near beaches.
These people are not official anything, they are just locals looking to make a few dollars. We paid an elderly woman to watch our car while we went horseback-riding on the beach. She sat on a lawn chair near the car for the two hours we were gone. And we paid a man along the side of a highway to watch our car while we went into the woods with a birding guide. In each case, it was ₡1,000 – 2,000 for the parking “attendant”.
Across the Country
For those who choose to travel without a rental car, there is a system of buses and rideshares that you can use to get from town to town. We have not used any of them yet so can’t speak from personal experience. But we’ve heard that they can take a long time to get from point A to point B, often with several bus transfers.
Use an App like Rome2Rio to check your options.
It gives you estimates for both travel time and cost (in US dollars), which makes planning much easier.
Seasons in Costa Rica
The temperatures and humidity in Costa Rica are vary widely throughout all the different eco-systems. Along the coasts, it is most often hot and humid, year-round. In places like Monteverde up in the mountains, it can be a lot cooler.
Because much of Costa Rica is a rainforest climate, it understandably, rains a lot. How much and how often varies widely by region and by month. In the Manuel Antonio area, the rainy season is supposed to be from April to October, but it was still raining daily every afternoon when we arrived in January.
In Monteverde, it would rain for 10 minutes, be sunny and warm for 20 minutes, then rain for an hour, then be nice for 40 minutes. It literally changed minute by minute! And if we drove 20 minutes away to a higher or lower elevation, it might be the opposite of where we just were.
Kari’s Travel Tip: The best tip is to just plan for anything, dress in layers and ALWAYS have your rain gear with you! Whether you prefer a raincoat, an umbrella or a poncho is up to you.
Kari’s Travel Tip: My favorite Weather App is AccuWeather. But for some reason in Costa Rica, I’d call it wildly “Inaccurate-Weather.” At the moment, we are in a torrential downpour, but the app says no precipitation is predicted for the next 4 hours and the radar show zero rain anywhere in Costa Rica (where it rains frequently). Do NOT rely on AccuWeather!!
Kari’s Travel Tip: When it rains hard, as it frequently does in Costa Rica, it can get very loud. If your accommodation has a tin roof, the sound can be deafening! If you are a light sleeper, look for accommodations without a tin roof.
Plug Adapter
Luckily for Americans, Costa Rica uses the same outlets (Type A & B) and electrical currency we do. So your electronics should plug in fine without needing an adaptor.
I did bring my Ceptiks Universal Travel Adapter Kit because I can plug multiple things into it at once, in case there was limited outlets available, but I never ended up using it. Still, I highly recommend – it has worked great for me, all around the world and in multiple countries.
I hope having all these Costa Rica Facts and travel tips in one place makes your travel planning a lot easier!
Can I drink the water?
Yes, in Costa Rica, you can safely drink the tap water in most areas. But there are some more remote areas where the tap water is not safe to drink. Your hotel or lodging will advise you.
Tap water in Costa Rica is not softened like it is in much of the USA. If you have a sensitive stomach, or you just don’t like the taste of hard water, you may wish to bring a filter with you or buy bottled water instead.
Toilet Things to Know
Much of Costa Rica operates on a Septic system which means you cannot flush the toilet paper. Where this is the case, wastebaskets are provided next to the toilet to place your paper in. Sometimes there is a sign, but not always. Always assume that you should NOT flush the toilet paper.
For me, this was super hard to remember each time because I automatically put it in the toilet without even thinking about it. It was a challenge to change my habits!
Visa Requirements
According to the US State Department, US citizens don’t need a tourist visa to travel to Costa Rica as long as your stay is less than 180 days. You must have validity left on your US passport for your entire stay and you need at least one blank page in your passport for them to stamp.
Upon arrival at Immigration, you may be asked to show your return ticket or proof of onward travel to prove you will not stay in Costa Rica more than 180 days. So have it readily available (on your phone or on paper) to show if they ask.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Always carry your passport with you. At any time, a police officer can stop you and ask to see it. I keep ours buried deep in an inside pocket of our backpack which I wore everywhere.
Safety
For anyone planning an international trip, I strongly recommend visiting the US State Department website to stay informed about potential safety concerns. They rank all countries by their level of risk: Level 1 (travel with normal precautions), Level 2 (travel with increased caution), Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Level 4 (Do not travel).
Theft is the most common crime in Costa Rica. Use common sense at all times to be aware of your surroundings. Never leave items visible in your locked car. Never leave items unattended while at the beach. Take turns going into the store or bathroom so someone is always with the car. Pay someone to watch your car when you must leave it.
Kari’s Travel Tip: I always carried my purse, my meds, my laptop and my camera in my backpack, even into the grocery store. If our car got robbed (and thankfully it didn’t), I always had my most valued possessions on my person.
Kari’s Travel Tip: Every town has a large town sign, making it a perfect photo opp for you and your fellow travelers. But these places are also a hotbed for theft if you leave stuff in your car while you stop. TAKE IT WITH YOU!
The State Department also provides the STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), where you can register your travel details. We always do this before we travel internationally. This way, you’ll get notifications about emergencies, protests, or changes to embassy hours. In other parts of the world, we have benefited from getting the alerts.
Embassy Assistance for U.S. Citizens
U.S. Embassy San José
Calle 98, Via 104
Pavas
San José, Costa Rica
Telephone + (506) 2519-2000
Emergency + (506) 2220-3127
Fax + (506) 2220-2455
Email ACSSanJose@state.gov
Website https://cr.usembassy.gov/
Can you feel the excitement building for Costa Rica? I hope these facts and tips are guiding you as you plan!
Vaccine Requirements
No vaccines are currently required for those arriving from the US. If you are coming from a country with active Yellow Fever, you may need a vaccination for that. I always recommend talking with your personal doctor before doing any international travel.
Metric System Conversions
In Costa Rica, as in most countries around the world, the metric system is used for distance (meters and kilometers), temperature (Celsius), weight (grams and kilograms), and volume (liters and milliliters).
Kari’s Travel Tip: For quick conversions, I always keep a reference chart in my iPhone notes. Here’s a copy for you to use:
Temperature: Celsius to Fahrenheit
- 0 C = 32 F
- 10 C = 50 F
- 15 C = 59 F
- 20 C = 68 F
- 25 C = 77 F
- 27 C = 80 F
- 30 C = 86 F
- 40 C = 104 F
- 45 C = 113 F
- Formula for calculating: C x 1.8 + 32 = F
Weight: Kilograms to Pounds
This is especially useful for checked and carry-on luggage limits on different airlines. Internationally, the limits are often quite a bit smaller than on US Airlines so it’s important to check. And they do tend to weigh the carry-ons sometimes.
- 7 kg = 15.4 pounds
- 10 kg = 22 pounds
- 15 kg = 33 pounds
- 20 kg = 44 pounds
- 25 kg = 55 pounds
- 30 kg = 66 pounds
- 32 kg = 70 pounds
- 35 kg = 77 pounds
- Formula: kg x 2.2 = Pounds
Area: Square Meters to Square Feet
This is helpful when you are looking for accommodations to know how big the space is. A standard hotel room in the US is about 300-350 square feet.
- 20 square meters = 215 square feet
- 25 square meters = 269 square feet
- 30 square meters = 323 square feet
- 40 square meters = 430 square feet
- 70 square meters = 753 square feet
Distance: Kilometers to Miles
At first, we were constantly trying to convert all the kilometers over to miles. But after a while, we just adapted to thinking in terms of kilometers.
- Precise calculation: km x 0.621371 = miles
- Rough calculation: km x .6 = miles or km x 2/3 = miles
- 100 meters = roughly a football field length
Other Helpful Things to Know for Costa Rica
- National Park tickets must be purchased online and often sell out. Set up an account before you leave for Costa Rica so you’re ready to go when you want to book.
- Facebook Groups to Join: Costa Rica Travel and Costa Rica Travel Tips and Resources. Both of these groups have over 200,000 members who ask and answer questions all day long. Great resources of information! And while you are in Costa Rica, they provide real-time local information about roads or airports being closed.
- If you are interested in bird-watching, also consider joining these Facebook Groups: Costa Rica Birding or Birding Costa Rica. These groups provide info about places to find specific birds, guides to hire and popular places to go birding.
- San Jose, Costa Rica is not the same as San Juan, Puerto Rico – people get them mixed up all the time, even booking flights to the wrong city. Similarly, do not book a flight to San Jose, CA by mistake. SJO is the airport you want in San Jose, Costa Rica and its official name is Juan Santamaria International Airport.
Conclusion: Costa Rica Facts
I hope these Costa Rica Facts and Travel Tips have given you some valuable info to make your trip planning easier and more exciting! It’s a wonderful place to visit and I highly recommend adding it to your travel Bucket List.
If you have any other fun Costa Rica facts or tips that you think should be added, I’d love to hear your suggestions!
More Info on Costa Rica
Here are some more posts about Costa Rica, including some that I’m still working on. If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.
- Amazing Costa Rica 7 Day Itinerary for Nature Lovers
- Ultimate 2 Week Costa Rica Travel Itinerary for Nature Lovers
- What to Pack for Costa Rica: A Nature Lover’s Packing List
- Costa Rica Facts & Travel Tips – For First Timers
- Colorful Birds of Costa Rica – A Photo Album
- Sodas in Costa Rica – An Affordable & Delicious Experience
- How to Make the Most of Your Day at La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- Buy Costa Rica National Park tickets without pulling your hair out
- Everything You Need to Know about Driving in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica on a Budget: Lodging, Food & Fun For Less
Monteverde / Santa Elena Rainforest Area
- Where to stay in Monteverde / Santa Elena – Luxury to Budget to Unique
- 25 Epic Things to do in Monteverde / Santa Elena
- Where are the Best Places to Find Birds in Monteverde?
- 14 Awesome Cheap and Free Things to Do in Monteverde
Manuel Antonio / Quepos Area
- Manuel Antonio National Park: How to Have an Amazing Day
- Beyond the Park: 25 Great Things to Do in Manuel Antonio
- The 12 Best Hotels in Manuel Antonio & Quepos for Every Budget
- Carara National Park: Macaws, Monkeys & the Crocodile Bridge
- Whale Watching in Costa Rica at Marino Ballena National Park
- 12 Best Free and Cheap Things to Do in Manuel Antonio / Quepos
La Fortuna / Arenal Volcano Area
- 10 Best Places to Stay in La Fortuna Costa Rica
- Don’t Miss These 24 Unique Things to Do in La Fortuna
- Our Costa Rica Cooking Class – Did it Live up to the Hype?
- 10 Best Free and Cheap Things to Do in La Fortuna / Arenal
