Key facts
Costa Rica is a country located in Central America. There are 2 countries (Nicaragua, Panama) that Costa Rica shares its borders with. The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Unfortunately, if you speak English, it might be problematic to communicate fluently unless you know Spanish.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Costa Rica was ranked 44th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Costa Rica is Costa Rican colón (CRC). The colón (₡) is subdivided into 100 céntimo (₡).
Costa Rican
Banknotes
₡1000₡2000₡5000₡10000₡20000₡50000
Costa Rican
Coins
₡1₡5₡10₡20₡50₡100₡500
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Costa Rica is 139.13 Mbps and mobile is 52.5 Mbs.The global average is 194.02 Mbps and 126.09 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density When compared to the world average, Costa Rica has more ATMs.64.83 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Costa Rica, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Costa Rica. Type A & Type B are widespread in North America (incl. the U.S.), Central America, Japan, and the Philippines.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Costa Rica will celebrate 11 national public holidays. The next one Army Abolition Day will take place on December 1.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024Moving holiday | New Year’s DayAño Nuevo | |
| March 28, 2024Moving holiday | Maundy ThursdayJueves Santo | |
| March 29, 2024Moving holiday | Good FridayViernes Santo | |
| April 11, 2024Moving holiday | Juan Santamaría DayDía de Juan Santamaría | |
| May 1, 2024Moving holiday | Labour DayDía Internacional del Trabajo | |
| July 25, 2024Moving holiday | Annexation of the Party of Nicoya to Costa RicaAnexión del Partido de Nicoya a Costa Rica | |
| August 2, 2024Moving holiday | Feast of Our Lady of the AngelsFiesta de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles | |
| August 15, 2024Moving holiday | Mother’s DayDía de la Madre | |
| September 15, 2024Moving holiday | Independence DayDía de la Independencia | |
| December 1, 2024Moving holiday | Army Abolition DayDía de la Abolición del Ejército | |
| December 25, 2024Moving holiday | Christmas DayNavidad |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Costa Rica?
There are Mariott hotels in 2 cities: Heredia and Herradura.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Costa Rica.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Costa Rica.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in Costa Rica.
There are Radisson hotels in San José.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Costa Rica.
What fast food chains are present in Costa Rica?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Costa Rica.
The KFC chain operates in Costa Rica.
The Burger King chain does not operate in Costa Rica.
The Subway chain operates in Costa Rica.
The Domino’s Pizza chain does not operate in Costa Rica.
The Starbucks chain operates in Costa Rica.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in San José?
Weather data for San José (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are no passenger trains available.
Subway Systems There is no subway system in any city.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Costa Rica
Sources
- Costa Rica Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Costa Rica (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is forbidden in all public indoor locations, with limited exceptions.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage is decriminalized, and medical use is legal.
Sources
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)