If you’re thinking of visiting Costa Rica, and wondering how much it’s going to cost, this post is for you.
This Costa Rica travel budget will break down the average cost of a trip to Costa Rica, based on our own personal experiences.
We’ve included everything from transportation and activities to food and accommodations. We also included some tips for free things to do and how to save money while you’re in Costa Rica.
So read on for all the information you need to create your own Costa Rica travel budget and help plan an amazing vacation!
Costa Rica is a popular travel destination in Central America and it’s no wonder why – it’s a gorgeous country with friendly people, the weather is warm year round and there is just SO much to see and do. Honestly, it’s a fantastic place to visit.
But if you’re curious about how much a trip to Costa Rica costs, I probably don’t have to convince you what a great spot it is to travel to. You just want to know the details!
Is Costa Rica budget friendly?
While it can be budget friendly, Costa Rica is not cheap to visit, like its neighbouring countries in Central America or some of the Eastern European countries that we have travelled to.
Is Costa Rica expensive to visit?
Although Costa Rica isn’t a cheap country to visit, it isn’t necessarily an expensive country either.
The cost of travel in Costa Rica is roughly the same as it is in other parts of North America (again, big cities will more expensive than smaller cities so we’re using an average).
How expensive is Costa Rica?
Prices in Costa Rica for accommodations and meals were about the same as the average price in Canada or the United States.
You’ll see from the breakdown of our costs below that we averaged about $88 per day for accommodations, which works out to about $30 USD per person.
We chose mid-range accommodations, the same sort that we would choose in Canada or the United States.
Where you may find yourself saying that Costa Rica is expensive, is on the tours and experiences.
While they are well worth the experience, the costs for these activities quickly add up! Prices for children were usually discounted or in some cases, they were free, but it still adds up!
But it IS possible to travel to Costa Rica on a budget!
So, how much does it cost to travel to Costa Rica?
The answer really depends on your travel style and what you want to do while you’re in the country.
If you’re planning on spending most of your time relaxing on the beach, then you can get by with a relatively small budget.
But if you want to experience all that Costa Rica has to offer, then you’re going to need a bigger budget.
Researching a Costa Rica Travel Budget
Costa Rica has been on my wish list for a few years; we had originally planned to visit in 2020, but…a lot of plans for that year were cancelled.
When we were finally able to safely travel in 2022, I found a good deal (for Canadians, at least) on flights, and I was pretty excited until I started looking at prices for everything besides the flights!
While I was trying to research and plan our Costa Rica trip (given that we booked pretty last minute), there wasn’t too much information readily available on approximate budgets.
So that’s where this post comes in.
I hope by writing how much our 10 day trip to Costa Rica actually cost, it will give you an idea of prices and expenses to help with your trip planning.
Before I get into our actual Costa Rica trip cost, I realize that everyone’s travel style is different and vacation budgets will vary greatly between families. We tend to travel a bit more on a budget; we try to find free things to do, spend plenty of time outdoors and generally avoid big excursions and tourist activities.
Which isn’t always the way many families plan vacations.
But for this trip, we wanted to do some of the tourist attractions and experiences! That’s a big part of what Costa Rica is known for!
So while we definitely didn’t do all of the experiences and tours that we could have, we did do Costa Rica on budget. And still had an awesome time!
Note: The costs outlined below are based on a 10 Day Costa Rica itinerary for one adult and two kids, so costs for things like a private transfer and accommodations will be cheaper per person if you are travelling as a family of 4.
Divide the total amount by 10 to get an average rate per day, and then multiple this by 7 or 14, to get an approximate cost to go to Costa Rica for a week or two weeks.
So here’s our expenses, activities and total cost for 10 days in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Travel Budget for 10 Days
Flights
Depending on where you’re coming from, flights to Costa Rica can be expensive. We use Google Flights to look for deals; it’s a good idea to book well in advance and be flexible with your travel dates, if possible.
Accommodation
Costa Rica has a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury resorts to budget-friendly hostels. You can expect to pay anywhere from $30 – $200 per night for accommodation.
La Fortuna: We opted not to stay in the larger resorts but chose Arenal Oasis Ecolodge just on the edge of town. Although there weren’t any hot springs on the property, it was still a great place to stay. Private bungalows and cottages were set in the rainforest and you could hear howler monkeys and the sounds of the rainforest at night. The hotel also offers a popular nighttime Frog Walk, and during the day you can wander the paths and throughout the property. Staff were friendly and it was easy to arrange transportation and taxis within town. Breakfast was included in the price and dinner was also available at the onsite restaurant for a very reasonable price. Cost: $218USD / 3 nights
Monteverde: We stayed in Hotel Don Taco, about a 3 minute walk from the downtown area of Santa Elena. Our room was very spacious and there was a large terrace which was great to enjoy the sun in the afternoon or watch the sunset over the Nicoya Peninsula at night. Breakfast was included and dinner was available at the restaurant, although we usually ate in town. Staff were friendly and helpful with arranging a private driver to our next stop in Manuel Antonio.
Cost: $213 / 3 nights
Manuel Antonio: Because we booked very last minute (I’m one to book a hotel a night or two ahead of time), we were a little limited to available hotels. We stayed at Hotel Manuel Antonio Park, and while it wasn’t anything I would rave about, it was clean, comfortable and within 5 minutes walking distance to the National Park and to the public beach in town. Breakfast was included, and the restaurant was open for snacks and meals throughout the day.
Cost: $340 / 3 nights
Volcan Poaz: After renting a car to return to the San Jose area, we stayed at this amazing place, which I thought was near Volcan Poaz. We stayed a night at Hotel Mango Valley, and wish we had more time to stay longer! It’s a place that you need a car to get to, but the view! The hotel is on a hill overlooking the plantations and the views were just amazing. Toucans were in the trees, and it was just such a relaxing place. However it was about an hour’s drive to the volcano the next day.
Cost: $68 (1 night)
San Jose: We spent our last night in Costa Rica at the airport hotel so that we weren’t rushed in the morning. The Hampton Inn & Suites was very close to the airport, with a free shuttle to the airport and a small restaurant onsite. It was the least traditional places we stayed in, but the location and convenience to the airport couldn’t be beat.
Cost: $120 (1 night)
The total cost for 11 nights of accommodation was $959 USD. That’s an average of $87/night, or $29/person per night!
Food
Costa Rican food is fairly inexpensive, especially if you stick to local dishes. The average cost of a meal in Costa Rica at a mid-range restaurant will cost between $15-20, while a cheap street food meal will cost much less.
Breakfast was included at all of our accommodations.
We made sandwiches and snacks for lunches and then went out to eat for dinner.
Dinners were around $15 – 25 per person, kids meals were around $10-12. If you want to eat at one of the nicer restaurants, expect to pay upwards of $30 per person for a meal.
Our total cost for food in Costa Rica was $288 USD. That’s an average of $29/day!
Transportation
Getting around Costa Rica is fairly easy, although there are some areas that are more difficult to access.
We used a private driver between San Jose and La Fortuna and again between Monteverde and Manuel Antonio.
Between La Fortuna and Monteverde, we took the taxi-boat-taxi option that saved quite a bit of time, in comparison to driving around Lake Arenal.
In Manuel Antonio, we rented a car to drive back to San Jose, as the car rental for two days was almost the same price as a private driver (and we could add in some stops that were a bit out of the way).
Roads in Costa Rica can be a bit challenging at times, but as long as you take it slow and drive during daylight hours, it’s fine.
Total cost for transportation was $618 USD. That’s $62/day or $21 per person per day.
Activities
Costa Rica is full of activities, from hiking and zip-lining to surfing and snorkelling. Prices vary depending on the activity, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $20 – $100 per activity.
There are plenty, and I mean plenty, of things to do in La Fortuna. It’s known as the adventure capital of Costa Rica and you’ll find everything from zip lining, rafting and hanging bridges, as well as night tours, coffee tours, chocolate tours and even sloth tours.
Monteverde also has plenty of things to do, including some of the same adventure activities, wildlife tours, coffee tours, chocolate tours and night tours.
You can also do zip lining in Manuel Antonio, as well as guided wildlife tours.
It’s best to decide which activities you want to do BEFORE going to Costa Rica, and then plan where you are going to do them. Otherwise you may end up signing up for more tours than you planned, and you won’t stay within your budget.
It’s often recommended to get a guide while visiting the National Parks, but we found we saw plenty of wildlife without having to pay the extra money for a guided tour.
We did a lot of hiking, which was free, and then we also did an evening frog tour, a coffee tour, visited the La Fortuna waterfall, La Paz Waterfall Garden, plus entrance to two National Parks and (more than one!) hanging bridges tour.
Total cost of activities and tours was $441 USD, or an average of $44/day.
(I didn’t break this down per person, as kids got in free or discounted for many activities, which wouldn’t really reflect the Costa Rica prices accurately.)
Miscellaneous
Don’t forget to factor in things like sunscreen, insect repellent, souvenirs and snacks or drinks and chair rentals on the beach.
If you need to purchase things like sunscreen and mosquito repellent in Costa Rica, it’s more expensive than you would find at home.
There’s also an exit tax to be paid before leaving Costa Rica, for each person regardless of age.
Total cost for miscellaneous items was $234 USD, or $23.40/day and $7.80 per person each day.
So how much does it cost to go to Costa Rica?
For 10 days (11 nights), our total Costa Rica travel cost, excluding airfare, was $2540 USD! That’s $254/day or $85 per person per day.
Keep reading (or scroll to the bottom…) for an editable Travel Budget Planner
to help you plan your next vacation.
Detailed Breakdown of our 10 Day Costa Rica Travel Budget
La Fortuna
Transportation: $148 private driver with mydaytrip.com
Accommodations: $218 (3 nights @ Arenal Oasis Ecolodge)
Meals: $68 ($28, $20, $20 @ Arenal Oasis Ecolodge)
Taxi: $40
Tours: Arenal Volcano National Park $28 ($15/5/5), Frog Tour $26, Mistico Hanging Bridges $26 (kids were free), Transportation to Mistico $19×3 = $57, La Fortuna Waterfall $18 (kids free)
Total Cost in La Fortuna: $629
Monteverde
Transportation: $30 x 3 = $90
Accommodations: $213 (3 nights @ Hotel Don Taco)
Meals: $98 ($38, $30, $30)
Tours: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve $16 (kids free), Transportation $6×3 = $18, Don Juan Coffee Tour $35 (kids free), Transportation $5, Selvatura Park $40/28.50/28.50 = $97
Misc: $12 souvenirs
Total Cost in Monteverde: $584
Manuel Antonio
Transportation: $170 Private Driver
Accommodations: $340 / 3 nights @ Hotel Manuel Antonio Park
Meals: $74 ($26, $24, $24)
Tours: Manuel Antonio National Park $26
Misc: Beach Chair rental $10, Aloe $7
Total Cost in Manuel Antonio: $627
Tip: Check out our Complete Costa Rica Packing List here so you don’t forget something like aloe gel!
Volcan Poaz & La Paz Waterfalls
Transportation: $170 Rental Car for 1 Day
Accommodations: $68 (1 night @ Hotel Mango Valley)
Meals: Groceries $20
Tours: Volcan Poaz $25 (15+5+5), parking $2, La Paz Waterfalls $72 for all three of us
Total Cost at Volcan Poaz and La Paz Waterfalls: $357
San Jose Airport
Accommodations: $120 @ Hampton Inn San Jose Airport
Covid Test: $65 (one adult)
Dinner: $28
Souvenirs: $50
Exit Tax: $30×3 = $90
Total Cost at San Jose Airport: $353
TOTAL Cost of 10 Days in Costa Rica: $2550 ($255/day for one adult + 2 kids)
Ways to Save Money While Travelling in Costa RIca
Cook your own food
Eating out all the time can be expensive, so try to cook your own meals when possible or stock up on some snacks at the local store rather than buying snacks throughout the day.
Eat at Local Sodas
If you don’t want to cook your own food all the time (who does when you’re on vacation?), another way to save some money on food is to eat at sodas, which are local Costa Rican restaurants.
These are normally small, family-run restaurants that serve only traditional Costa Rican food, not typical tourist menus. You’ll find the best prices here, in fact, probably less than half what you would pay in a tourist restaurant.
Take advantage of free activities
There are plenty of free things to do in Costa Rica, from hiking to relaxing on the beach.
In La Fortuna, instead of staying at a resort, look for a budget accommodation and visit the free hot springs across the road from Tabacón Resort.
In Manuel Antonio, spend a few days relaxing on the beach, where the only expense would be the optional chair rental.
Compare different tours
When looking at activities, compare the prices of different companies. Sometimes transportation is included in the cost, saving you the added taxi or parking expense. Some companies also offer discounts if you book multiple activities with them.
Bring cash
ATMs are widely available, but there is usually a fee associated with using them.
Bring cash or use credit cards to save yourself the transaction fees.
Avoid changing money at the airport, as this will have high exchange rates.
Check if your accommodation includes breakfast
Some hotels and Airbnbs include breakfast in the cost of the room, so be sure to check before you book. This can save you some money each day (and you can usually bring a few things for snacks throughout the day).
Travel during the shoulder season
Costa Rica is a popular destination, so prices are highest during the peak season from December to April. If you travel during the shoulder season of May to November, you’ll find lower prices on accommodation and activities.
And that’s the breakdown of our Costa Rica travel budget. Keep in mind, that every family has a different travel style, which will affect the amount of money needed for a vacation.
But I hope this post gives you a general idea of what you can expect to spend on a Costa Rica vacation.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions!
Pura Vida! Happy planning!
For more Costa Rica travel tips, be sure to check out these posts:
- Best Things to Do in Costa Rica with Kids: Epic Family Adventures
- Top Things to Do in La Fortuna with Kids
- 13 Family-Friendly Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica
- Manuel Antonio National Park: A Guide to Visiting with Kids
- 10 Days in Costa Rica: An Itinerary for Families
- 18 Things to Know Before Going to Costa Rica
- Complete (and Printable!) Costa Rica Packing List
Hi! Thank you so much for the tips!
I’m looking at travelling to Costa Rica in oct 2023, with our kids who will be 7 and 5 at the time. We will have long flights there and back as we’re based in the UK and therefore wondering whether to drop the Monteverde to allow for a more enjoyable trip. Will we be missing out? Or are there places near arenas and manuel that we can recreate the experiences? Thank you
There are definitely some similar experiences in Arenal and Manuel Antonio, but some like the cloud forest, are unique to Monteverde. Others, like coffee tours, adventure activities and night tours, you will be able to find in Arenal as well. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you!
Thanks for the tips