Costa Rica on a Shoestring
Posted on 14. Jun, 2011 by jess in Central America, Costa Rica, Costa Rica, On a shoestring, Travel Tips
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Costa Rica is the gem in Central America’s tourism crown: lush, green jungles, wild animals, breathtaking beaches and a well-developed infrastructure make a trip to Costa Rica as easy as it can be adventurous, suitable for many different types of visitors. The level of development, however, has also raised prices on goods and services, hotel rates and transportation to a level that most budget travelers (falsely) believe to be out of their range. It is certainly easy to plow through some serious cash here, but with a bit of planning ahead, Costa Rica can be nearly as inexpensive as its neighbors.
Many travelers we met along the way spoke with disdain about Costa Rica being over-priced and too expensive – those who were the most outspoken on the topic had opted to skip the country altogether. Since I had lived here for a year back in the day, there was no question that we would travel through. What we intended to be a two week trip was extended to three. In that time, our Costa Rica travel budget ended up to be less than both our Guatemala and Nicaragua budgets, coming in at just under $27 per person per day (based on two sharing accommodation). Read on for a few simple tips on how to travel through Costa Rica on a shoestring budget.
Take the bus
Taking private shuttles or taxis to get around can easily eat through your budget, but this can be easily avoided by taking the bus. The bus system in Costa Rica is organized, and the buses are safe, comfortable and nearly at a North American standard. The chicken buses (old American school buses) seen throughout the rest of Central America are few and far between here. The buses run between all the major towns and on schedule, and while a private shuttle can easily cost from $40 to $75, a local bus charges less than $10 for the same route.
Eat at a Soda
Found everywhere throughout Costa Rica, a ‘soda’ is a typical Costa Rican restaurant which serves up ‘comida tipica’ or a menu of typical Costa Rican fare, mainly in various forms of casados: a huge plate of rice, beans, red and white cabbage salad, pasta and meat, or extra vegetables for vegetarians. While a restaurant in a tourist spot often charges between $10 and $15 per person per meal, the price of a ‘casado’ varies between $2 and $7, depending on the casado you choose and the place you are at – sodas in a tourist destinations obviously charge much more than in cities like Heredia or Liberia.
Drink Tap water
Unlike the rest of Central America, drinking the tap water in Costa Rica is perfectly safe. If you have been traveling throughout the region, you might think only a crazy person would fill up bottles with tap water, but the water in nearly every Costa Rican town is drinkable (ask at your hotel/hostel if you’re unsure). With bottled water costing between $1 and $3 a bottle, refilling your own bottles will save you a hefty sum of pocket change.
Buy beer in the shop, not the bar
At $2.50 – $3.50 a bottle in most bars, beer in Costa Rica can quickly eat through your daily budget. Of course in a country with so many relaxing beaches, sometimes a beer is a must. Plan ahead and grab yourself a few cold cans at a local shop for half the price and enjoy your beers on the beach just a few meters past the beach bar itself.
Book a trip for the Off-season
Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination for North Americans and Europeans alike, and prices shoot up during Holidays, Christmas and between January and March. Planning a trip to Costa Rica during the low season, May to November, can save you as much as 50 per cent on hotels and flights. The low season is also partially the rainy season, but with the exception of a few rainy weeks, downpours usually only last a couple of hours in the morning and the sun shines for the rest of the day.
Opt for a hostel
The hostel scene has come a long way from the dingy twelve-bed dorm room, and not only are hostels cleaner, brighter and more affordable than ever, most also offer private double rooms for a fraction of what a hotel costs. We stayed in countless small hostels, run by people who care about their guests and take pride in offering a cozy, clean place to stay. Some hostels even offer a swimming pool, a bar, a lounge, books, board games, and free breakfast. You are also more likely to meet other travelers at the bar or in the common areas, whereas most hotels have a much more anonymous feeling to them. A private room in a hostel costs between $20 and $30 per couple, whereas a hotel room runs from $50 upwards.
Budget Travel Tip: With such a well-developed tourism industry, National Park tours and adventure activities in Costa Rica are usually very much worth the money, so make sure to budget in $15 – $75 per tour during your time in the country. Putting these budget tips into practice should save you plenty of money to take at least a few top quality tours.
Feel free to add your money-saving tips for Costa Rica in the comments below!
13 Responses to “Costa Rica on a Shoestring”
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Laila Atallah
14. Jun, 2011
Awesome tips, Jess! i’ve been peripherally aware of Costa Rica for years, but this information makes me want to hop on a plane tomorrow (and, hey, it’s low season)!
jess
16. Jun, 2011
Ha! You’re right it is low season now! It’s a great country and so easy to travel through Costa Rica, we’d suggest you go hop on that plane
Jacs_13
15. Jun, 2011
Great tips! I have not gone because I thought it was pricey! It certainly can be! Thanks for the info~
jess
16. Jun, 2011
It can be pricey, especially if you don’t do some research first and stay vigilant while you are there. It’s easy to pay $15 per person per meal, but often if you just walk up the street to a soda, you’ll get great food for $4. Let us know if you need any tips if you do decide to go!
Kelsey
16. Jun, 2011
Costa Rica is somewhere that has been recommended to me in the past. Glad to see it can be done cheaply with a little common sense.
jess
16. Jun, 2011
It really can, Kelsey. People get so caught up sometimes in being ‘tourists’ that they forget that a good chunk of the population get by on very little, so there are ways to keep the costs down. As we said, we spent less here than in Nicaragua and Guatemala, just by being careful like this. Thanks for stopping by!!!
Kelsey
16. Jun, 2011
Yes! It seems that many people forget that you can always live like a local to keep costs down. That’s what I do whenever I travel, and I travel for a tiny, tiny amount of money. There’s no reason that you should ever *have* to spend more to live somewhere than the locals do.
Kelsey recently posted..The Packing Begins! and the freaking out!
jess
22. Jun, 2011
Exactly, the only time you have to spend more is because you see more ‘sights’ in a shorter period, short-term accommodation is more expensive than paying long-term rent (unless you couchsurf or housesit), and sometimes, you make mistakes/get lost/don’t know the cheapest option, but why do people forget that locals don’t spend loads so you don’t have to either!!
Laila
27. Jun, 2011
Love this article — thanks!
Question for you:
If we’re looking for a place with the nicest beaches (beautiful, calm, not too cold, unpolluted, etc.), and the most charming, relaxing and affordable beach towns, what would be your favorite places to recommend in Central America or Mexico (if you’ve been)?
We were thinking of going to Sayulita, Mexico, but the Sayulita beach is a bit rough and cold. And the sand cuts your feet!
Now you’ve got me thinking that perhaps Costa Rica or Nicaragua would be even better …
Cheers,
Laila
Dani
29. Jun, 2011
Hi Laila, there are so many options……. where to start
Costa Rica and Nicaragua definitely have some amazing beaches that you’d enjoy – I will send you an email with some suggestions.
Laila
27. Jun, 2011
I forgot to add:
We’re hoping for a beach that’s got a mellow vibe, no big hotels or chain restaurants or high buildings, etc. We liked Yelapa and Sayulita (both in Mexico), but the water/beach itself was a little rough/cold in both places. Playa del Carmen beach (in Mexico) was also a little rough and cold for me. Your description of one of beaches on Isla Mujeres sounded lovely (ankle deep and shallow, etc.). Is there a steep drop off at any point, or can you submerge yourself easily?
MS
20. Oct, 2011
Hi, this website is really helpful. Thank you for puttin git up. I have a quick question. Is it possible to book local bus tickets in advance and if so how far in advance should I book them? I’m planning on going to Costa Rica in November and I’m trying to figure out if this is something I need to worry about. I don’t want to get stranded somewhere.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Dani
22. Oct, 2011
Hello, thanks a lot! I don’t think you need to worry about pre-booking your bus tickets, I don’t even think it is possible to do that online, except for the Pan-Central American routes like Ticabus. We usually went to the bus station a day before our planned departure and bought our tickets, and that was enough. And at times we just showed up for the bus and we also always got a seat. Enjoy Costa Rica!