Costa Rica
Paradise of Central America
Costa Rica is the "Switzerland of the Americas", largely due to its non-military government, stable economy and peace loving people. This helped pave the way for Costa Rica's current desirable investment status that it boasts today.
Business Travel Information
Business travelers will enjoy the advanced telecommunications system, modern infrastructure and excellent array of hotels and restaurants while traveling in Costa Rica.
Banking and Currency
The national currency is the colon. U.S. dollars are easily exchanged at all banks. Other foreign currency can be exchanged through private agencies. All major credit cards as well as traveler’s checks are widely accepted. Twenty dollar bills and smaller U.S. bills are also commonly accepted. The colon exchanges at 518 per dollar (as of January 2009).
Communications
Phones: The country code for Costa Rica is 506. An area code is not necessary when dialing inside the country. All calls within Costa Rica are considered local calls. Phone calls made from Costa Rica to the U.S. are 27 cents per minute, regardless of the time of day.
Cell phones from other countries generally do not work in Costa Rica. Those that do work usually only get service in the San Jose area and roaming costs are very expensive.
Cell phones can be rented from local tour operators, car rental companies and hotels for as little as $5 per day, but often come with additional minimum calling fees per day. (specific conditions and other fees may apply)
Internet: Internet service is widely available throughout Costa Rica and Internet cafes can be found in almost every city. Central Valley cities and popular beach destinations now have high speed Internet (through cable modem, satellite or ADSL) and there are several Wi-Fi hot spots in and around San José. Several hotels offer Wi-Fi free to their guests. Dial-up Internet connection is still the norm for many smaller towns outside the Central Valley.
Post Offices: There are postal and telegraph offices in cities and towns throughout the country. The Central Post Office is located in San José on Second Street between Avenues 1 and 3, and is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm and Saturdays from 7am. to 12 noon.
Cuisine
A typical Costa Rican meal, commonly known as a casado, consists of rice, beans, sweet plantain, salad and some type of roasted or fried meat or fish. A casado, also sold as a "plato del día", is typically accompanied by a natural fruit juice (blackberry, pineapple, papaya etc.).
Costa Rica has many modern malls, shopping plazas, supermarkets, restaurants and fast food chains where visitors can enjoy local or international food. In larger towns, American food is easy to find, as is European, Middle-Eastern and Asian cuisine.
Foreign Citizens Residing in Costa Rica
As of 2007, the country hosts over 50,000 foreign citizens. According to the U.S. Embassy, over 20,000 of these are U.S. citizens.
Language
Costa Rica's official language is Spanish. In the capital of San José, English is widely spoken among the business community. On the Caribbean coast a small minority of Jamaican descendants speak a local version of English called Patois, and most Costa Ricans can understand and speak a bit of English.
Medical Facilities & Services
Any foreigner who is temporarily in the country has the right to receive health care at hospitals and clinics in case of an emergency, sudden illness or a chronic disease.
Costa Rica has a modern public health system with hospitals throughout the country administered by the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS).
Excellent private health care is also available; several modern hospitals such as the renowned CIMA hospital in Escazu cater to foreign residents in Costa Rica. CIMA has a staff of internationally trained doctors that speak English and other foreign languages.
Safety/Travel Advisories
Currently there are no travel warnings for Costa Rica. It is one of the safest countries in the world to visit.
Requirements for Entry/Exit
With a valid passport and round trip or continuing ticket, citizens of the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Spain and Italy can travel to Costa Rica for a 90-day stay without a consular visa. To stay legally beyond the period granted, travelers will need to submit an application for an extension to the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration.
Tourist visas are normally not extended except under special circumstances, such as academic, employment, or medical grounds and extension requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. There is a departure tax for short-term visitors. Tourists who stay over ninety days without receiving a formal extension can expect to pay a higher departure tax at the airport or land border, and may experience some delay at the airport. Persons who have overstayed previously may be denied entry to Costa Rica.
Visas
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you may need a visa to enter Costa Rica. For current visa entry requirements, please visit our Visa Resource Center.
