I'd like to vacation in Costa Rica soon, but I need some answers from a local or ex-pat...?

Question

I've decided recently to spend the summer in Costa Rica. If I lived frugally, rented a room under $300/month, and I HAVE $2200 saved, how much more would I need to live comfortably for 3 months? And by comfortably, I mean tours, surfing (surfing lessons), excitement and entertainment...or would $2200 do it/cover it?

Do you find the area safe...welcoming?

Thanks-

Answer 1

Finding a place to rent in the Capitol would be the best bet if you plan on traveling. San Jose is the hub for all bus stations and you can get to any location from it. You can definitely find a room to rent for less than that. Plan for more along the lines of 200/month max. You should not pay more than that, and that amt. is being generous. Surf lessons depend on the beach you go to. Your best bet would be to get online and type in the name of the beach you plan on going to and price hunt from there. Lessons can run about $25-40/hour, however some places may have their rates and deals set up differently.  You should definitely find out first, but plan on that price range and budget higher of course.   Transportation by bus is very cheap (between $5-15 max).  Taxi rides are the ones that can be more pricey, however they can be negotiated.

If you budget for $200/month rent.  $150/week in food and entertainment. You should budget for rooms you rent at the beach which you can find $30 and under and you would have figure out how long you would be staying at each beach.  Remember you're on vacation too, so you'll be spending more money than you think.  Food and drinks are cheap, but they add up when you're on vacation for 90 days. A number closer to $3000 would see you enjoying your vacation comfortably during your stay.... For a 3-month 'comfortable' vacation try to budget for $600 for rent/ Roughly $1800 for food/drink/entertainment and another $3-500 for miscellaneous expense..... If you have $2200 saved, you're not far off. Aiming for the $3000 would be wisest. I never recommend traveling to another country short on funds as it can turn out to be an unpleasant experience.

Answer 2

It all depends on what your lifestyle is like.  In recent years Costa Rica has become VERY expensive.  Do you want to rent a car?  Cars are about $60 per day plus a $1200-2000 deposit depending on the rental company.  Beware of small time or no-name rental car companies.  Stick with a major name company.Which part of Costa Rica are you thinking of staying in?  The coastal areas are of course more expensive than other areas.  Tour prices tend to start at around $60 on up depending on the activity.  If you are going to be paying cash for anything ask for a discount.  Most places will usually give you a 10% discount if you are paying cash and ask for it.  If you want to do any sportfishing forget it a half day of fishing costs $800 or more.  I've lived here for most of my life and the only real issues we have here is theft.  You cannot leave anything unatended anywhere not even in the hotels.  As far as finding cheap places to rent , as with any place in the world the cheaper the rent the worse the neighbor hood. (there are rare exceptions to that)  I live in a decent neighborhood and the rents around here are about $600 a month.  Food and entertainment prices will vary depending on the location and your personal taste and style.  The average Tico lunch (I like a dish called a Casado) will cost $3-5 dollars.The Casado it comes with a piece of fish or chicken (your choice) some rice,  some  beans, a couple strips of fried plantain, and sometimes a boiled egg.  It is a good amount of food and pretty tasty too.  But if you only like to eat McDonalds and fast food then it about $8-12 dollars for a combo meal which includes a whopper, drink and fries.  Like I said it all depends on you and your personal tastes.  Costa Rica is a very welcoming country the people are friendly and helpful as a whole.

Staying in San Jose area is a good idea if you plan to spend most of your time in and around the area.  If you plan to travel the bus is a good option but it takes time due to the many stops a bus makes.  Even the express bus from San Jose to Jaco takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours. And there are NO bathrooms on the bus so use the bathroom before you leave.   As for the $30 dollar hotel room- depending on which season you come down you may or may not find one avalible.  The cheapest rooms you can find will be Hostel rooms.  (hostel rooms are usually shared with people you may or may not know depending on if you bring friends with you).   It is always best to make a reservation especially in the Jaco, Playas Del Coco, Hermosa, Tamarindo areas as these are the most popular areas with the most things to do they are more expensive.  Also the local currency is the Colone. While most places will accept Dollars if you need to exchange Dollars to Colone the banks and other places usually charge a slight fee. The current exchange rate is around 500 colone to the dollar.   While it is minimal you should be aware of it when factoring your budget.