Renting a automobile in Costa Rica is a really totally different expertise than renting one within the USA or Canada. In case you go into the method with out understanding all of the hurdles and potential pitfalls you’ll encounter, you would find yourself spending a small fortune that’s far past your preliminary estimates. You can additionally get snared in a variety of traps.
It is a nation the place a automobile will be actually helpful , particularly in “up and coming” areas far-off from the capital metropolis. The roads you encounter is probably not ultimate although. That picture above is from a “nationwide freeway” within the nation, heading to some widespread locations within the Nicoya Peninsula. Different circumstances you’ll encounter may very well be worse, particularly within the wet season, which lasts half the 12 months right here.
In keeping with info from Skyscanner, Limon, Costa Rica had the largest improve in journey search quantity throughout all locations on the planet in 2025, up 289%. Tortuguero Nationwide Park, Cahuita Nationwide Park, and Playa Chiquita are the primary attracts, highlighting the truth that you’ll want a driver or a rental automobile to go exploring the Caribbean aspect of Costa Rica in the event you aren’t on an organized tour. It’s an analogous state of affairs in lots of different areas that aren’t on the common one-week tour circuit.
I’ve rented a automobile and explored the roads of this nation a number of occasions, renting in San Jose, Liberia, and from the concierge desk on the 4 Seasons Papagayo. The experiences I’ve had on the roads have been… fascinating. Particularly that point Google Maps took me down a highway that bought rougher and rougher till it ran proper right into a deep river and I needed to backtrack.
So I’m going to begin there for the information you want to bear in mind when renting a automobile in Costa Rica.
You Want a Sturdy Automobile for Tough Roads
There are two worldwide airports in Costa Rica and in the event you’re simply going to select up a automobile at a type of to drive to your resort and again on common highways, then you possibly can choose a small sedan and it’ll in all probability end up superb. In case you’re heading into something resembling nature, nevertheless, which is many of the land mass on this biodiverse nation, then you definitely’re going to want at the least a small SUV, possibly some sort of four-wheel drive automobile.
Many Individuals drive an enormous SUV round, however the hardest circumstances they’ll face are a thunderstorm when bringing the youngsters dwelling from soccer follow. When individuals drive a sport utility automobile in Costa Rica, nevertheless, that “utility” a part of the time period is essential.
Gravel and grime roads are as widespread as paved ones, particularly once you get into wilder areas. Even when there are established developments with homes going for 1,000,000 bucks, the highway to get there could also be dusty and filled with potholes. (There’s a cause Costa Rica has so many inside flights on small planes: it might take the higher a part of a day to get from Level A to B in some areas.)
So this isn’t a spot to search for the smallest and least expensive rental automobile in the event you’re going to do a good bit of driving round, particularly outdoors of the dry season. You desire a automobile that sits excessive off the bottom (for going via streams and dirt) and has giant tires. Don’t lease what I did in that picture above, once I needed to drive throughout rocky streams at occasions.
Legal responsibility Insurance coverage is Required
As in Mexico, you possibly can’t lease a automobile in Costa Rica with out having some sort of legal responsibility insurance coverage in place. The insurance coverage that comes together with your bank card, even a premium one, is not going to cowl this. So both it’s folded into the rental worth or spelled out up entrance within the worth you’re quoted, as it’s in the event you lease via Costa Rican firm Vamos Hire-a-Automotive, or it’s added onto what you’re quoted later and might develop into a hefty cost.
This addition shouldn’t be a hefty cost, however like an airline exhibiting you a low base charge after which reaming you on the “extras,” some unscrupulous rental automobile companies will quote an attractive base fare per day after which gouge you for greater than that only for the legal responsibility insurance coverage requirement. At finest it’s a high-margin revenue heart for them, at worst an outright rip-off. You wish to lease from an organization that features this within the quote and stroll away in the event that they attempt to pull a bait-and-switch ruse on you later.
You Must Examine the Automotive Completely
Whenever you lease a automobile within the USA, there’s no inspection course of wanted often as a result of the businesses deal with minor scratches and dings as regular put on and tear that they’ll buff out/restore routinely. Corporations in Costa Rica deal with each little nick prefer it’s a significant disaster and can cost you accordingly. This regardless of all of the gravel and horrible roads you’ll encounter as soon as you permit the rental automobile lot.
So to make certain you’re not blamed for an issue that was already there earlier than, it’s essential video and/or {photograph} each little factor that isn’t excellent, each inside and out of doors the automobile. Each littel scratch, dent, or discoloration must be famous and if they provide you a paper slip with the defects famous, be certain they’re all on there earlier than signing off.
You Want Good (or Nice) Harm Insurance coverage Protection
When you have collision injury protection via your bank card and/or your journey insurance coverage coverage, you must be capable of decline every thing besides the legal responsibility insurance coverage and be all set. Usually that is secondary protection, nevertheless, that means you first should undergo your common automobile insurance coverage firm after which after that the bank card insurance coverage kicks in for regardless of the major insurer didn’t cowl.
That insurance coverage might grow to be major in the event you don’t personal a automobile, however they received’t make it straightforward for you. Plus this requires an funding of time and a focus in a course of that’s seldom fast or straightforward.
A greater guess is to make use of a bank card that has major rental automobile insurance coverage protection as a substitute. You then’re solely coping with one firm and the method is often a lot quicker. In lots of circumstances they simply want documentation from the rental automobile firm exhibiting the cost they usually’ll credit score it again to your account.
Listed here are a number of bank cards that present major protection:
Chase Sapphire Most popular, Reserve, and Enterprise Ink
Bilt Mastercard
Capital One Enterprise X
Be aware that a number of the American Categorical playing cards used to offer major protection, however they quietly dialed that again for those that used to have it like Hilton Surpass, Amex Gold, and even the super-expensive Amex Platinum. You should buy it per rental slightly than per day with Amex Platinum, however you’re higher off pulling out a Chase card on the rental counter as a substitute.
You’ll Want Three Objects for a Automotive Rental
Whenever you go to select up the automobile, you’ll want handy over three gadgets. First, your driver’s license. You typically don’t want a world driver’s license except your personal is in non-Roman letters like Arabic. A US or Canadian one if undoubtedly superb.
Subsequent you’ll want to point out your passport they usually might flip via to seek out your Costa Rican entry stamp.
Final, you’ll want a bodily copy of the bank card (not a debit card) you’re utilizing for the automobile. When you might be able to get away with one you have got saved in your telephone, usually they need the actual factor as a result of they’ll make a photocopy and/or they should bodily swipe it. This bank card ought to have a wholesome credit score line on it that you just’re not utilizing as a result of there will probably be some sort of deposit along with the rental cost. This accretion will be wherever between $500 and $5,000 relying on the insurance coverage state of affairs, the company, and the kind of automobile.
If you wish to put together for each situation, it’s additionally good to have proof that your bank card (or journey insurance coverage) covers the collision insurance coverage additionally. Take a screenshot of the phrases and circumstances or have that web page prepared to tug up in your telephone.
Fuel is Costly, however Costs are Customary
Fuel prices greater than within the USA however in the event you’re used to European costs for petrol, the prices will appear cheap. Relying on the change charge, the costs of fuel in Costa Rica is often between 650 and 700 colones, which comes out to round $6 a gallon on the pump.
The excellent news is, you don’t should hunt round for one of the best worth in a metropolis with a purpose to keep away from overpaying. The gasoline worth is standardized, so cease the place it’s handy; the speed would be the identical.
You Ought to Hire Far Forward for Peak Seasons
In case you’re taking a trip in Costa Rica in excessive season, particularly round Christmas or Easter, you must e-book as far forward as potential. Costa Rican rental automobile corporations would not have football-field-sized tons filled with vehicles ready such as you’d see in Orlando or Las Vegas. Stock is restricted, so in the event you wait too lengthy it could be slim pickings on what’s left.
Since our strongest advice goes to Vamos Hire-a-Automotive, we recommend you go there as quickly as plans are agency and select an acceptable automobile. It’s typically a nasty thought to e-book via a third-party company like Expedia or Hotwire for Costa Rica as a result of they received’t let you know how a lot the required legal responsibility insurance coverage or the deposit will probably be, solely the bottom charge.
You Can’t Go away the Nation in a Rental Automotive
In case you’re planning to a grand tour of Central America that begins in Costa Rica, be suggested that you just received’t be doing it in a rental automobile. In case you choose up a automobile in Costa Rica, you possibly can drive right down to the Osa Peninsula or to the border of Nicaragua, however you received’t be capable of cross into both of these international locations. You’ll must cross by bus, aircraft, or taxi then begin over with a rental automobile on the opposite aspect.
The gadgets on this article don’t cowl each potential factor to look out for. Chances are you’ll must pay additional for a kid seat, chances are you’ll must pay a drop-off charge in the event you’re doing a one-way rental, and a few unscrupulous corporations will tack on additional prices for something from an airport pick-up to an “environmental charge.” (The airport charge is just 3% in Liberia, for instance, however some corporations will add on a lot extra.) Once more, use Vamos and every thing will probably be spelled out forward of time, no surprises.
Unsure the place to remain but? See our critiques of the finest luxurious Costa Rica accommodations.
