Costa Rica Travel Costs and Money-Saving Tips

Is Costa Rica really that expensive? The short answer: yes! 😱 This is what I spent over 2.5 weeks and I honestly saved by traveling with a friend for most of the trip (only had to split the cost of gas) and collaborating with some hotels (didn’t have to pay for every single night of my trip). ✈️ Flight (one way) $154.55 🍽️ Food $352 🚗 Transportation $567 🏡 Accommodation $360 (@airbnb ranges from $40 - $80 / night) 🦥 Activities $187 🎁 Souvenirs $47 📲 SIM card + phone data $50 🧺 Laundry $40 TOTAL $1757.55 In my opinion, Costa Rica is as expensive as they say it is. The food, the car rental, the activities— it all adds up! So if you want to travel to Costa Rica without breaking the bank, here are a few tips ⤵️ 📌SAVE this post ✈️ Travel in the shoulder season (April, May / October, November). My car rental was $100/ day but the salesperson told me that in the shoulder season it’s half that! Traveling in the shoulder season will also make accommodation more affordable. An @airbnb host told me she simply couldn’t lower the price during the high season but she would otherwise 🍳 Eat local. Sodas are what Costa Ricans call their local restaurants. Find these and eat at them 😋 🚎 Don’t be afraid to take the bus! I took the bus from Manual Antonio to San Jose and it cost 6000 colones (about $11). I felt extremely safe even as a solo female traveler. It was comfortable and not too crowded. 10/10 recommend. Use the @moovit app to find the bus schedule and real time updates! 👉 What do you think? Are you surprised by these numbers or did you expect Costa Rica to be expensive? Follow for adventure travel tips, travel costs and places you might not see everyday ✨ ———