Budget Advice for Traveling to Costa Rica in High Season

I will lay it right out there: Costa Rica is not exactly a cheap Central American country to visit, especially during winter break or spring break. If you are looking for a less expensive Central American country to visit, I suggest checking out Guatemala or Nicaragua. Nearby Panama and Belize will fall somewhere in between. But, getting back to Costa Rica — I LOVE COSTA RICA! It is relatively easy to get to with two large international airports. And with so much to choose from, Costa Rica is a fantastic county to visit for family adventure travel.

Now, how can you even fathom the idea of this trip when high season airfare is $1,000 per person? My easiest money-saving advice is to travel to Costa Rica over Thanksgiving week. It is less crowded then too. Sorry, but I had to mention it! Of course, this is not always possible, so let’s move back to traveling during high season and look at how you can make the trip most affordable.

These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.

Costa Rica Budgeting Tips

1 | Research flights into both Liberia Airport and San Jose Airport

You can create an amazing itinerary from either Liberia or San Jose — or even into one airport and out of the other. Airfare costs are 25% – 50% (averaging 40%) of our vacation costs so I suggest you start here. If the airfare is drastically different between airports then this may dictate which part of Costa Rica you explore. Just be sure to research rental car pricing as part of the decision so any savings are not totally lost.

Check out my post My Favorite Vacation Planning Tools which explains how to use Google Flights to research flight options.

Do not be afraid to get creative! Can you play around with your travel dates? Flying back on a Monday versus a Sunday can save a lot of money! We did an overnight in Panama City on our way back from Central America a few years ago and saved over $1,000 after hotel and food expenses.

FITS BITS TIP: Start your planning by figuring out the best flights. You can plan an awesome vacation from either airport.

2 | Consider an Airbnb stay versus resort

How many beds does your family need? It will be hard to find two rooms at one of those beautiful beachfront resorts for the price of a two-bedroom Airbnb rental in high season. And, budget alert — you do not need to stay right on the beach to have an amazing time in Costa Rica! Also, you can save hundreds on meals and lodging by staying outside of the hotspots. Go visit those during the day.

Plan early to get more lodging options in your price range. Here are some things I consider when booking an Airbnb in Costa Rica:

Ignore properties with zero reviews and also those with 1,000 reviews.
Read the “average” reviews. I prefer the reviews that are not 5/5 because they often list what they liked and what they did not.
Folks will often comment if there are noise issues — is this important to you? Also, there are plenty of bugs in Costa Rica. Small ants are sometimes unavoidable, however you do not want reviews with mention of larger crawling critters.
Look at number of beds and bedrooms. A pullout couch is not ideal, but hey, it works.
A washing machine will be helpful for light packing and post-adventure clean up. There may not be a dryer — hang dry inside or outside. Clothes will take longer to hang dry in the rain forest.
One bathroom is not a deal-breaker, but 1.5 or two bathrooms is nice when traveling with your family.
Can you google map the address? Is it an easily accessible location? Can you zoom in to the street level to see the neighborhood?
Is there free parking right at the place?

3 | Do not overpay for rental car insurance

Pay careful attention so you are not oversold on the rental car insurance. Unfortunately this is a very common scam that you can avoid with planning and attention to detail.

Two scams I have encountered are 1) stating the Costa Rican government requires more insurance than it actually does. And, 2) not understanding your “no” to the extra insurance because they say they do not speak English. Someone in the office very likely speaks English.

How to avoid a scam? Read the fine print to understand what vehicle insurance is included — or not. If it is not included, expect an extra $10-$20 USD per day for the government required insurance. The scammers will try to make you believe the optional insurance is also required by the government. Bring a copy of the paperwork with you to prove what is required and possibly even already included.

FITZ BITS TIP: Insurance can double the price of your rental vehicle. Understand what is required, and not, ahead of time.

4 | Compare excursion pricing and add some DIY

My post, My Favorite Costa Rica Activities will give you a lot of ideas to fill up your days. If you are selecting just one or two excursions to offset the expensive airfare I highly suggest the awesome high, fast, and long ziplines and also a guided hike to learn about the local nature and animals. You should book tours in advance during high season to make sure there is room for everyone in your family.

Look at all of the activities you are interested in and get pricing online as well as through your hotel or rental property. It is good to see the different pricing and also to find out which tours they recommend.

Guides add a lot of value to nature tours, beginning surf lessons, etc. But once you know the basics, skip the guided tours. Hike through a national park or reserve for $10 per person versus a $150 per person tour. Rent your own kayaks and surfboards. So much fun! Mix in a beach-hopping day or exploring a nearby waterfall. Free!

Note: Bring snorkels and masks if you have them, leave the fins at home. Pack just one or two sets if you do not have a lot of luggage space. Most Pacific beaches are a bit rough for snorkeling, but you may have fun looking underwater at the waterfalls or a calm ocean inlet.

5 | Eat local + 0rder one fewer meal at the restaurants

Start your day with a trip to the bakery versus a full restaurant breakfast. For lunch, try the Costa Rican restaurants called sodas for great local culture and less expensive menu options. Enjoy the traditional casados dish or empanadas. Note: you are looking for the local mom and pop restaurants and not a tourist trap labeled as a soda. Or stop by a kiosk versus a sit down meal. Buy snacks and beverages at the local supermarkets, which are fun to peruse as well.

Take a look at your vacation restaurant dinner orders — are there often leftovers or untouched sides dishes? I estimate that we saved 10% on our food budget by ordering four meals for our family of five. This tip also helps a lot in Costa Rica if you like rice and beans since they seem to come with every meal. You may even have room to add a stop for ice cream on the walk home! This suggestion makes less sense as your kids get older and eat more!

Your Costa Rica Budget Snapshot

General expenses: $10,000

This is based on a family of five; scale up or down as needed for your number of people and personal taste:

$1,000 per flight x 5 = $5,000 for airfare.
$250 per night on inland Airbnb x 8 nights = $2,000. Plan as early as possible.
$200 per day for food and drinks = $1,800. This is a good average — you may spend more or less depending on your lifestyle.
$800 rental SUV with insurance + gas.

Subtotal witout excursions: $9,600

Now, add in excursions: $1,600

$100 for a guided hike. Hire a guide on-site versus booking a tour where you will pay more per person.
$80 per person for ziplining = $400.
$50 per person for beginner surfing lessons = $250.
$125 per person for white water rafting = $625.
$85 for two kayak rentals to share.
$140 in tips.
FREE: Beach hopping, hiking, waterfalls.

Excursions: $1,600

Grand total trip price: $11,000 – $12,000

Is it better or worse than you expected? In conclusion, if this $11,000 – $12,000 international family adventure vacation is in your budget, the $1,000 airfare is no longer a deal-breaker. High season airfare prices are painful, but it helps to look at the total price.