You plan a trip to Costa Rica and need to reach out to a hotel, guide, or family back home. Or maybe you stay connected with contacts there. Calling from the US works straightforward if you follow the right steps. Costa Rica uses a single country code, and numbers stay uniform. This guide breaks it down based on standard phone rules.
The Basic Dialing Process
From any US landline or cell phone, start with the international exit code. Dial 011 to connect outside the country. Next, add 506, Costa Rica’s country code. Finish with the eight-digit local number—no area codes needed, as Costa Rica dropped them years ago.
For example, to call a San José landline like 2222-1234, dial 011-506-2222-1234. Mobile numbers follow the same pattern; they start with 8 or 9 but keep the eight digits total. If you use a cell phone, the + sign works too: +506 followed by the eight digits, skipping the 011.
| Step | What to Dial | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Exit Code | 011 (from US landline/cell) or + (on mobile) | 011 or + |
| 2. Country Code | 506 | 506 |
| 3. Local Number | 8 digits (landline or mobile) | 2222-1234 |
| Full Example | 011-506-2222-1234 | Calls a San José number |
Costs and Ways to Save Money
Standard calls from US carriers like AT&T or Verizon run about 25-50 cents per minute to Costa Rica landlines, higher for mobiles—up to a dollar. Check your plan; some include international minutes. Apps cut costs. Viber Out or BOSS Revolution charge as low as 2-5 cents per minute. Download the app, add credit, and dial the same way over data or WiFi—no extra fees if you connect via internet.
VoIP services like Google Voice work well too. They route calls over the internet for flat rates, often under 3 cents a minute. For travelers, these beat carriers roaming charges, which hit 50 cents to $2 per minute if you call from Costa Rica back to the US.
Tips for Smooth Calls While Traveling
Time zones matter. Costa Rica sits in Central Time, same as parts of the US Midwest, but two hours behind East Coast and three behind West. Call during business hours there to catch people. Use WiFi calling on your phone to avoid data charges abroad.
If you land in Costa Rica and need to call the US, dial 00 or +1, then the 10-digit number. Local SIMs from Kolbi or Claro cost $10-20 and include minutes, but apps remain cheapest for international legs.
Test the number before your trip. Some older lines might need the full eight digits, while others drop leading zeros—stick to what the contact provides. With this setup, you stay linked without hassle, whether booking a surf lesson in Tamarindo or checking in with home.