What does 18 days in Costa Rica Cost?

Is Costa Rica expensive? 

It is so hard to say. We all know that everywhere in the world prices have skyrocketed and every trip I have taken since 2020 has cost more than the one before.

In the last year, I have traveled in both Europe and the US and my overall impression is that Costa Rica is not exorbitantly expensive for tourists. Yes, more expensive than other Latin American countries, and more expensive than Thailand or Vietnam, but not as expensive as Hawaii.

That being said, if you are not American, Costa Rica can be very expensive. That's because much of what you do as a tourist is priced and quoted in $USD; particularly tours and accommodation. So, a $100 per person for a 1/2 day snorkeling tour at Cano Island actually cost us close to $140 Canadian. 

I would describe our travel style as budget-conscious, but we're not super scrimpers: We are willing to spend money on experiences but save where we can on accommodation and food. We were fortunate to be traveling with another couple so were able to share accommodation and car rental costs.

Click here if you'd like to see the detailed Google spreadsheet of our expenses. 

Acorn Woodpecker at San Gerardo