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If you’ve been following for a while you might remember my nearly three-month journey in Costa Rica back in 2015 (and my adventures in Costa Rica on a budget during the years thereafter) but now I’m coming back to provide an updated look at how I was able to continuously visit Costa Rica on a budget — and how you can too.
First, know that Costa Rica isn’t the super low-cost haven it once was, especially compared to other Latin American countries. So if you’ve been watching Househunters International or other travel show episodes filmed in the early 2010’s, definitely adjust your expectations.
Nonetheless, you can still experience it in a budget-friendly way using some of my best travel tips. And you’ll find that Costa Rica still offers great value for your dollar. Read on to learn how:
Maximize points and cashback offers
You can achieve Costa Rica on a budget right from home. Before searching for flights and hotels, check your travel credit card to see if there are any offers running from your credit card provider. I used Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum, and oftentimes will see cashback bonuses or 10x points for travel expenses.
Pick the right airport to fly into (my recommendation)
The two main international airports in Costa Rica are Liberia and San Jose. I made the mistake of choosing a cheaper flight to Liberia, not knowing how inconvenient it would be to connect to public transport (for my itinerary). So don’t just choose an airport based on price, be aware of your ground transport, distance to your hotel, and other elements of your schedule.
Track Costa Rica airfare
There are so many websites to track cheap flights these days (I have a whole guide on finding cheap flight deals here), but if you are looking for cheap flights to Costa Rica you should use some of the best ways to track cheap airfares.
Google Flights is one of my favorites. You can set a few departure cities if you are near an area with multiple airports for more options. Select your departure cities, a specific set of dates, and a maximum price point to track.
Search the cheapest time to fly to Costa Rica
Another search engine perk is the ability to see which dates would get you the best flight deals. On Google Flights, you can select a weekend, 1-week, or 2-week stay, and then select which month in order for the platform to recommend the best dates.
Book Hotels in Costa Rica on a budget (without sacrificing quality)
One you decide the type of hotel you want (is it a retreat? homeshare? resort?) you can start researching hotels. I most often use expedia.com and booking.com for my hotels, unless it is through Hilton or Marriott (where I have Gold status through my American Express card) or from Priceline.com’s Express Deals.
With express deals, you don’t know what hotel it is so the mystery listing allows you to get up to 60% off hotel rates.
Find barter opportunities for free housing
When I first visited Costa Rica, I didn’t have the funds for a longterm hotel or homeshare, so I looked into barter opportunities instead. I used HelpX and found a yoga resort that provided housing and meals in exchange for a set number of hours of work a day. This completely offset my housing costs during that time. There is also WWoof, Couchsurfing, and more.
Choose free walking tours
There isn’t an abundance of free tours in Costa Rica, but you can find a few in San Jose and Jaco which can save you money on tours. Guru Walk has a list of free walking tours you can choose from. If you do have a small budget to spare, I’d recommend investing in guided nature tours to experience the best of Costa Rica’s biodiversity.
Maximize your transportation options
I’ve found that Costa Rica’s expenses add up most in the transportation department. The easiest way to get around this is by renting a car. But if you are like me and don’t want to do this, you’ll have to book a lot of transportation or pad your schedule to accommodate a less frequent public transportation system.
For more of my tips and my experience in Costa Rica on a $500 budget, check out my guest article on “The Financial Diet”.