Just Landed in Costa Rica? Your First 7 Days

Coverage is strong across the Central Valley, San José and most towns, with reliable 4G and expanding 5G, though remote beaches, mountains and jungle can be patchy or absent. Prepaid ('prepago') SIMs are cheap and must be registered to your passport at the point of sale. Home fibre from Kolbi, Tigo, Liberty or Claro is available in most populated areas, but installation appointments can take one to two weeks, so ask before you sign a lease whether service already runs to the property.

Typical cost: Prepaid plans with several gigabytes of data run roughly CRC 5,000-12,000 per month; home fibre of 100-300 Mbps is around CRC 20,000-35,000 per month.

Both colones and US dollars circulate, and the exchange rate hovers around CRC 500-540 to the dollar; hotels, tours and larger purchases are often priced in dollars while everyday spending is in colones. Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities, but always choose to be charged in colones at ATMs and terminals to dodge inflated 'dynamic currency conversion'. SINPE Móvil, a free instant bank transfer by phone number, is the everyday backbone of local payments and even street vendors accept it.

Opening an account: State banks Banco Nacional and Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), plus private BAC Credomatic and Scotiabank, are the usual choices. Opening a full account normally requires a DIMEX residency card and proof of local address and income; some banks offer limited or non-resident accounts while your residency is pending, but full access, cards and SINPE Móvil typically wait for the DIMEX. Expect to visit a branch in person with your passport and be patient with the paperwork.

Cash: Cash still rules in sodas (small local diners), farmers' markets ('ferias'), small towns and among informal vendors, so always carry colones and small notes. Cities and tourist areas take cards and contactless readily, and SINPE Móvil covers most gaps once you have a local account, but tips, buses and parking wardens ('cuidacarros') still want coins and small bills.

Tipping: Restaurants add a 10% service charge ('servicio') plus 13% sales tax (IVA) by law, so the menu price is not the final price and extra tipping is optional. Rounding up or adding a little for good service is appreciated. Tip tour guides, drivers and hotel staff a few dollars, and leave something for the cuidacarros who watch your parked car.

Costa Rica has no local address-registration or 'town hall' registration requirement, so there is nothing to register simply for living at an address. What matters is your immigration status: tourists live off the entry stamp, while anyone staying long term processes a residency category through Migración and, once approved, obtains a DIMEX identity card and enrols in the CAJA public health system. There is no equivalent of a European resident-registration certificate, and no deadline to register your home.

Where: Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (in La Uruca, San José, and regional offices) for residency and the DIMEX card; the CCSS (the CAJA) for mandatory public-health enrolment.

Public buses are cheap, extensive and the backbone of local travel, but they are slow, cash-based and confusing without a route app, so most newcomers combine them with ride-hailing in the cities. Driving is common outside San José and often necessary for the coast, though roads can be potholed, unlit and prone to rainy-season flooding and landslides. Journeys routinely take 50% longer than the distance suggests, so plan generously and avoid mountain roads after dark.

From the airport: From Juan Santamaría (SJO) near Alajuela, official orange Taxis Unidos work on a fixed fare to San José (about 25-45 minutes, roughly USD 25-35), bookable at the counter just outside arrivals, or use Uber and DiDi from the dedicated pickup area. From Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste, most people pre-book a shuttle or private transfer to the Pacific beaches. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal and confirm the price before setting off.

Most newcomers rent through local Facebook groups, WhatsApp networks, the Encuentra24 portal and neighbourhood agents rather than international sites. Escazú, Santa Ana and the western Central Valley suit those wanting malls, gyms and English-friendly services; Heredia and Alajuela are cheaper and more residential; Tamarindo, Nosara, Santa Teresa and the Southern Zone draw beach expats at noticeably higher prices. Furnished rentals are common and convenient but carry a clear premium over bare long-term leases.

Typical rent: A furnished one-bedroom runs roughly USD 700-1,100 (about CRC 380,000-560,000) per month in San José and the Central Valley, and USD 900-1,600 in popular beach towns; unfurnished long-term leases signed in colones are cheaper and often shielded by legal rent-increase caps.

Deposit norm: Landlords typically ask for one month's rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront; furnished or short-term rentals may request more. Get the deposit terms and inventory in writing, ideally in a signed contract, and never wire a deposit before viewing the property in person.

Costa Rica runs a strong, universal public system (the CAJA, run by the CCSS) alongside a well-regarded and affordable private sector, and outcomes rival wealthier countries. Legal residents must enrol in and pay a monthly income-based contribution to the CAJA, which then covers almost all care including prescriptions and surgery at no point-of-use cost. Public waits can be long, so many expats also use private clinics for speed and comfort.

How to access it: For emergencies call 911, or go straight to a public hospital emergency room or a private hospital such as Clínica Bíblica, Hospital CIMA (Escazú) or Hospital Metropolitano. For routine public care, register at and start with your local EBAIS clinic, which acts as your gatekeeper. Private appointments can be booked directly, often same or next day, and a private GP consultation typically costs USD 60-100.

Insurance: Residents pay a monthly CAJA contribution scaled to declared income (often several tens of dollars up to over a hundred). Many expats also hold private insurance through INS or an international provider, or simply pay out of pocket at private clinics, where prices are a fraction of North American levels. Bring evidence of any pre-existing conditions and a supply of essential medication for the transition.

• Greet with a light handshake, or a single cheek kiss for women, and use 'buenas' or 'pura vida' freely as a hello, thanks and goodbye.
• Expect a relaxed pace; social punctuality is loose ('la hora tica'), and pushing for speed in shops or offices rarely helps and can read as rude.
• Ticos value politeness and avoid direct confrontation, so frame requests gently, say 'con mucho gusto' for 'you're welcome', and stay patient with bureaucracy.
• Learn a little Spanish; even basic phrases are warmly received, and outside tourist hubs they are essential for banks, clinics and offices.
• Dress neatly for official appointments and offices; casual beachwear reads as disrespectful in San José admin and formal settings.
• Accept food and coffee when offered in someone's home, and bring a small gift when invited to a meal, as hospitality is taken seriously.
• Address older people and officials with 'usted' rather than the informal 'vos' or 'tú' until invited to be casual.

• Never leave anything visible in a parked car; smash-and-grab theft at trailheads, beaches and viewpoints is the most common crime against foreigners.
• Keep phones and bags close in downtown San José and on crowded buses, and avoid quiet or poorly lit streets after dark.
• Treat riptides seriously at Pacific beaches; many drownings involve visitors caught in strong currents at unpatrolled shores, so swim near others and heed local advice.
• Do not overstay your tourist stamp; fines accrue and it complicates future residency, so track your permitted days carefully.
• Be cautious buying property or land quickly; title issues and squatter law are real, so always use an independent lawyer ('abogado') you did not meet through the seller.