Costa Rica 2026 pricing update
Updated for February 2026
This is our annual price update. We publish it in February after our January circuit — the trip when we gather the most current pricing across the widest range of categories and destinations. The numbers here come from receipts, not estimates. Where we have cross-referenced with reader-submitted data, we note it.
Exchange rate for all calculations: 520 CRC/USD (Banco Central de Costa Rica rate, February 2026).
The 2023 version of this post is still available for historical comparison. The trajectory since 2018: consistent, significant increase across all categories.
| Backpacker budget | around $50-75/person/day |
| Mid-range | around $120-240/person/day, depending on car rental |
| Comfortable/luxury | around $250-900+/person/day |
| Biggest 2026 jumps | car rental (+80-90% since 2018), accommodation (+60-70%) |
| Green season savings | typically 25-40% lower at independent properties |
Accommodation
Budget tier (hostel dorm or basic private)
- Dorm bed, major destinations (La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio): $22-32 per person per night
- Basic private room (shared bath, no AC): $45-75 per night for two
- Airbnb room in local home: $35-65 per night
Mid-range (independent hotel or boutique guesthouse)
- La Fortuna, mid-range hotel with volcano view, breakfast included: $120-165 per night
- Monteverde, mid-range cloud forest lodge: $110-155 per night
- Manuel Antonio, mid-range hotel, walking distance to park: $130-175 per night
- Tamarindo, mid-range beachfront or near-beach hotel: $120-180 per night
- Puerto Viejo, boutique Caribbean guesthouse: $90-130 per night
- Uvita, boutique lodge near Marino Ballena: $115-160 per night
- Drake Bay, lodge with meals included: $200-280 per night per person (all-inclusive structure common)
Luxury and eco-lodge tier
Luxury lodges such as Nayara Springs, Tabacón Resort and Spa, Lapa Rios, Pacuare Lodge and the Four Seasons Papagayo set their rates by season and room type: check the current nightly rate on each lodge’s official website.
All prices are approximate for high season (December through April). Green season (May through November) typically runs 25-40% lower at independent properties; large resort chains vary less.
Prices differ a lot from one town to the next, so it helps to read about the places themselves before fixing a nightly budget. Our La Fortuna destination page, the Manuel Antonio page and the Monteverde page describe the neighborhoods, what each area is like, and where the better-value stays tend to be.
Rental cars
Car rental remains the most unpredictable cost category — prices fluctuate significantly by booking lead time, availability, and season. Our current benchmarks, booked 4-6 weeks in advance:
- Economy/compact sedan (NOT recommended for most itineraries): $45-70 per day
- Compact 4WD (Suzuki Jimny class): $75-110 per day
- Mid-size 4WD (Toyota RAV4 class): $95-135 per day
- Full-size 4WD (Toyota Prado or equivalent): $120-175 per day
All prices exclude the mandatory liability insurance (required by law) and the additional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) that most travelers purchase. Ask for the exact daily cost of each in your rental quote, as it varies by company.
Our advice: budget a full-size 4WD and full coverage for any itinerary that includes Monteverde, the Osa Peninsula, or secondary roads. The difference between the cheapest car and the right car is about $30-40 per day; the difference in peace of mind and capability is significant. Our rent a car or not guide walks through when a rental actually saves money versus shuttles and private transfers, given these 2026 rates.
Costa Rica: private transportation service — from $220Transport alternatives
Shared shuttles
- San José to La Fortuna: $50-60 per person
- San José to Manuel Antonio: $45-55 per person
- San José to Monteverde: $45-55 per person
- La Fortuna to Monteverde (lake crossing): $30-40 per person
- San José to Puerto Viejo: $55-70 per person
- San José to Tamarindo: $55-65 per person
Private transfers (full vehicle, regardless of passenger count)
- SJO airport to La Fortuna: $180-240
- SJO airport to Manuel Antonio: $160-220
- SJO airport to Tamarindo: $240-320
- SJO airport to Monteverde: $175-235
Domestic flights (Sansa, approximate one-way)
- SJO to Drake Bay: see current fares on the Sansa website
- SJO to Tambor (Nicoya): see current fares on the Sansa website
- SJO to Puerto Jiménez: see current fares on the Sansa website
Puntarenas-Paquera ferry (vehicle)
- Car or SUV: about 11,400 ₡ + IVA per vehicle each way
- Passengers: 810 ₡ per adult, 480 ₡ per child, seniors free
Shuttles and private transfers are often the sensible choice when you are only visiting one or two regions, because you skip the rental, the insurance and the stress of unfamiliar roads. Our shuttle services overview compares the options, and the driving in Costa Rica guide helps you judge whether the wheel is worth it for your route.
National park fees (foreign visitors, per person per day)
Entrance fees differ by park and are set by SINAC, the national park authority, so we no longer list individual figures here. Check the current fee for each park on the official SINAC website before you go. Corcovado also requires a certified guide, paid separately, and some parks, such as Poás, require an advance reservation.
Before you build a day around a park, check the details in the park guides: Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park and Tortuguero National Park each explain how entry, guides and access work, which affects the true cost of the visit.
Tours
Wildlife and nature tours
- Half-day naturalist guide, Manuel Antonio: $75-110 per person
- Hanging bridges tour, Místico Park Arenal: $55-70 per person
- Night wildlife walk, various destinations: $45-65 per person
- Corcovado day tour from Drake Bay (guide + boat + park entry): $130-185 per person
- Tortuguero turtle nesting night tour: $45-60 per person
- Monteverde cloud forest guided hike: $55-75 per person
Activity tours
- Arenal hot springs day pass (Eco Termales): $80-95 per person
- Arenal hot springs day pass (Tabacón): from $89 per person (baths only)
- White-water rafting, Sarapiquí Class II-III (half day): $65-85 per person
- White-water rafting, Pacuare Class III-IV (full day): $95-130 per person
- Zip-line tour, Monteverde (standard): $65-90 per person
- ATV tour (half day): $75-120 per person
- Whale watching boat, Uvita (3 hours): $85-110 per person
- Snorkeling, Caño Island from Uvita: $120-160 per person
Tour prices vary by operator and group size, so treat the ranges above as a guide. For a wider look at what adventure activities cost and how to compare them, see our adventure tour pricing guide and the zip line safety and pricing guide.
Food
Budget eating (sodas and local markets)
- Casado at a soda (rice, beans, protein, sides, drink): $7-11
- Gallo pinto breakfast: $4-7
- Fresh juice at market: $2-4
- Supermarket groceries (weekly, two people): $95-130
Mid-range restaurants
- Main course at a tourist-area restaurant: $18-28
- Pizza, pasta at a casual restaurant: $14-20
- Fish of the day at a beachfront restaurant: $22-32
- Beer (local, Imperial or Pilsen): $3-5
- Mixed drinks / cocktails: $7-12
Specialty and fine dining
- Tasting menu at a destination restaurant: $60-100 per person
- Wine list markup: consistent 200-300% over retail
Eating where locals eat is the easiest way to keep the daily total down without missing out. Our guide to the best local sodas shows what to look for, and the tipping culture guide explains what to add on top of a restaurant bill. For handling cash and cards while you travel, the ATM and cash tips are worth a read.
Where the 2026 increases hit hardest
Two categories moved the most since our 2023 update, and both deserve a specific note. Car rental keeps outpacing everything else, driven by a combination of import duties on vehicles, insurance cost inflation, and simple demand exceeding the fleet size during peak months — book 6-8 weeks ahead in December through April if you want the rate we quote above rather than the last-minute premium, which can run 30-50% higher. National park fees moved less dramatically in dollar terms but the guide-fee add-ons at parks like Corcovado, which were inconsistently charged a few years ago, are now a standard and unavoidable line item. Budget accordingly rather than treating a park entrance fee as the full cost of the day.
For destination-specific accommodation comparisons beyond the averages above, our best luxury beach resorts guide and family eco-lodges guide break down pricing by property type rather than just by town.
The honest daily budget summary
Backpacker (dorm, sodas, public bus, no tours): $50-75 per person per day Mid-range independent (private room, mixed restaurants, shared shuttle, 1-2 tours per week): $120-180 per person per day Mid-range with car rental (same as above but car share between two people adds $50-70 per day): $160-240 per person per day Comfortable (boutique hotel, good restaurants, private transfers, guided activities): $250-400 per person per day Luxury (eco-lodge with meals, private guide, premium experiences): $500-900+ per person per day
Year-on-year comparison summary
Since our 2018 baseline, across all major categories:
- Accommodation: up approximately 60-70% in peak destinations
- Car rental: up approximately 80-90%
- Tours: up approximately 45-60%
- Food at sodas: up approximately 30-40%
- Mid-range restaurants: up approximately 50-65%
Costa Rica is a significantly more expensive destination than it was five to seven years ago. This is documented, consistent, and unlikely to reverse. The appropriate response is accurate budgeting — not avoiding the country.
For the best value, see our post on shoulder season.
For historical context, read our 2023 affordability comparison.