How can I save money on food in Costa Rica?

Eat at the Local Sodas Most often leading you into the tourist zone, in other words, hello, tourist prices. The local sodas serve up some of the most filling dishes and often for half the price featuring Costa Rican foods. They are all throughout Costa Rica with at least one in every town.



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Fresh fruits. Sold on Costa Rican streets from dawn until dusk, fresh mangos, avocadoes, pineapples and other seasonal treats can be had for around $1 or less a pound. For a quick bite, try green mango slices with salt and lime – this popular combo is typically sold for $0.50 along the roadside.

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Is $20 a lot in Costa Rica? It can be a lot, but it depends on your buying. However, you can easily find an excellent meal for two people for around $20 in Costa Rica, along with some great fruits, vegetables, and other goodies at the markets or soda shops.

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How Much Cash Should I Carry in Costa Rica? In general, it's a good idea to carry between $50-$100, most of which should be composed of small and medium-sized bills (example exchange rates include $20 =10.000 colones, $10=5.000 colones, $4=2.000 colones, $2=1.000 colones.)

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The cost of eating out at a restaurant in San Jose, Costa Rica can vary depending on the type of restaurant and the location. On average, a meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant in San Jose can cost between $20 to $50. This would typically include an appetizer or salad, main course, and drinks.

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Costa Rica Travel Costs: Food Food costs vary in the country. Touristic areas are no doubt more expensive than local or rural areas. The average price for a typical Costa Rican lunch in a soda (typical local restaurant) located in a touristic beach town can be around $10 USD including taxes and a drink.

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Import Costs and Tariffs Due to the limited amount of agricultural land in the country, Costa Rica relies heavily on imported goods to meet its food demands. This reliance on imports leads to increased transportation expenses, which adds a significant amount to the overall cost of food.

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The cheapest time to visit Costa Rica is during the green season or rainy season, May to November. As the largest influx of tourists visit Costa Rica during the dry season (December through April), that is the most expensive time to visit. Read more about Costa Rica weather to know what to expect.

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The Dishes to Know
  • Gallo pinto (rice and beans) ...
  • Chifrijo (fried pork with red beans} ...
  • Rondón (seafood and coconut stew) ...
  • Casado (combo plate) ...
  • Olla de carne (beef and vegetable stew) ...
  • Picadillos (vegetable hash) ...
  • Chorreadas (corn pancakes) ...
  • Ceviche.


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What is a typical Costa Rica Breakfast? In Costa Rica, a typical breakfast is Gallo Pinto! It is a Costa Rican rice and beans made with leftovers with plenty of great toppings added in. Sometimes Gallo Pinto is served with sausages, and sometimes with plantains.

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A week of vacation in Costa Rica costs between $850 and $1,450 for an average traveler in mid-priced hotels, lodges or rental houses and doing standard tours (assuming double occupancy). Beachfront accommodations and high dollar activities like deep sea fishing will quickly push the budget over $2,500.

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Most restaurants will indicate impuestos incluidos (“taxes included”) somewhere on the bottom of their menus. You're free to add something extra if you think it's warranted, but if you calculate your tip as a percentage of the entire bill, you'll be tipping on the 23% already added for taxes and service.

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Costa Rica's known for guaro, the nation's most popular liquor, made from sugar cane. Guaro is a clear liquor with a neutral flavor similar to vodka, and you'll see the famous brand of Cacique Guaro sold across the country.

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It's completely safe to drink the tap water over the majority of the country. That includes your luxury vacation rentals in Guanacaste! Costa Rica is quite notable in Latin America as 92.5% of the population has access to drinking water.

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A falling exchange rate means that those in the tourism industry that receive dollars have to use more of those dollars to pay for expenses in Colones. According to economists the drop is a result of several factors, one being a surplus of dollars in the country resulting in a lack of demand.

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