Last Updated: November 27, 2025
Although Costa Rica is less expensive than many destinations in North America, Europe, and the South Pacific, it isn’t as budget-friendly today as it once was. Like all great things, the word has gotten out. Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches, rainforests, and wildlife draw millions of visitors annually. With that popularity, prices are on the rise. But don’t fret. If you’re a frugal traveler, there are plenty of ways to save. Here are our top 11 tips for saving money on your trip, including exclusive discounts we offer through this website.
1. Travel during the low season
Most people visit Costa Rica during the dry season (December to April), but if you don’t mind getting a little wet, the rainy season is a great time to come. Everything is green, lush, and beautiful.
The rainy season runs from May to November but in most locations doesn’t get too intense until September or October. Hotels are a lot cheaper and it’s much easier to get a deal on tours and activities when there are fewer tourists around.
Prices vary but in our experience helping people with their trips, May through mid-June and mid-August through November offer the lowest hotel rates. Even though it’s low season, mid-June through July can be busy (and expensive) with families traveling from North America.
For more information, including the best times and where to go, read our post Why You Should Visit Costa Rica During Rainy Season.
2. Don’t travel over the holidays
Christmas, New Years, and Easter (Semana Santa) are big holidays in Costa Rica and the busiest times of year for travel.
Most hotels, and even rental car companies, charge peak rates over the holidays and during the weeks before and after. This can increase the price of a hotel room by as much as 30%. It depends on the hotel, but in general, peak season rates apply from approximately December 20-January 5 and the entire week leading up to Easter.
If you can, it’s best to avoid these peak times to get the most value for your money.
3. Avoid big tourist towns
The most popular destinations, like the beach towns of Guanacaste, are more expensive than lesser-known places that haven’t made it into the guidebooks yet. Of course you’ll want to visit the hotspots too, but staying just 15 minutes away could save you hundreds on meals and lodging.
Here’s a link to our post on Off-the-Beaten Path Destinations with some more affordable options.
4. Make sure you need a tour
You can visit a lot of places like national parks and waterfalls on your own if you’re trying to save money. Guides definitely add value to nature tours because of their expertise, but once you know the basics, you probably don’t need every tour be guided.
We always recommend doing at least one guided nature tour so that you have a guide to help spot wildlife. They’re also helpful for tours where it’s good to have some background in order to appreciate what you’re seeing. An example is for Arenal Volcano hikes where there’s no information along the trail about the volcano’s history and prior eruptions.
5. Think twice about renting a 4×4
When renting a car, do some research before deciding whether to get a standard sedan or a more expensive SUV/truck with four-wheel drive. Although there are places in Costa Rica where you definitely want 4WD, you don’t need it everywhere.
For more information about if you need a 4X4 and to save up to 10% on a rental car, check out our Costa Rica Rental Car Discount. We list towns where four-wheel drive is necessary.
If you already have your itinerary, you can also use our Road Conditions of Specific Routes post to determine what kind of vehicle you need.
6. Eat at sodas
Sodas are local mom-and-pop restaurants that serve inexpensive, typical Costa Rican food. They vary from large restaurants to shacks with a couple of stools.
Often they don’t look like much but don’t let the plastic tablecloths and simple structures stop you. We’ve had some of our best meals at the most unassuming places. Just look at this lunch plate – fresh fish, rice and beans, plus salads for only $8!
7. Take the public bus
Ride with the locals on the public bus. The bus is by far the cheapest way to get around and connects just about every destination in the country. Plus, lots of locals ride the bus so it’s a great cultural experience.
8. Look into vacation rentals
We’ve saved a ton of money during our travels by using sites like VRBO and Airbnb. Costa Rica has a variety of vacation rentals from studios to shared rooms to whole houses, many of which are a lot cheaper (and often nicer) than regular hotels. As a bonus, you might be able to find something with a kitchenette so that you can have some meals in.
There are some important things to know about staying in vacation rentals in Costa Rica. Our Vacation Rentals post has all the details.
9. Skip the bottled water
Most towns in Costa Rica have safe, potable drinking water that you can have straight from the tap. For a list of towns where you’ll want bottled, read our Drinking Water Safety post.
10. Take advantage of free/inexpensive activities
Sure you’ll want to go ziplining and do other fun adventure tours, but Costa Rica has lots to do for free or not very much.
Get a sense of the culture by walking around a Tico town, browse the local feria (farmers market), visit one of the 50+ national parks and reserves, or check out a waterfall.
11. Use our discounts
Finally, be sure to check out our Travel Discounts page.
We offer discounts on popular tours like ziplining and hanging bridges at Sky Adventures Arenal and Treetopia Park and Selvatura Park in Monteverde. We also offer lower prices on hot springs, catamaran tours, waterfall rappelling, coffee and chocolate tours, and lots more. Booking through our travel agency is easy. Read our reviews.
Conclusion
Costa Rica is one of the most expensive places to visit in Central America but there are plenty of ways to keep those colones in your pocket. It’s easy to save money and still see (almost) everything that this amazing country has to offer.
Planning a trip to Costa Rica? Here are some more articles to get you ready:
Packing for Costa Rica: The Essentials – Ultimate guide to just what you need for your trip, no matter the destination or season.
Cost of Traveling in Costa Rica – Breakdown of what to expect for hotels, eating out, tours, and transportation, plus more money-saving tips.
Money: These articles will help you with the exchange rate, using credit cards, and getting money out of the ATM.
Practical Travel: If you’re just beginning your planning, these articles are the perfect place to start. Learn about Costa Rica’s weather and climate, safety, best hotels and restaurants, and get more travel planning tips.
