How much spending money do I need for San Jose?
If you have a trip to San Jose coming up - as a tourist, to visit friends and family, for work or for any other reason - it’s important to know how much spending money is needed based on your plans. This guide looks at the prices in San Jose for tourists, including some budgeting tips and ideas, for luxury and budget travel alike.
How Much Money Should You Take to San Jose?
So - your question might well be: how much do I need in CRC (Costa Rican Colon) for a week in San Jose?
We'll break down how much money you should take to San Jose by different spending types later - but first, an overview. Here are some handy estimates to give you a flavour, looking at the costs of accommodation, food, transport and sightseeing, so you can start to budget, and decide how much money to bring to San Jose, based on your spending for a day or for a week.
| Travel Style | Average Daily cost | One Week cost |
|---|---|---|
| Budget (Cheap) | $66 CRC 21,921 | $460 CRC 152,426 |
| Mid-range | $159 CRC 52,508 | $1,109 CRC 367,045 |
| High-end (Luxury) | $405 CRC 263 | $2,834 CRC 938,004 |
How Much Cash Should You Take to San Jose?
Let's kick off with some key points when it comes to deciding how much cash to take to San Jose.
Cash is still commonly used in San Jose, but many larger stores, restaurants and hotels - especially in tourist areas - are able to accept card payments. It’s worth taking both cards and cash with you when you head off to San Jose. You’ll be able to use your card whenever it’s accepted, and also to make ATM withdrawals to get cash when you need it.
Carrying lots of cash at any one time can be a security risk and make you a target for thieves, so making smaller ATM withdrawals as and when you need to is a smart plan. Bear in mind that some ATMs may charge extra fees for foreign cards - and your own card issuer might have fees including foreign transaction fees and out of network ATM costs.
Using an international travel debit card from a provider like Wise can make overseas spending cheaper, whether you tap and pay in a store, or get cash from the ATM.
Wise travel card
Order a Wise travel card to buy, hold and exchange 40+ currencies. You’ll be able to spend conveniently in San Jose - and all currency exchange uses the mid-market rate with no markup.
Card holders get some free ATM withdrawals available every month, and there’s no annual or monthly fees to pay, and no minimum balance requirement.
Is San Jose Expensive to Visit (in 2025)?
Ultimately, the cost of visiting San Jose varies depending on your plans, and how you like to enjoy yourself when you're abroad.
Overall, San Jose, is rated as a "moderately priced" place to visit by BudgetYourTrip. Accommodation, food, and activities are all available to suit any budget - but you'll need to plan your time to make sure you're making the most of both your time and your money while you're away.
What currency should I take to San Jose?
The official local currency used in San Jose is the Costa Rican Colon-CRC. If you plan to take cash with you to spend while you're away, you'll need Costa Rican Colones.
The currency symbol is ₡, which is what you'll see in stores and on restaurant menus.
| Costa Rican Colon | |
|---|---|
| Currency name | Costa Rican Colon |
| Currency symbol | ₡ |
| Currency code | CRC |
| Exchange rate today | 1 AUD = 331.003 CRC 1 CRC = 0.00302112 AUD |
How to Save Money in San Jose - Traveller tips
No matter what you're planning on doing during your trip to San Jose, you want to make sure your money goes as far as possible.
Here are some top tips to save money in San Jose:
- Book your hotels or accommodation in advance to secure the best available deals
- Use public transport where possible, or approved taxi and ride hailing operators
- Use Google maps and reviews to find good restaurants. You'll often find better food and more reasonable prices away from the most touristy areas of town
- Look online for recommendations of free or low-cost attractions and activities in San Jose - blogs and travel magazines are a great place to start
- Use travel cards that offer fair exchange rates with transparent fees such as Wise, to keep down the costs of currency conversion and ATM use while you're away
Get a free multi-currency account and card to buy, hold, convert and send over 40 currencies. Fast, secure, easy and cheap transfers at the commercial exchange rate.
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Costs and Prices in San Jose for Tourists
Let's move on to the typical prices in San Jose for tourists. Below we've got a handy overview of prices for accommodation, food and services for tourists in San Jose. Use this along with your own research to figure out the likely costs and prices you'll come across during your visit.
Accommodation Costs in San Jose
Accommodation is usually one of the biggest costs on any trip abroad - but what you pay in the end will depend a lot on the accommodation type you pick. Below is an example of accommodation costs in San Jose based on one person sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room.
| Types of accommodation | Prices per night |
|---|---|
| Budget | $29
CRC 9,686 |
| Mid-Range | $75
CRC 24,979 |
| Luxury | $203
CRC 67,292 |
Daily Food Costs in San Jose
Food is an important feature of a trip abroad for many of us - but what you spend can vary significantly depending on where you purchase your meals in San Jose. As you might expect, buying food from local markets and stores can be one of the cheapest options, or you could choose to eat at mid-range restaurants, or sample some high-end establishments.
Here's an example of how much a meal costs in San Jose based on different restaurant types.
| Types of Meal | Average Daily Cost |
|---|---|
| Budget | $18
CRC 6,117 |
| Mid-Range | $48
CRC 15,803 |
| Luxury | $117
CRC 38,744 |
Cost of Drink & Beverages
Let's move on to the cost of beer, wine, water and other beverages in San Jose:
| Drink & Beverages | Prices |
|---|---|
| Beer (bottle) | $4 CRC 1,178 |
| Wine (bottle) | $23 CRC 7,647 |
| Can of Coca-cola /Pepsi | $5 CRC 1,667 |
| Mineral water (1.5L bottle) | $4 CRC 1,438 |
| Coffee, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate | $9 CRC 2,967 |
Cost of Entertainment
Entertainment and sightseeing are key aspects of any trip to San Jose, and your spending will depend on where and how you choose to experience them. You've got a range of options, from budget-friendly activities to more luxurious experiences.
Below is how much you'll generally spend on things like going out, sightseeing and general entertainment:
| Entertainment | Average Daily Cost |
|---|---|
| Budget | $12
CRC 4,078 |
| Mid-Range | $32
CRC 10,705 |
| Luxury | $82
CRC 27,019 |
Travel Costs in San Jose
Once you've arrived in San Jose you still need to figure out how to get around. The cost of travel can be different depending on your preferences - and how much of a hurry you're in. Using public transport is often our cheapest choice, but getting a taxi or hiring a car could be faster and more flexible, depending on your budget.
Some common ways to save money on transport in San Jose include:
- Where possible use airport shuttles on arrival to get to the city centre
- Use buses, metro, trams or other public transport where you can - Google Maps can help you navigate more easily
Plan activities to limit the travel needed by covering the popular sites in one area before exploring the next, to avoid excess travel time
Use known taxi operators and approved ride-hailing companies.
| Transport costs | Average Daily Cost |
|---|---|
| Budget | $11
CRC 3,568 |
| Mid-Range | $29
CRC 30,077 |
| Luxury | $82
CRC 27,019 |
Data Roaming, Internet, Local Sim Cards
Having easy access to your phone while you're away is important - not only to keep in touch with your friends and family, but also to navigate, look up good places to eat or visit, and to translate if needed. Make sure you don't get stuck without your phone - or with a big roaming bill - when you're in San Jose with these tips:
- Turn off your data roaming if you're concerned about running up excess fees, and only use your phone on secure wifi networks while you're away
- Check the roaming costs with your mobile operator - you may be able to add a roaming data package to your normal plan for a fairly low price
- Consider getting an international eSIM if your phone is compatible with eSIMs - these can be low hassle ways to keep access to your data, without needing to install a physical SIM card
- Check the SIM card price for tourists in Costa Rica, before travelling - you'll likely find people trying to sell you a local SIM in the airport when you arrive, so knowing the price you should pay can help you avoid scams
How Much Should You Tip in San Jose?
Tipping etiquette can vary a lot between countries, and naturally depends a lot on the type of establishment you're in, or service you've received. Generally, tipping around 10-15% of the bill when you are happy with the service is in line with expectations.
Bear in mind that in some places a service fee - which is a percentage of the amount you spend - is already added to the bill, and means you don't need to add an additional tip unless you really want to. Check your bill before you pay - or just ask if the tip has already been included or not.
How to Get the Best Exchange Rate for Costa Rican Colones
Naturally you want to get the very best AUD to CRC exchange rate. However, bear in mind that you'll also need to pick a secure and reputable provider when you exchange money. Black market money changers may look like they're offering great rates but they're not safe or reliable. Look out for the AUD - CRC exchange rate online or at the currency exchange office.
Always seek out official exchange companies that offer fair rates and transparent fees. Or, consider getting a travel money card, such as Wise, to ensure your transactions are secure and convenient. Use your Wise card to pay where card transactions are supported, or to get cash from the ATM whenever you need it during your visit to San Jose.
The live exchange rate today is:
1 AUD = 331.003 CRC
1 CRC = 0.00302112 AUD
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