costa rica beer prices
costa rica beer prices
Can somebody give me an ideea on prices in Costa Rica?
I am looking for prices for meals ( bkfast, lunch, dinner) at local restaurants -not fancy ones, also on pops/water/beer from local stores and from restaurants, groceries/cosmetics compared to prices on US / Canadian market. Do I need to buy sunscreen /toothpaste/soap ahead of time or I can purchase them when I arrive? i hate carrying to much stuff on the plane, but I found in some places I went that I should have brought them from home.Also – prices on gas ( we are renting a car). Anything else you can think of – Just trying to budget my trip…
First of all, todays’ exchange rate is US$ 1 = CRC 518,08 (colones)
The exchange rate changes every day (rises about 13 cents of colon per day).
Breakfast in hotels are rather expensive, the go from $5 up to $15 (depending of course the category of the hotel you will be staying at).
Same goes for lunch and dinner, between $5 and $25.
You can find much cheaper meals at the local “sodas”, which are small restaurants, always recommended by locals. A breakfast may cost around ¢1200 up to ¢2000 (so not more than $4).
Beer at the supermarket costs about $400. At restaurants the prices vary: ¢600 – ¢1200 (last price is very expensive for beer, so if you see ¢1200 for a beer better go to another place. Up to ¢800 is normal).
Sodas like Sprite, Coca Cola cost about the same like a beer, at restaurants usually ¢500 ($1) or a bit more.
You can buy all your cosmetics here and you will find supermarkets, small groceries stores, drug stores and “pulperías” (small rural supermarkets) anywhere! Just take some small bottles (shampoo and toothpaste) with you for the first night or two, just in case you have a late arrival and you won’t be able to go to a supermarket.
In San José the “Mas x Menos” supermarket is open until midnight (just in case).
Sunscreen, deodorant, soap and everything can be bought here – you will find almost the same products as you would in the US.
About gas:
Gas price (super) is now at ¢597 per liter.
Please consider the following things when renting a car:
- Minimum age to rent a car is 21 years
- ·Client has to hold a valid drivers license. Foreign licenses are valid for three months after arrival, therefore always carry your passport with you when driving.
- ·Seat belt is mandatory
- ·You need an international credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club) with a minimum credit of US$1000. This deposit is left as a guarantee. Cash is not accepted.
- ·Basic insurance is mandatory in Costa Rica, additional insurance can be acquired as well
- ·Rates include free kilometers
- ·Additional drivers, child seat and racks have extra costs
- ·Cars can be picked up or left almost everywhere in the country. The car rental company will charge a drop off fee.
- ·In case of a breakdown, never attempt to repair the car yourself or take it to a repair shop without authorization. Car rental companies have a 24-hour emergency service and should be called immediately.
- ·The rented vehicle will be given to you with a full tank. You should return it the same way or the car rental company will make an additional charge to the credit card. The gas charged there will be much more expensive than at the gas station.
- ·Fines cannot be charged by the police on the spot. It has to be paid at the nearest municipal office (alcaldía). If you do not pay there, the car rental company will make the charge to your credit card.
As payment method around Costa Rica consider the following:
Costa Rican currency is the colon. It floats daily against the dollar and can be exchanged at banks and change booths. American dollars and major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, except in small business establishments or hotels and restaurants in remote locations. Travellers’ checks are not exchanged as favorably as cash. If you pay by credit card, a small surcharge is sometimes added. ATMs are available in most cities and towns with bank offices.
Euros are not yet very popular in Costa Rica, very difficult to change and hardly accepted. At the bank you will pay a much higher commission when changing into colones. It is better to stick to the American dollar and always have some change in colones in your pocket.
If you have any more questions you should contact a local travel agency that will be able to help you, by giving you good tips, good prices and any information you might require.
