How to Visit and Explore Costa Rica on the Cheap

I am now recently back in the states after spending three months in Costa Rica exploring and looking around. It was a very pleasant and rewarding experience. Along the way I learned a lot about the country and native cultures. I had only planned on staying for six weeks or so, but as I learned to budget down I decided to stay for three months. The overall experience was very rewarding, and left me with a strong desire to return. My total cost for the entire three months was $1800 (excluding airfare). By learning how to eat, sleep, and travel around cheaply I was able to extend my visit much longer than I first thought possible. I avoided the pricey tourist areas for the most part, as much to keep expenses down as well as to learn some of the many cultures from the locals. My entire trip was cost effective based upon learning the cheapest ways for a tourist to get around the country on a tight budget.

Sleeping arrangements are available in a multitude of ranges, from $10 a night up to several hundred dollars per night. I chose the no-frills hostels for the most part. They start at around $10 for a bunk or a bed. There are several Costa Rican hostels listed in the link below, and it should be easy to find these accomodations in the general areas you will be traveling to. I would suggest the Alajuela campground hostel as your first stop. It is only five minutes from the San Jose airport, and they will come and get you if you make arrangements with them. They are a very friendly place, and you will meet several different nationalities of travelers doing the same thing you are. They are traveling on a budget, looking to meet interesting people and see interesting things. I made many new friends, and am still in touch with some of them today. I met and traveled with Americans, Swedes, Canadians, New Zealanders, and a couple from Paraguay. This is a very good place to start your trip with very little commotion. Usually you can find someone at this type of place that is going in the same direction as you, and most are happy to have some traveling companions. Hostels also generally have shared kitchens and bathrooms, so storing food and staying clean is a simple matter. Most have decent weekly and monthly rates. Nosara, on the Pacific coast, has a couple of hostels just a couple hundred yards from the ocean.

There are also a few alternatives to hostels if you take the time to look around some. Couchsurfer.com is a very unique and helpful site. This site lists people from all around the world that are willing to let travelers use a couch or a spare bed free for a few days. It is well worth your time to get acquainted with the site. Craigslist Costa Rica is also a very helpful site. Look under housing, temporary, and rooms to share. Once in a while someone will trade a week or two lodging for some help around the house, garden, etc. Occasionally there will also be a post from someone needing a housesitter while they leave the country for a few weeks.

If you eat at out, do it at one of the local cafes, not a tourist trap. Just watch where the locals may gather for their lunch or dinner, and that will be the best food and cheapest prices. Their local dishes do not emphasize meat as much as is done in the states, but the menu will have a variety to suit your own tastes. The average preices in the local cafes are anywhere from $2 to $4 a meal. Whenever possible, shop at the local supermarket to get supplies to prepare your own food. The prices are comparable to the states, and you will save a bunch in the long run by staying out of the cafes. Most hostels have kitchens and all the utensils you will need to prepare your own meals.

Traveling across country is easiest done by bus. Costa Rica is a poor country, and bussing is the main transportation for the majority of the residents. So the fares are cheap to accomodate the local poulation. The busses go everywhere, for a very reasonable fare. Once you get the hang of the bus system, it is a simple matter to go from one side of the country to the other. Going from one town to the next is about $1.50-$2.00, for a 30 mile or so ride. Sometimes they are crammed full, and sometimes almost empty. You will meet a lot of interesting local folks on these bus rides.

If you do something like this, you will be in for one of the best times of your life, on a budget.

Remember to keep your trip simple and travel light. Carrying too much stuff from town to town on the bus is tedious. Prepare your own food whenever possible. (hostels have shared kitchens and refridgerators). Carry a sleep sack, which is just a sleeping bag made from sheet material. Take a LOT of memory for your camera. A comfortable pair of sandals and tennis shoes are mandatory. A Spanish flipbook translator is very helpful to get around and communicate your needs to the locals. Take a decent water resistant map of Costa Rica. Learn the currency exchange, and convert over to Colones at the beginning of your trip.

Take your time, and add to this list what you think will be necessary for you.

Enjoy your trip, and thanks for reading.