fbpx

Share:

Let's talk about money while you're in Costa Rica. Do you need to change it, when and where? How do we tip? What do we do?

It's something you're told not to talk about with others - but we are going to.

Let's talk about money while you're in Costa Rica.

costa rican money

The official currency in Costa Rica is the Colón.

Do you need to change your US Dollars to Costa Rican Money?

The short answer is no.  You don’t need to change your dollars to Costa Rican money.  We have had people come on a trip and leave without ever needing colónes.

You can use your credit card at nearly all retail locations, hotels, and even small kiosk shops.  Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere. AMEX and Discover are accepted at some merchants, but not all.  (Double check that your card does not have a foreign currency fee.  Some don’t and some do.  If you have more than one card, bring the one that doesn’t have a fee.)

Many people can get through their trip using credit cards for any purchases they make.

However, colónes are beautiful and make a fun souvenir when you get home.  If you’d like to pick up a few we recommend that you skip the bother of exchanging your money at the airport.  The rate is terrible and there are simpler ways to get your hands on a few colónes.

You can use the ATM’s in Costa Rica.  They will give you the choice to receive back either Costa Rican money or US dollars.

Also, most merchants, stores and kiosk shops will take US dollars.   Many locals are quite happy to receive dollars.  Generally, prices will be in colónes, but they will take dollars as payment and will typically give you a much more fair exchange for your dollars than you will find at banks or the airport.  

The change that they give you will be in colónes and then you will have a few to bring home.  

If you do wish to shop using dollars, keep your bills at $20 or under.  Many of the shops struggle to figure the exchange correctly, and also with using the larger bills you might give them.  So don’t even bother bringing anything larger than a $20.

How do we tip?

Gratuities are not expected but many of our guests like to leave something for their guides, service providers and staff. Tipping in Costa Rica is similar to the US.  Remember, it is not required.  But so many worry about ‘doing it wrong’ and this such a  commonly asked question that we have felt that more guidance would be useful.

No matter the country and how well they are paid, tips are generally appreciated. This is usually done through cash Costa Rican money or colónes while you are in the country.  Since we know the locals appreciate dollars so much, we are going to give guidance in dollars.  

Just remember, when you take cash on your trip, it’s best to have $20 bills or lower.

Here are some general tip guidelines:

Restaurants generally add 23% to your meal – about 13% is tax and 10% is a for a tip. However, if your meal and service was excellent, it’s still proper to leave a tip. If you are wanting to tip someone in a restaurant, $5-10 is considered a good tip for a meal.

good tip for a driver on a long transfer would be considered $10-$20 for the day. For a short trip, $5-10 would be good.

Tips for guides on a day tour, if you have a lot of contact with the guide, tips can range anywhere from $20 to up to over $100 per day. If you don’t have a lot of contact, or are in a large group setting where the guide has little interaction with you, tips can range from $5-$20.  Shorter tours that don’t last all day 

For hotels, most will have a box at the front reception. If there is someone in particular you want to tip, for example a maid, we recommend giving directly to that person vs. using the front reception box where you don’t know where your tip is going.

If you have a large custom group trip with the same guide or a trip that floats the river for several days, you would want to tip your guide at the end of your trip rather than each day.  If you fall in this category, many want to leave a larger tip through credit card.  

We have a system set up to get your tip immediately down to the Costa Rica team if this interests you.

Again, don’t feel like you are obligated to tip.  Like in the US, a tip is a sign of appreciation for good service.  You are thanking them for going the extra mile and for the experience you received with them.

Go with what you feel and how much you liked each person. It really is similar to how you would tip in the US.

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share This Post:

Continue Reading

Related Posts