Entertainment & Misc. Expenses

Entertainment, eating out and other leisure activities are individually less expensive than in the U.S.  If you choose to live a flamboyant lifestyle, these activities can add up quickly, but in general, a night out on the town will hurt your wallet less in Costa Rica than in the U.S.

Movies cost about $4.00, beers in a Tico bar cost about $1.50 and it costs less than $3 to fix a flat tire.  You can order a casado for lunch or dinner (a typical Costa Rican plate consisting of your choice of meat, chicken or fish, rice n’ beans, coleslaw-like salad, fried plantains and a natural juice drink) for $3 or a boca (a small portion of food) for $2.  Bocas are commonly served in bars and one or two is usually plenty to fill one person up.  Most bars have a wide variety of bocas ranging from hígado (liver with fried onions) to french-fries, ceviche and spaghetti.  Bocas are sometimes free during happy hour.

For the outdoor enthusiast, there are national parks galore to visit.  These parks, however, have American-priced admittance fees for non-residents ($8-$17). All admittance fees go to supporting the national park system.  Visiting these natural treasures is a great way to support the preservation of forested lands and biodiversity in Costa Rica.