Best places to get Costa Rican Colones in the US in 2024

You can order a travel money card like Wise or Revolut in the United States, add money in USD and use your balance to purchase Costa Rican Colones within your multi-currency account.

You’ll then be free to spend your Costa Rican Colones when you have enough balance with no extra fees once you arrive at your destination - you can also make ATM withdrawals whenever you need some cash. If you have travel money left after your vacation you can convert back to USD instantly for use at home - or just leave your balance ready for your next trip.

• Secure, cheap, and easy to use
• Exchange instantly or let your card do it when you pay
• Use a digital card even before your physical card arrives

Travel money cards like the Wise card offer great rates, cheap fees, and flexibility to manage your money with your phone.

Another option is to buy your Costa Rican Colones in person at an exchange office. To do this all you’ll need to do is pick the exchange office that’s most convenient to you, and head in with some cash in US Dollars. Some exchange offices also accept card payments. Currency exchange offices set their own exchange rates and fees, so shopping around is essential - but this method does have the advantage that it’s usually instant to get the travel money you need.

• Exchange rates are likely to include a markup - a fee
• Not all currencies are stocked by all exchange services
• You may lose out when you sell back unused travel money

There’s no single best provider when it comes to exchange rates. Different services set their own rates which may vary based on the currency, the amount you want to exchange, how you want to pay, and whether you’re exchanging money in a digital account or for physical cash.

To compare your options it helps to understand a bit about the mid-market exchange rate. That’s the rate you’ll see for USD to CRC exchange if you use an online currency converter tool or a Google search. The mid-market rate is commonly used as a benchmark as it’s the one quoted on wholesale markets. However, banks and exchange services don’t usually pass this rate on directly. Instead they add an extra fee to the rate offered to retail customers - known as a markup.

This means that looking for a service which has transparent exchange rates which are the same as - or close to - the mid-market exchange rates is a good idea. You can compare a few live exchange rates for popular providers using the Exiap tools, to find the best Costa Rican Colon exchange rate based on the specific transaction you want to make.

Here’s what to do to find the best USD to CRC exchange rate:

1. Enter the amount you need into the comparison tool
2. Review the options available, looking at the exchange rate for US Dollars to Costa Rican Colones in particular
3. Decide between getting a travel card, ordering online, or in person
4. Choose a provider based on the available options and deals

Your budget for a trip to Costa Rica can vary enormously depending on what you’re planning to do, where you’ll stay and how long you’re going to be there. It’s worth setting yourself a budget in Costa Rican Colones well in advance so you can plan around that. The most expensive costs of any trip are usually accommodation and activities, but do remember to also take into account costs of currency exchange, food and transport, as well as incidentals like tipping.

Average hotel costs in Costa Rica do vary a lot but can start from around $121. On top of that you’ll need to budget for food, at around $25 per meal. If you’re looking for an easy life you could also choose to take an organized tour which means there’s no need to plan all your activities individually. Or, set your budget to cover about $32 per day to make sure you can get the most from your trip.

Country costs provided by BudgetYourTrip. Correct as of 25 April 2024.