Renting a car in Costa Rica is the best way to explore—get off the beaten path and have the freedom to do what you want. There are some important things you’ll want to know before you rent, so we put together this guide that’ll walk you through the whole process.
Renting a car in Costa Rica can be an absolute game-changer for exploring off the beaten path—but only if you know what to expect. From hidden fees to unpredictable road conditions, there are a few things we really wish we had known before booking our rental.
That’s why we’ve put together this complete guide to help you avoid common pitfalls and make your trip as smooth (and affordable!) as possible.
We’re covering everything—from the best deals and insurance must-knows to whether you really need a 4WD. Plus, we’ll share our top tips to help you save money and steer clear of headaches on the road (pun intended!).
Where to book a rental car in Costa Rica
Let’s be real, you’re here because you want to rent a car in Costa Rica, and you want us to show you where to book.
Well, here you go: We recommend booking through DiscoverCars.com.
Discover Cars pulls information from a large number of companies to find you the best price for your rental car. They also include the mandatory insurance that the Costa Rican government requires when renting a car, whereas most of the large aggregate sites do not (more on this further down in the article).
This way you know you won’t have any surprise costs when you land and start your travels. Check what’s available for your time in Costa Rica:
Our experience renting a car in Costa Rica: Why you should trust us
We didn’t plan on renting a car in Costa Rica—it happened by accident. On our first trip, we relied entirely on public transportation, so when we returned for a two-week adventure, we assumed we’d do the same.
But then we saw photos of Rio Celeste, a stunning aquamarine waterfall we had to visit.
The problem? Getting there without a car required an exhausting mix of buses, taxis, and an overnight stay. Renting a car was the only feasible option.
What started as a one-day rental quickly turned into two weeks. We realized just how much more of the country we could explore on our own—stumbling upon hidden beaches, epic viewpoints, and local restaurants we never would have found otherwise.
And the best part? It was shockingly cheap—just $20 USD per day for a small 4WD SUV. We even gave our ride a name: Eduardo (or Eddie for short).
Long story short—renting a car in Costa Rica was one of the best decisions we made. Keep reading to find out why it might be the best choice for your trip too!
Costa Rica Rental Car Guide
- Why rent a car in Costa Rica
- Rental requirements for Costa Rica
- When to rent a car in Costa Rica
- Cost of renting a car
- Where to find the best deal
- Rental car vs. bus comparison
- Mandatory insurance in Costa Rica
- Is 4-wheel drive necessary in Costa Rica?
- Tips for driving in Costa Rica
- Important tips for renting a car in Costa Rica
Why you should rent a car in Costa Rica
We’re so glad we made the decision to rent a car in Costa Rica. Here’s why:
1. It’s affordable
We expected renting a car to be expensive, but as we found out, it is actually cheaper than taking direct shuttles between popular destinations.
2. Access hidden gems
Costa Rica is a very touristy country, and the only way to escape the crowds is to venture off the typical tourist trail. Usually these places can be difficult to get to if you don’t have your own vehicle.
One of our highlights during our time in Costa Rica was spending some time at Rancho Mastatal, a sustainable community in the mountains.
Getting there without our rental car would have been quite difficult, so we were really happy we had our own ride!
3. Enjoy the scenery
Costa Rica’s countryside is stunning. If you’re on a bus or a shuttle, you’ll have to take it all in as you whip around the curves and turns.
But if you’re driving, you can pull over at any time (when it’s safe to stop!) and take in the scenery in the way it’s meant to be enjoyed. See a pretty waterfall? Pull over! It’s that simple.
4. Convenience
If you have your own vehicle, there’s no need to plan around bus schedules. You don’t have to wake up early to catch that 6 a.m. bus.
You can stop whenever you need to use the restroom or you get hungry. Turn on the AC or roll down your windows. It’s up to you!
5. Faster travel
Local buses are cheap, but oh so slow! They stop just about every half-mile to pick up people on the side of the road needing rides, and a short journey can take exponentially longer than you might think.
6. Driving in Costa Rica is (mostly!) easy
There are some countries where the insane traffic and crazy driving etiquette would scare us away from renting a car. (Think of many major cities in Vietnam!)
But most of Costa Rica is pretty laidback when it comes to driving, and people are mostly courteous.
Aside from driving through San Jose, we didn’t encounter much traffic or difficult situations. Keep reading for some tips that will help you drive safely in Costa Rica!
7. It’s fun!
There’s just something about road trips that are so much fun! Stock up on snacks, crank some tunes and sing aloud, or listen to a podcast with your travel buddy. No headphones needed!
8. Parking is easy
We drove our rental car to 8 different locations around Costa Rica, and finding parking was never an issue.
All our hostels, hotels and Airbnbs were equipped with parking spots. And the couple of times we had to pay a parking fee at National Parks, it was cheap (between $2 – $4 USD for all-day parking).
9. Avoid carsickness
On our first visit to Costa Rica we took only public transportation and shuttles. Well, one of the shuttle rides was a pretty awful experience.
I (Katie) sometimes get carsick, and the winding country roads did a number on my stomach.
If you’re like me, having your own rental vehicle will allow you the freedom to stop when you need to. Plus, sitting in the front seat (or driving) helps prevent carsickness a ton.
Pro tip: Motion sickness wristbands and ginger chews have helped me combat carsickness a lot!
Requirements for renting a car in Costa Rica
- Must be 25+ years old
- Valid passport and driver’s license from your home country
- Mandatory rental car insurance
- typically known as Liability Protection (LP) or Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) – this is a requirement by Costa Rica law
- Security deposit
- $500–$5,000 hold on credit card, depending on the rental company
- Extra insurance (often covered by your credit card or travel insurance)
Do I need an International Driver’s License?
As long as your home country driver’s license uses the Roman alphabet (English, Spanish, French, etc.), an international driver’s license is not required.
An international driver’s license is only required if your driver’s license does not use Roman letters, like Arabic or Thai script, to translate the identification.
If you are unsure, or just want an international driver’s license on hand, you can always get your international drivers license online, for just $30 USD.
When to rent a car in Costa Rica
- Most expensive: December–April (dry season, peak travel time).
- Plan ahead and book at least 3 months in advance!
- Cheapest: May–October (rainy season).
- We visited in June, and found daily rains only lasted 1-2 hours while the rest of the day was clear.
Cost of renting a car in Costa Rica
Renting a car is actually a very affordable way to travel around Costa Rica if you plan it right.
We paid roughly $20 USD per day for our 4×4 SUV in June 2018. However, the costs have gone up a bit since. In 2025 you can expect to pay around $30 per day for a rental car in Costa Rica.
The price is going to vary depending on the type of vehicle you get, what time of year you are traveling, and which rental car company you go through.
- We rented a Daihatsu Bego, which is a small SUV with a 4-wheel drive.
- We were traveling in June, which is during the low season and has cheaper rates than peak tourist months.
In addition to the actual car rental, be sure to add in the cost of gas, which, back in 2018, was roughly 680 CRC per liter ($4.53 USD per gallon) while we were there. As of updating this in 2025, it looks like you’ll be paying closer to 700 CRC per liter or about $4.90 USD per gallon.
And if you plan to drop off the car in a different location, you’ll be charged a “drop off fee” (ours was about $50 USD).
In total, our rental car, gas and drop-off fee came to exactly $540.43 for 15 days. With today’s average costs, that total would be around $700 USD for 15 days.
Best deal on renting a car in Costa Rica
Ever since the pandemic, rental cars in Costa Rica have been scarce and expensive at first glance. For us, the best way to search for a reasonably priced car is on an aggregate booking site.
However, after several hours of searching and combing through all the fine print, we found that most of the aggregate sites do not include the cost of mandatory insurance required by law in Costa Rica.
Avoid hidden fees by booking through DiscoverCars.com, which transparently includes the cost of mandatory insurance in the final price.
Rental car vs. public bus comparison
The cheapest way to get around Costa Rica is by taking local buses—but there’s a catch. Let me explain…
We took a bus from San Jose to La Fortuna for just 2,850 colones each (a little over $5 USD), and at first, it felt like a great deal. The bus was similar to a coach, with comfortable seats.
But as the journey went on, it stopped frequently to pick up more passengers, eventually becoming cramped and stuffy with people standing in the aisles. What could have been a four-hour trip by shuttle ended up taking over six hours.
While shuttles are faster and more convenient, they come at a higher cost, with fares ranging from $54 to $67 USD per person.
Rental car insurance in Costa Rica
Having rental car insurance coverage is required by law in Costa Rica.
Types of insurance:
- Liability Protection (LP) – Covers damage to third parties. Typically $10–$30/day.
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) – Covers damage/theft of your rental. Often covered by credit cards or travel insurance.
Note: Liability Protection coverage may also be called by a few other names in Costa Rica:
- Supplemental Liability Insurance (SPI)
- Additional Liability Insurance (ALI)
- Third-party Liability (TPL)
- Third-party Insurance (TPI)
- Liability Protection (LP)
Pro Tip: We decline CDW since our Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture cards cover it. Check your credit card policy to see if you’re already covered!
→ Related: Find the best credit cards for travel!
Additionally, your travel insurance might also cover rental cars. Read the policy’s fine print to check for yourself.
If you need more information, we’ve got a complete guide to choosing the best travel insurance policy that should answer all your questions.
Do you need a 4×4 vehicle in Costa Rica?
The short answer: For city-to-coast routes, no. But for waterfalls, mountains, and remote areas, yes!
Many of the waterfalls and small towns we visited involved a steep climb on gravel roads. It might be possible to do without 4-wheel drive, but it gave us peace of mind knowing that we didn’t need to worry about which roads we took.
For our route, I would 100% recommend 4-wheel drive (4WD) , as I would not have felt comfortable without it.
Tips for driving in Costa Rica
There are a few things we learned about driving in Costa Rica specifically. We are sharing our top tips with you because we wished we had known these things before driving out of the parking lot for the first time!
- Watch out for potholes: Many roads are rough, especially in rural areas. Drive slowly and be cautious when crossing water, as potholes may be hidden.
- Look out for speed bumps: Common near towns and schools, but not always marked. Hitting one too fast is not fun—trust us!
- Get 4WD: If you’re exploring beyond San Jose, 4WD makes a big difference on steep or unpaved roads.
- Be cautious passing trucks: Many roads are narrow and winding. Only pass when it’s safe and you have a clear view ahead.
- Know one-lane bridge rules: The side with a “Ceda el Paso” (Yield) sign must wait. If there’s no sign, use caution—locals may go by a “first come, first served” approach.
- Gas stations are full service: An attendant will pump your gas. Cash is most common, but some stations near cities take cards.
- Keep change for tolls: Tolls near San Jose range from 360–720 colones ($0.64–$1.28). Carry small bills or coins.
Important tips for renting a car in Costa Rica
These tips are pretty universal whether you’re renting a car in Costa Rica, Canada or Germany. We hope they are helpful to you as you plan your trip.
- Take photos before driving – Snap pictures of any scratches, dents, or windshield cracks to avoid being blamed for pre-existing damage.
- Book online for the best rates – Online platforms get bulk discounts and pass the savings to you. Walk-in rates can be significantly higher, so reserve ahead—especially in peak season.
- We found DiscoverCars.com is the best site for car rentals in Costa Rica because its the only aggregate platform that includes the mandatory insurance in the total cost.
- Longer rentals mean lower daily rates – A one-day rental might cost $34, but renting for two weeks could drop the daily rate to $30 or less.
- Get a local SIM card or eSIM – A SIM card keeps you connected for navigation and emergencies. Airalo offers affordable eSIMs (e.g., $17 for 2GB/15 days) without needing a physical SIM.
- Download offline maps – Google Maps works without service if you download the offline version of the map in advance.
- Maps.Me is another great map option, and we use it a lot to find hiking trails and things that aren’t always marked on Google Maps. You might want to download both maps before your trip!
Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica?
We have lots more resources on travel in Costa Rica and destinations throughout the country. Check out our Ultimate Costa Rica Travel Guide for all the answers you’re looking for, or read some of our favorite articles below.
- Amazing Things to Do in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
- Adventurous Things to Do in Costa Rica
- Fun Things to do in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
- Epic Things To Do in La Fortuna & Arenal, Costa Rica
Don’t forget to grab our packing list!
In this free PDF download, we’ve provided packing check lists for everything from clothing and toiletries (for both women and men!) to what shoes to pack and extra medicines you may want to have on-hand just in case.
Plus, we’re sharing tons of packing hacks and tips for traveling in Costa Rica that you won’t find anywhere else.
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We want to hear from you!
Do you have any more questions about renting a car in Costa Rica? Comment below and we’ll do our best to answer your question!
i was very happy looking at the rental.com site with their prices and terms but i have the chase sapphire preferred card for insurance like you do.It says on the sites terms that the card used has to have embossed or raised lettering on the card to be accepted. How did you get around this?
I think is a very good información.
Useful and interesting.
Thank you for share.
Kind regards
This was thorough and informative… But the CHEAPEST car I could find in all of San Jose before fees was $350/day. A week before flying in…
Hello, Thank you for writing. I am confused about how you were able to rent a car with collision coverage only from you credit card, as far as I’m aware it is required by Costa Rica to have liability insurance, which is not covered by credit card companies. How were you able to get around this?
Hello guys. I love what you wrote about your experience in CR. I’m Costa Rican but moved to the US 5 years ago and Im coming back with my fiancee and his family so this helped them a lot to understand a little more of how things run over there. I do want to ask you though which shots did you have to get to enter the country and if you had insurance cover it or if it was out of the pocket (if that’s the case, do you mind telling me roughly how much you paid for them). Thank you very much.
Is an international DL necessary I read it wasn’t ?
Hi!
We are going to rent a car for 2 weeks in January. We would like to pick up the car at the airport but inspite of seeing the companies listed right there at the airport we read that they will take you to their own place of renting… Are there any cars at the airport itself??? Thanks… we are senior citizens heading to the west coast and don’t want to go downtown if not necessary…
Do you have sx ny information about the road to monteverde from arenal and then from monteverde to tamarindo
I think this article is really misleading. You cannot just use a credit card in replacement of the mandatory insurance. You must pay it and some car rental companies charge significantly more than others. I have even called my credit card company (Chase Sapphire Reserve) to confirm and Costa Rica is not included. Please do your homework and call the car rental company at the local office for more info. The last time i traveled to CR I was surprised with a $400 surcharge for 7 days.
Hi!
I’m heading down to Costa Rica for a solo trip and just bought my one way ticket yesterday. I’m on the rental car website that you recommend and saw a decently priced SUV, the Nissan Quashqai from Alamo. Do you know if most SUVs are equipped with 4×4 or AWD?
Hi Guys,
We are travelling to Costa Rica on the 21st October 2019 till the 28th oct and going to do a round trip of 8 days from san jose and return my partner to san jose airport where would you go if you had 8 days? we have a rental car which we will pick up in San Jose and I will drop of in Tamarindo.
That’s the first question second question once I have dropped my partner I still have the rental car and will drive down to Tamarindo on the 28th then stay there till the 31st when I have to get across the border to Managua airport in Nicaragua to meet my transport to a surf camp in Nicaragua. My question on this part is there any other private shuttles or smaller shuttle companies that you know that do this trip as the bigger Ticabus takes about 10 hours and only leaves at 7.30am from Liberia in costa which means I have to leave Tamarindo to drop the car to Liberia airport supper early.
Any advice would be super helpful.
Dave & Jodi
Hello!
This is very helpful, and I took your advice to book a rental car from Rental Cars.com. Now, I am wondering if you still had to pay for "Third-Party Liability (TPL)" even if the booking voucher says, it is included for FREE. Could you let me know if you had to pay for TPL to Alamo as well?
Thank you!!
very useful . thanks for this post.
You are very welcome Harry! Happy Planning!
Please share which is the best Sports Car Rental Company in Costa Rica.
My bf and I are flying to CR next week and have been thinking about renting a car. This guide was so helpful and incredibly detailed. Thank you for the mountain of information you provided!
Thank you for this article! I booked a 4×4 rental for about $130 for 7 days and picking up at the airport. I also have the Venture cc and have called alamo, capital one, and visa verifying the coverage. Does this mean I do not pay for any "mandatory coverage" since I have this cc. Did you only pay the $20 per day plus $1,500 deposit?
If you have verified with Alamo (assuming this is the company you are booking with) that you will not have to pay anything else once you land, then I would assume you the insurance is built into your price. This is very similar to our situation when we booked and all we did was have the $1,500 hold on our card just for incidentals or damage. Please let me know if you come across any other information.