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Costa Rica

Cheap Car Hire in Costa Rica from £9

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in Costa Rica with a pick-up date of 18/6 and drop-off date of 4/7. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
Driver's age: 26-65
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Costa Rica car hires in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in Costa Rica. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 13 June 2025.

Most popular company

Europcar

Most common car type

Mini

Average price per day

£26

Cheapest price per day

£9

Popular car types in Costa Rica

Explore the most popular car models available for hire in Costa Rica and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 13 June 2025.

small car is the cheapest car type you can hire in Costa Rica this past week from 627 hire locations out of 58 hire agencies. Prices for a Costa Rica small car hire start from £9/day. Check out available deals for 3 car types currently offered at listed car hire agencies here:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

SUV

SUV

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

Mini

Mini

Passenger van

Passenger van

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Compare car hire deals in Costa Rica by type

Here are the best Costa Rica small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best Costa Rica SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best Costa Rica van hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Renault Zoe£9/day
2
M
A/C
Renault Zoe
Chevrolet Spark£9/day
2
M
A/C
Chevrolet Spark
Honda Jazz£9/day
2
M
A/C
Honda Jazz

Best car hire deals found in Costa Rica

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in Costa Rica. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in Costa Rica with an average daily rate of £13. Data was last updated on 13 June 2025.
Renault Zoe£9/day
2
M
A/C
Renault Zoe
Chevrolet Spark£9/day
2
M
A/C
Chevrolet Spark
Vauxhall Astra£9/day
4
M
A/C
Vauxhall Astra

Cheapflights insights for Costa Rica car hires

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in Costa Rica, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Costa Rica?

Book your car hire in Costa Rica 7 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car hire prices are around £14/day on average when booked 7 days ahead, which saves you 48% off the usual average price.

What is the cheapest car hire company in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, the most affordable car hire company right now is Sixt, offering prices from just £6.95/day over the past two weeks. Another budget-friendly choice is keddy by Europcar, with rates starting at £8.64/day.

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Costa Rica?

Planning to hire a car in Costa Rica? September is the cheapest month, costing about £10 per day. In contrast, December is the most expensive, with an average daily rate of £39. Monthly average car hire prices are listed below. Remember, prices can change based on when you book, the type of car, and availability.

January

£26

February

£25

March

£22

April

£18

May

£13

June

£14

July

£17

August

£14

September

£10

October

£10

November

£14

December

£39

What car do most people hire in Costa Rica?

The most popular types of cars to hire in Costa Rica are the following: SUV cars (Class Compact SUV or similar), Mini cars (Class Mini Car or similar), and Economy cars (Kia Forte or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in Costa Rica?

Alamo has 63 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has the second-highest number of locations in Costa Rica at 60.

Discover the price range for hiring a car in popular cities across Costa Rica, helping you budget and make informed decisions for your upcoming travel. There are 317 pickup locations in Costa Rica to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 13 June 2025.

Top hire agencies in Costa Rica

Explore the leading car hire agencies in Costa Rica known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in Costa Rica. Reviews were last updated on 13 June 2025.

Avis

5.1
Fair
111 reviews22 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.8

Comfort

6.3

Overall

5.1

Pick-up/drop-off

5.3

Value

4.7

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.2
Very Good
30 reviews60 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.8

Comfort

8.8

Overall

8.2

Pick-up/drop-off

8.3

Value

7.7

Alamo

7.9
Good
70 reviews63 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Overall

7.9

Pick-up/drop-off

7.9

Value

7.4

Budget

5.7
Fair
48 reviews20 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.9

Comfort

6.7

Overall

5.7

Pick-up/drop-off

5.9

Value

5.3

Economy Rent a Car

4.9
Mediocre
89 reviews26 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.8

Comfort

6.0

Overall

4.9

Pick-up/drop-off

5.4

Value

4.5

Europcar

4.5
Mediocre
52 reviews9 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

4.8

Comfort

4.5

Overall

4.5

Pick-up/drop-off

4.4

Value

4.1

National

8.8
Very Good
19 reviews59 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.8

Comfort

9.0

Overall

8.8

Pick-up/drop-off

8.8

Value

7.2

Sunnycars

58 locations

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in Costa Rica, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 13 June 2025.
  • What are the requirements to hire a car in Costa Rica?

    Whilst many agencies do not allow car hire in Costa Rica until you’re 25, some will accept drivers that are 18 and who have held a licence for at least one year. Luxury car hire in Costa Rica often requires you to be older, though. If you want to hire cars in Costa Rica, you will need a valid driving licence and a passport. If your licence contains non-Roman characters, then you’ll need an international driving permit for your Costa Rica car hire. You can pay for your car hire in Costa Rica with credit or debit cards; some agencies allow you to use cash, but it needs to be guaranteed with a credit card.

  • What are the rules for driving in Costa Rica?

    When you drive your cheap car hire in Costa Rica, everyone needs to wear seat belts. Children under 12 or smaller than 145 cm must also be in a child restraint seat. If you are breathalysed, even when driving your Costa Rica car hire, the legal limit of alcohol allowable is 0.75 mg of alcohol per ml of blood. Speed limits are different in Costa Rica than the UK and are also shown in kilometres rather than miles. On motorways, you can go 100 kph (62 mph), whilst in urban areas, you can go either 40 kph (25 mph) or 60 kph (37 mph). You will also need to drive on the right-hand side of the road rather than the left. If you want to find out more about local road laws, then call the Costa Rica local authorities before you drive, to see if there have been any recent changes to the law.

  • What type of car is recommended for driving in Costa Rica?

    Costa Rica is a picturesque country in Central America, which you can explore entirely by car. The type of car hire in Costa Rica that you need depends on where you decide to go. If you are looking to hire cars in Costa Rica to explore the great outdoors and the national parks, then you might want to opt for something like a Nissan Kicks SUV, which can manage the tougher terrains and steep gradients. This way you can get to great viewing points along the coast with ease. Whereas, if you’re just looking for a cheap car hire in Costa Rica that will get you around the city, then a compact car should do the job. For instance, you could go for a Chevrolet Beat, which will enable you to drive down narrow streets and also park in smaller spaces.

  • What is the most popular car hire provider in Costa Rica?

    When hiring a car in Costa Rica, the most popular provider of hire cars among Cheapflights users is COSTA RENT, and with prices around £25/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from COSTA RENT is SUV, which starts as low as £11/day.

  • What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in Costa Rica?

    At £13/day, it is 38% cheaper on average to rent a car in Liberia than any other city in Costa Rica. The cheapest price found in Costa Rica was for £10/day in Liberia.

  • What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?

    In Costa Rica, drivers are expected to drive on the right side of the road.

Car hires by fuel type in Costa Rica

Browse car hires by fuel type in Costa Rica. Currently, Petrol/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in Costa Rica. Deals were last updated on 13 June 2025.

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in Costa Rica. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Petrol/Diesel being the cheapest (£16+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

Travelling to a place near Costa Rica?

Hire a car at Costa Rica if you plan to visit one of these locations
Culebra

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Free Cancellation

Plans change — we get it. And that’s why you can search and book car hire on Cheapflights from agencies that offer free cancellation