You don’t need to buy colones before you fly, and you don’t need a wallet full of dollars either. Most visitors overprepare for Costa Rica’s money and then pay too much for it.
Costa Rica’s currency is the colón (₡, code CRC). U.S. dollars are also widely accepted at hotels, tour companies, car rental desks and many businesses in tourist areas, and Visa and Mastercard work in towns and cities. The best plan for most travelers: bring a debit card for bank ATMs, a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, and a small stack of U.S. dollars in low denominations. Use colones for sodas, buses, markets and rural shops.
This article explains how the colón works, when to pay in dollars, colones or by card, and how to get cash without losing money on bad rates.
| Costa Rica money | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Official currency | Costa Rican colón (₡, CRC) |
| Exchange rate | Recently around ₡450–₡460 per U.S. dollar; it moves, so check before you go |
| U.S. dollars | Accepted at most tourist businesses; change comes back in colones |
| Cards | Visa and Mastercard widely accepted in towns; American Express less often |
| Best way to get colones | Bank ATMs after you arrive |
| Other currencies | Euros, Canadian dollars and others aren’t used in shops; exchange them at a bank |
The colón
What Currency Does Costa Rica Use?
The colón has been Costa Rica’s currency since 1896, when it replaced the Costa Rican peso, and it is named after Christopher Columbus, Cristóbal Colón in Spanish. Prices are written with the ₡ symbol, and you will often see them without decimals, since a single colón is worth a fraction of a cent.
- Banknotes: ₡1,000, ₡2,000, ₡5,000, ₡10,000, ₡20,000 and ₡50,000. Each has a different color and design, so they are easy to tell apart.
- Coins: ₡10, ₡25, ₡50, ₡100 and ₡500 are the ones you will use.
- ~₡455Per U.S. dollar at recent rates
- ~$2.20Value of a ₡1,000 note
- ~$22Value of a ₡10,000 note
The colón floats against the dollar and has strengthened a lot in recent years, which makes Costa Rica more expensive for visitors paying in dollars. A quick mental shortcut: knock three zeros off a colón price and double it for a rough dollar figure. Check the Central Bank of Costa Rica’s reference rate before your trip.
Dollars
Can You Use U.S. Dollars in Costa Rica?
Yes, in most places a visitor spends money. Hotels, tour operators, car rental agencies, shuttle companies and many restaurants and shops in Tamarindo, La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio and other tourist towns accept dollars, and many list their prices in dollars.
- Your change comes in colones, at the business’s own exchange rate, which is often a little worse than a bank’s.
- Bring small bills. $1, $5, $10 and $20 notes are easy to use. $50 and $100 bills can be hard to break and are sometimes refused.
- Bring clean bills. Torn, taped or heavily marked notes may not be accepted.
- Don’t rely on dollars off the tourist trail. Local buses, small sodas, pulperías (corner stores) and roadside stands usually want colones.
Cards
Credit and Debit Cards in Costa Rica
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, supermarkets, chain restaurants, most tour companies and many gas stations; American Express is accepted less often. Contactless payment is common in towns and cities.
Outside towns and tourist areas, cash still matters. A fruit stand, a small soda or a rural bus won’t take a card, and card machines in small towns don’t always work. Our article on how much cash you actually need covers this in detail.
The plan
What Is the Best Currency to Take to Costa Rica?
U.S. dollars, in small bills, plus cards. There is no reason to buy colones before you leave home: rates abroad are usually poor, and bank ATMs in Costa Rica give you colones at a fair rate the day you land. Travelers from Canada, Europe and elsewhere should bring a debit card that works internationally and, if they want cash on arrival, a modest amount of U.S. dollars, since other currencies aren’t used in shops.
| Pay with | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Colones (₡) | Sodas, buses, markets, small shops, tips, rural areas | Hard to exchange once you are home |
| U.S. dollars ($) | Hotels, tours, shuttles, tourist-area businesses | Change in colones at the shop’s rate; large bills refused |
| Credit card | Hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, rental cars | Foreign transaction fees; always choose to pay in colones |
| Debit card | Bank ATM withdrawals | Your home bank’s ATM and foreign fees |
Cash
Getting Cash: ATMs and Money Exchange
Bank ATMs are the easiest way to get colones, and many let you choose colones or dollars. Use machines at or inside banks such as Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica or BAC, ideally during the day, and check before you travel what your home bank charges for foreign withdrawals. Take out enough for a few days at a time rather than carrying a large amount of cash.
- Skip airport and hotel exchange desks. Their rates are usually poor. Banks offer better rates but will ask for your passport and can involve a wait.
- Keep small notes for the road. Parking attendants (guachimanes), toll booths, bus fares and tips are all easier with ₡1,000 and ₡2,000 notes and coins.
- Don’t count on SINPE Móvil. Locals pay each other instantly with this bank-transfer app, but most visitors can’t use it. Our SINPE Móvil guide explains why.
For more ways to keep your costs down, see our guide to saving money on a Costa Rica trip and the Costa Rica travel checklist.
Good to know
Costa Rica Currency FAQ
What currency is used in Costa Rica?
The Costa Rican colón (₡, CRC). U.S. dollars are also widely accepted at hotels, tours and tourist-area businesses.
Should I bring colones or dollars to Costa Rica?
Bring some U.S. dollars in small bills and a debit card. There is no need to buy colones before you arrive; get them from a bank ATM once you land.
Can you use U.S. dollars everywhere in Costa Rica?
Not everywhere. Dollars work at most tourist businesses, but buses, small sodas and rural shops often want colones.
Do Costa Rican ATMs give dollars?
Many bank ATMs let you choose colones or dollars.
Are credit cards accepted in Costa Rica?
Yes. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in towns and tourist areas; American Express less so. Carry cash for small and rural businesses.
Do I need to tip in colones?
Either currency works. Restaurant bills usually include a 10% service charge; our tipping guide explains when to add more.
What should I do with leftover colones?
Spend them before you fly home, on gas, a last meal or souvenirs, or exchange them at a bank in Costa Rica. Colones are hard to exchange abroad.
The short version
Costa Rica uses the colón, but dollars work at most tourist businesses. Bring a debit card, a no-foreign-fee credit card and some small U.S. bills, and get colones from a bank ATM when you arrive.
Pay by card in colones, carry small notes for sodas and buses, and spend your leftover colones before you fly.