Costa Rica Financial FAQ

How Can I Exchange My Money?

The monetary unit in Costa Rica is the colón. You can exchange dollars for colones at any bank, airport, and at most hotels. We recommend that you change your money in San José. Local banks generally give the best exchange rate, but usually are not convenient since they often close at 3 p.m.

If you pay with U.S. dollars, you will receive colones as change. Costa Rica is full of ATM's where you can use your bank card to get some colones at the proper exchange rate.

Traveler’s checks are accepted in San José only at banks and are not as useful in the rest of the country. Small-denomination U.S. bills are useful for tips and small purchases you may want to make along the way.

Currency Converters:
http://www.xe.net/ucc/
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic