🇨🇷 Travel facts Costa Rica
✓ Last checked:The most important practical answers for your Costa Rica trip — entry, tipping, plug, customs and more. Compactly verified, with source references.
| Capital | San José |
|---|---|
| Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Colón (CRC) / US Dollar |
| Timezone | UTC-6 |
| Flight time from Germany | approx. 11–12 hours |
| Emergency number | 911 |
| Plug | Type A/B · 120 V / 60 Hz · adapter needed |
| EU / Schengen | not an EU country · not Schengen |
Do I need a visa for Costa Rica?
Passport required; visa-free for up to 90 days.
Return/forward flight ticket is almost always checked; passport must be valid for 6 months. Binding information: German Federal Foreign Office.
How much tip should I give in Costa Rica?
13% tax and 10% service are automatically included in the bill — extra is optional.
Taxi: Round up.
Which plug adapter do I need in Costa Rica?
Adapter needed: plug types A / B, 120 V / 60 Hz.
Can you drink tap water in Costa Rica?
Partly — varies by region, bottled water recommended if in doubt.
Drinkable in most areas; in rural areas, it's safer to use bottled water.
What can I bring back from Costa Rica to Germany?
Non-EU: When returning to Germany, goods up to €430 (by air travel), 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits are duty-free.
Will my mobile phone work in Costa Rica?
No EU roaming — pre-book an eSIM or buy a cheap local SIM on site.
Card or cash — how do you pay in Costa Rica?
Colón (CRC), USD widely accepted; cards are common, but carry some cash for rural areas.
What should I know about health in Costa Rica?
Travel health insurance with repatriation is recommended; check vaccination/health advice with the German Federal Foreign Office or Tropical Institute.
Sources & Note
Information from the perspective of German citizens, as of August 2026, without guarantee. Entry and safety information may change at short notice — the binding source is the German Federal Foreign Office (Costa Rica travel advice) . Health information does not replace medical travel advice.
