Costa Rica / Money rules

Costa Rica money rules

Eight things worth remembering while you are there, each linking to the fuller explanation.

Open it, then press and hold to keep it in your photos. Works with no signal.

1. 1Let the price decide the currencyColon price, pay colones. Dollar price, pay dollars. Cross the two over and the seller is the one choosing the exchange rate, which quietly costs you 5 to 10 percent.Which currency to pay in
2. 2Cards work nearly everywhereHotels, restaurants, tours and supermarkets all take them. Carry a little cash anyway for small vendors and rural stops.Where cards work
3. 3Ask for la maria, then check it is runningThat is the taxi meter, and some drivers leave it off for tourists. If it stays off, find another car. Uber and DiDi both operate here and quote before you ride.Taxis and apps in Costa Rica
4. 4Sit down to eat and the tip is already thereRestaurants add 10 percent servicio by law. Nothing further is expected unless the service genuinely stood out.Tipping in Costa Rica
5. 5Then check the receipt for a second tip boxA few tourist places add the legal 10 percent and still slide over a US-style slip with an empty tip box. Fill that in and you have paid the tip twice.Tipping in Costa Rica
6. 6The rental quote is not the rental priceLocal third-party liability cover is compulsory here, billed as TPL or PLI. No US credit card stands in for it, and most online quotes leave it out entirely.Renting a car in Costa Rica
7. 7Refuse any screen offering to charge you in dollarsCard terminals and ATMs both ask. Saying yes is dynamic currency conversion, worth 3 to 8 percent to whoever asked. Choose colones, so your bank does the converting.Declining the dollar conversion
8. 8Bring small US bills in good conditionFifties and hundreds are awkward to break outside a bank. Anything torn, marked or limp gets handed back, and cash from a local ATM is not automatically clean.Bringing US cash

These are the rules that do not really change, which is why they are worth carrying. Exact fees, rates and prices do move, so check the Costa Rica guide for anything current before you rely on a number.

truetripcosts.com/costa-rica/rules