How Far Does My Money Go In Costa Rica

When traveling to some other country for the beginning time, information technology'southward super of import to get a handle on the local money. This commodity will aid you a lot in this way if y'all are thinking of traveling to Costa Rica.

I have been working remotely in Costa Rica, pioneering ways for others to practice the same. Information technology's my second remote working stay since 2021. I stay three months at a fourth dimension.

Understanding money in Republic of costa rica is actually very piece of cake. The country color codes its bills, which makes it easy to figure out which bill is which. The sizes of the Costa Rican bills vary a bit, as well. The bills are fabricated of plastic, so they are not ruined when they get moisture. They are fifty-fifty see-through!

Costa Rican Currency

The currency of Costa Rica is chosen"Colones." In Costa Rican currency math, 1 MIL is one,000 Colones. Republic of costa rica has coins upward to nigh $i in value and paper bills for values over $1.

Comparison to Dollars

$ane = 600 Colones (620)

$5 = 3,000 Colones

$10 = 6,000 Colones

$twenty = 12,000 Colones

$100 = sixty,000 Colones

Going the other way…

1,000 Colones = $1.50

2,000 Colones = $iii

five,000 Colones = $8

10,000 Colones = $xvi

xx,000 Colones = $33

60,000 Colones = $100

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Colones Coins

Coins are kind of a pain. They are heavy and I seem to accumulate a lot of them when I pay with greenbacks.

Essentially there are 100 Colones coins (~15 cents) and 500 Colones coins (~75 cents). The smaller denominations of Colones just don't thing much.

I accumulate the coins in a bag so utilize them to buy my morning orange juice.

The Way to Call up Nigh Money

When spending coin in Costa Rica, it is easiest tothink in terms of $5 and $20 increments, especially at restaurants, bars, and stores. If prices are posted in Colones, use the conversion lists above. When you spend U.S. dollars, you get Colones back as modify.

Few ATMs

In that location are a few ATMs in any Costa Rican metropolis but the few they have are not normally located in convenient places, such as by restaurants and bars. ATMs are ordinarily attached to a banking company similar BCR, Bank of Costa Rica. The ATM card I bring from the U.South. works fine in these ATM machines. Sometimes I tin can select English for the instructions.

These ATMs sometimes give a choice of U.S. dollars or Costa Rican Colones. I usually get both $100 in U.S. dollars and $100 in Colones (approximately lx,000 Colones) when I make an ATM run.

Credit and Debit Cards

Using credit and debit cards are the best ways to pay for anything. I tin track my expenses and don't have to mess with the math. I too avoid a pocket total of coins. The wait staff at restaurants brings the credit carte machine correct to the table near of the fourth dimension. The bill (la quenta) volition oftentimes show the costs in Colonesand dollars.

Update - I am now using Apple tree Pay and I honey it. I don't have to get my wallet out at all so in that location is less of a chance to lose a credit card.

Greenbacks

Despite the ease of using a credit card or debit carte, cash is standard for some of the well-nigh interesting places. 1 of my favorite restaurants/bars in Puerto Viejo, Tasty Waves, offers cash payment or PayPal, but no credit cards. Excursions and rentals might simply take cash every bit well.

I try to always have some greenbacks with me. Information technology matters piddling if it is Colones or dollars, actually. Keeping $20-$xl with me at all times gives me peace of mind and gets me a cab ride domicile when the credit card doesn't work.

What Things Cost in Costa Rica

These prices are full general resort prices. When I get away from the popular places and travel to places where they don't speak as much English language, prices become down. Pop places such as Tamarindo, La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo, Santa Teresa, and Manuel Antonio have the following prices, for the well-nigh role.

♦ Lodging

Lodging has the biggest variety in pricing. Cull from hotels, hostels, homes, rooms in homes, and fifty-fifty tents.

Hotels - most have a eating place and bar. All have a pool. You lot will find some major chains in the most expensive areas: Westin, Marriott, and Best Western. Rates can be VERY high; $300 on up a night.

Hostels – low cost and cracking for social life. I stay at an upscale and national hostel called Selina. They take individual rooms and "dorms" with multiple people sharing a room (strangers or friends). The private rooms may or may not have a private bath/shower. If the private room does not accept a private bath or shower, there will be a shared bathroom or shower near the room - like a wellness club - hostel fashion.

Airbnb– With Airbnb, in that location are all sorts of lodging choices. Hotels and hostels are frequently listed as Airbnb. Await to pay $50-$100 a night. The length of your stay and the location volition be a big commuter in the toll.

I went with Selina Hostels once more on my second trip to Costa Rica, only I went with a bigger room than on my start trip. My room this fourth dimension has a desk-bound, lots of plugs and a bit of a view. Swell for doing quiet Zoom calls, which I had a flake of a problem managing on my offset trip.

I am on a monthly program hither at Selina, where I am able to move between their 10 Republic of costa rica locations and explore Costa Rica. I actually like Selina's social environment, high-speed internet, and dedicated coworking space.

This is my "function" in Puerto Viejo. The bounding main is on the other side of the pool and bar. Working at a table on the beach is even better than a desk-bound in a room but I must get upwards early on to "claim" it.

Many Selina hostels are listed on Airbnb with major discounts. Exist certain to look at the reviews and the map.

♦ Beer to Become

A local beer, like the local favorite, Imperial, is 2000 Colones or $iii each. I recommend Imperial Silver which is a lot like Dos Equis, my favorite beer.

You can acquit a beer effectually with you anywhere, walking from place to place. Embankment parties are all about coolers and bottles of beer here. Vendors sell ice-cold cans of beer.

♦ Enjoyable Coke and Soda

Soda (popular) costs $2 a bottle. The drinkable comes super-chilled in nice, thick, drinking glass bottles that continue it cold. The Coke recipe in Republic of costa rica is like the one in United mexican states, which I actually enjoy. Fanta, a Coke product, is big here. I found Mount Dew in ane shop and I went there every day.

♦ Tall Burgers

A hamburger costs 3000-8000 Colones or $7-$fifteen and it comes with all the fixings. The ground beefiness here is exceptional; grass-fed, loose, tasty, and no hormones. Some of the all-time burgers I have ever had are from here. I've gotten ridiculously TALL burgers here.

♦ One-Price-Fits-All Cab Rides

It seems that the toll to get to about places by cab is about 2000-3000 Colones, no matter how many people you accept with you or how far you go.

There are few sidewalks in Costa Rica, making it very piece of cake to trip, so taking a cab home at night is a good idea.

"Cabs" come in all varieties, including iii-wheel tut-tuts, equally you might see in Thailand.

♦ Bike Rental

Renting a bicycle is like shooting fish in a barrel and inexpensive. It's $5-$10 a 24-hour interval depending on how long you rent. Some places have a weekly rate, which is the all-time way to go. I paid $49 for a week (upfront) and it was given a decent bike with a lock. The shop only took cash. I will find a better wheel next time, though. The bikes in Republic of costa rica get actually rusty from the rainy flavour. I wanted a headlight.

♦ Expensive Automobile Rentals

Auto rentals are SUPER expensive in Republic of costa rica and paying for insurance is the master reason. Route quality varies widely and at that place are lots of obstacles. Cars and SUVs akin get trounce upward pretty badly here – the interruption, tires, and wheels generally. A daily rental can easily be over $100 and a monthly rental is over $thousand. Driving on the "right" side of the road means driving on the right side of the road; just similar in the U.S. Road signs are in kilometers not in miles. Ane mile = one.6 km.

Motorcycles and scooters are bachelor for rent and they are much cheaper than cars. I had to go out my passport (or a $500 deposit) to get a scooter. That was unexpected, merely non a problem.

Little Tipping

There is trivial tipping in Costa Rica, except when yous are on an circuit or mayhap rewarding a musician. With meals, a 10% service fee is automatically added on too equally a 13% sales revenue enhancement. In many cases, the tax and service charge are included in the posted price, especially for beer. With regular store purchases, there is just a 13% tax and no service fee.

Enquire for Your Beak at a Restaurant/Bar

At a restaurant or bar, don't expect them to bring you a beak without a fiddling bit of try. Sure, it does happen, but y'all normally have to inquire for it. They are usually happy to dissever the pecker up however yous like.

In many places, when you lot have a group at a tabular array, you can just go to the cashier and tell them which items yous want to pay for. The final person gets to pay for the unclaimed items although they "write things off" a lot.

Learn More

At present that yous've learned about money and what things cost in Costa Rica, come up explore Republic of costa rica with me on my YouTube channel. These videos will help yous if you are interested in traveling to Costa Rica. Please have a look.

More fun and insight to follow...

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/money-what-things-cost-costa-rica-mike-o-neil

Posted by: freemanlourth89.blogspot.com

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