What are the car hire prices for popular cities in Costa Rica?
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 262 pickup locations in Costa Rica to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 28 November 2023.
Price | £21 - £68 |
|---|
What is the cheapest time to rent a car in Costa Rica?
Discover the most affordable period to rent a car in Costa Rica and save money on your trip. The monthly average price data is based on historical data over the last year and was last updated on 28 November 2023.
January
£36
February
£41
March
£35
April
£22
May
£7
June
£10
July
£15
August
£16
September
£12
October
£13
November
£19
December
£49
Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in Costa Rica is May. The most expensive time to rent a car is December. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.
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 28 November 2023.
SUV is the cheapest car type you can hire in Costa Rica this past week from 449 hire locations out of 46 hire agencies. Prices for a Costa Rica SUV hire start from £20/day. Check out available deals for 3 car types currently offered at listed car hire agencies here:
Economy
£23+
Compact
£35+
Intermediate
£25+
SUV
£24+
Full-size SUV
£47+
Mini
£24+
Premium SUV
£75+
Compact SUV
£20+
Economy
£23+
Compact
£35+
Intermediate
£25+
SUV
£24+
Full-size SUV
£47+
Mini
£24+
Premium SUV
£75+
Compact SUV
£20+
Economy
£23+
Compact
£35+
Intermediate
£25+
SUV
£24+
Full-size SUV
£47+
Mini
£24+
Premium SUV
£75+
Compact SUV
£20+
Compare available car types for hire in Costa Rica
Compare and contrast the various car types offered for hire in Costa Rica to find the perfect fit for your trip. Price data is based on averages over the last 12 months and was last updated on 28 November 2023.
Small cars | £25 - £58 | |
|---|---|---|
All Car Types | £42 - £104 |
To hire a small car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £40/day. September is the cheapest month to hire a small car in Costa Rica (~£25/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is March (~£58/day). In fact, September is about 40% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a small car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a small car saves you 38% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best Costa Rica small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:
To hire a medium car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £48/day. October is the cheapest month to hire a medium car in Costa Rica (~£26/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is December (~£76/day). In fact, October is about 46% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a medium car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a medium car saves you 28% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best Costa Rica medium car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:
To hire a large car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £65/day. October is the cheapest month to hire a large car in Costa Rica (~£32/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is December (~£102/day). In fact, October is about 51% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a large car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a large car saves you 2% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a SUV in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £49/day. October is the cheapest month to hire a SUV in Costa Rica (~£27/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is March (~£74/day). In fact, October is about 46% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a SUV hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a SUV saves you 25% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best Costa Rica SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:
To hire a van in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £92/day. September is the cheapest month to hire a van in Costa Rica (~£49/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is November (~£158/day). In fact, September is about 48% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a van hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a van is 30% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a pickup truck in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £66/day. September is the cheapest month to hire a pickup truck in Costa Rica (~£48/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is December (~£82/day). In fact, September is about 28% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a pickup truck hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a pickup truck is 0% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a luxury car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of £141/day. May is the cheapest month to hire a luxury car in Costa Rica (~£69/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is December (~£292/day). In fact, May is about 52% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a luxury car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a luxury car is 54% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
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 28 November 2023.
Choose from the top car hire agencies available in Costa Rica, including locations near San José, Liberia and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Browse through some of the top car hire agencies in Costa Rica, including locations around San José, Liberia and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
Sunnycars
Alamo
National
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
ADOBE
easyCar
Budget
Avis
Best Costa Rica car hire deals found
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 £32. Data was last updated on 28 November 2023.
These are some of the best options we've found for those looking for car hires in Costa Rica, including options within a close proximity to San José, Liberia and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. To make sure you find the deal you're looking for, verify the details of the rental, such as car type, price, and pickup address.
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 28 November 2023.
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.
Which car hire company is considered to be the best in Costa Rica?
Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, National (8.1 rating), Alamo (8.0 rating) and Sixt (8.0 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in Costa Rica.
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 Thrifty, and with prices around £38/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from Thrifty is SUV, which starts as low as £1/day.
What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in Costa Rica?
At £42/day, it is 9% 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 £25/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.