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Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Is Costa Rica a budget friendly destination for solo female travelers? I spent a week in January enjoying the best of capital city San Jose and the mountainous jungles of this hugely popular tourist spot. (Sorry, no beaches on this Costa Rica itinerary.) Read on for every penny spent in my budget for one week in Costa Rica.

Note: All prices are converted to USD. This trip took place in 2018.

hanging bridges in Monteverde Cloud Forest Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Table of Contents

Transportation Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $665.26

$378 flight BWI to San Jose

$10.78 Uber from airport

$4.92 bus San Jose to La Fortuna

$15 shuttle pass for getting around La Fortuna/Arenal

$29 Jeep-boat-Jeep La Fortuna/Arenal to Monteverde

$4.10 bus Monteverde to San Jose

$2.46 taxi to airport

$221 flight to BWI

Travel Tip: Some folks will say that you can’t get around Costa Rica without a rental car. They’re wrong! Even though there aren’t a lot of direct bus connections listed online, you can book direct overland transportation from place to place. Just wait until you arrive and let the folks at your hostel help you!

National Museum San Jose Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Accommodations Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $64

$25 three nights in 6-bed female dorm at Upe Hostel in San Jose

$19 two nights in 4-bed dorm at La Choza Inn in La Fortuna/Arenal

$20 two nights at Hostel La Suerte in Monteverde

Travel Tip: As a solo female traveler, I only stay in private rooms and female-only dorms. Get more tips on booking hostels here.

Casa Brew Garden amazing craft beer list San Jose Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Dining Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $76.07

$8 breakfast at Charlotte airport

$8.41 lunch at Nuestra Tierra

$2.95 coffee at Cafe Miel

$14.77 dinner at Lava Lounge

$1.97 helado at street stall

$8.20 dinner at The Corner

$14.44 groceries at Super Compro

$17.33 lunch at The Tree House

Travel Tip: The classic Costa Rica meal is gallo pinto, a simple and hearty mix of eggs, beans, and rice. You’ll see it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it makes dining on a budget in Costa Rica suuuuuper easy.

Arenal volcano hike in Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Attractions Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $260.17

$9 National Museum of Costa Rica in San Jose

$9.85 Pre-Columbian Gold Museum in San Jose

$57 coffee tour from San Jose

$71 craft beer tour in San Jose

$12 Arenal 1968 Park volcano hike

$55 100% Aventura zip line in Monteverde

$35 hanging bridges at Selvatura Park in Monteverde cloud forest

$11.32 Monteverde Orchid Garden

Travel Tip: Costa Rica is home to the longest zip line in Latin America and it’s SO worth it! Just learn from my mistakes and don’t lose the CD they give you with all your photos on it. 🤦‍♀️

Teatro Nacional San Jose Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Special Costs Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $99.48

$87 travel insurance

$1.48 water at bus station

$11 souvenirs

Travel Tip: Don’t ever skip travel insurance! I didn’t have to make a claim during my one week in Costa Rica, but it was a huge lifesaver on my round-the-world trip. 

Lake Arenal in Costa Rica | Budget for One Week in Costa Rica

Total Budget for One Week in Costa Rica: $1164.98 or $129.44 per day

This amount is a little steeper than I sometimes like to budget my travel, but that’s the difference between a week-long vacation and a round-the-world trip. If I had visited Costa Rica on my round-the-world trip as originally planned, I would have saved hundreds of dollars! Learn more by booking a call with me.

Is Costa Rica on your bucket list? Start planning your dream trip with my free travel planner!

The Ultimate Bucket List Planner is a free workbook for solo female travelers to plan epic round-the-world trips.

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8 Comments

  1. Costa Rica is one of my all time favourite destinations and wish I had your your budgeting guide when I went as I went way over board!! This is such a brilliant post for anyone planning their trip!

    1. There is SO much to do in Costa Rica. It really spans the gamut as far as destinations go and you can have a great backpacking experience or an awesome luxurious one. I bet you had an amazing time!

    1. Subscribe to flight deals newsletters, pinch pennies on accommodations (all my hostels were great despite the bottom dollar price tag), and you’ll have the budget for the experiences that made you want to travel in the first place!

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