Car hire in Costa Rica

Use the same magic that powers our flight search to find cheap car rental in Costa Rica

Compare car hire on price, ease of pick-up, a fair fuel policy and more

Find Costa Rica car rental deals you can amend or cancel if your plans change

Costa Rica car hire at a glance

Most popular rental company	Costa Rent a Car
Most popular car	Small
Pick-up points	34, San Jose is most popular
Cheapest price found	SAR 30 per day, Liberia
Cheapest month	May
Best time to book	1 week before

Choose from car rental companies you trust

Cities in Costa Rica

Take a look at the different cities in Costa Rica you can set off from. You could find a great price somewhere less travelled.

Airports in Costa Rica

If you’re flying to Costa Rica it could be easier to hit the road straight from the airport.

Car hire at Liberia Airport

From

SAR 27

per day

Car hire at San Jose Juan Santamaria Airport

From

SAR 30

per day

Car hire at Liberia Airport

From

SAR 27

per day

Car hire at San Jose Juan Santamaria Airport

From

SAR 30

per day

Find the best car rental deal in Costa Rica

Medium cars in Liberia

From

SAR 30

per day

Small cars in Liberia

From

SAR 38

per day

SUV in Liberia

From

SAR 45

per day

Large cars in Liberia

From

SAR 132

per day

Small cars in San Jose

From

SAR 146

per day

Large cars in San Jose

From

SAR 146

per day

SUV in San Jose

From

SAR 146

per day

Medium cars in San Jose

From

SAR 150

per day

Luxury cars in San Jose

From

SAR 360

per day

Medium cars in Puntarenas

From

SAR 174

per day

Small cars in Puntarenas

From

SAR 251

per day

SUV in Puntarenas

From

SAR 276

per day

SUV in Paso Canoas

From

SAR 223

per day

Small cars in Paso Canoas

From

SAR 239

per day

Medium cars in Paso Canoas

From

SAR 243

per day

Large cars in Paso Canoas

From

SAR 263

per day

Find the cheapest time to hire a car in Costa Rica

The cheapest month to rent a car in Costa Rica is May, when the average cost per day is SAR 70. If that doesn’t work for you, the second cheapest month is March, when the average cost per day is SAR 293. Keep in mind when you’re looking to book, that the most expensive month to rent a car in Costa Rica is January.

Mar

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May

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Explore Costa Rica

What are the best car hire companies in Costa Rica?

Car hire in Costa Rica: FAQs

Do I need extra insurance to rent a car in Costa Rica?

You will need insurance to rent a car in Costa Rica, but you wont necessarily need ‘extra’ insurance. Different car hire companies offer different insurance policies, so make sure you look at the details when you pick a deal.

What age do you need to be to hire a car in Costa Rica?

To rent a car with most companies in Costa Rica you need to be at least 21 years old. Some companies may have extra fees to pay if you are under 25 years old, so make sure you check before you book.

What is the best car rental company in Costa Rica?

Our travellers best rated car hire company in Costa Rica is Europcar. You can rent a car with them for SAR 0 on average per day.

If you want to learn more about Europcar, you can dig deeper here.

What documents do I need to hire a car in Costa Rica?

The types of documents you’ll need to rent a car in Costa Rica depend on the car rental company you go with. But in general, you will need a valid drivers license, ID and passport. Once you’ve booked car hire in Costa Rica, you can easily get in touch with your chosen provider to find out.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Costa Rica?

It depends on where in Costa Rica you visit. The most popular places to rent a car are San Jose, Liberia and Paso Canoas.

In San Jose, it costs around SAR 390 per day or SAR 1,148 per week.

In Liberia, it costs around SAR 246 per day or SAR 564 per week.

In Paso Canoas, it costs around SAR 373 per day or SAR 2,340 per week.

How do I hire a car in Costa Rica?

It’s easy to hire a car in Costa Rica. First, you need to decide where in Costa Rica you want to pick up your car from.

Once you’ve decided where you want to go, simply enter your dates and search for the best deal for you. Once you’ve found your deal, you’ll be redirected to the provider to book with no extra fees.

Can I rent a car in Costa Rica long term?

You can rent a car for as long as you like, depending on availability. If you know what dates you’re needing wheels for, start searching with Skyscanner today.

Do I need a credit card to hire a car in Costa Rica?

You may need a credit card to rent a car in Costa Rica. It all depends on which car hire company you choose.

Is it expensive to hire a car in Costa Rica?

It depends where in Costa Rica you want to visit. The most popular place to go is San Jose. On average, it costs SAR 390 per day to rent a car there. The cheapest price we could find is SAR 146 per day.

Getting the cheapest car rental in Costa Rica

Here are some tips to help you bag the best prices, and hit the road for less.

Pick the right ride

Make sure you pick the right type of car for your trip. You can easily filter by 'seats', 'transmission' and even choose only to see 'electric' or 'hybrid' vehicles. You can also filter by 'car type', so whether you're looking for a luxury car or a more modest mini, you'll find what you need fast. The most popular car type in Costa Rica is Small.

Compare across companies

The most popular companies in Costa Rica are Costa Rent a Car, U-Save and Sixt. The cheapest company we've found is EasyCar. To find a great price, you can easily compare across different trusted car rental companies using Skyscanner.

Get your timing right

It can really pay to play around with your timings and compare dates for your car hire to get a great price. The best time to book a bargain is 1 week before. The cheapest prices we've found are SAR 30 a day and SAR 5 a week.

Be flexible

Not sure where in Costa Rica you're going to visit? There’s lots of places to pick your rental car up from. Being flexible on your pickup location can help you grab a great price, all while seeing more of Costa Rica. We've found that the most popular place to pick up a car in Costa Rica is San Jose. The cheapest place to pick up your rental car is Liberia.

Hire a car long term in Costa Rica

Looking to hire a car for more than a few weeks? It could be cheaper to rent for a full month. This can cut the admin costs for car hire companies and give you some extra time to explore too. Give it a go today and search for 30 days' worth of car hire.

Save on fuel

You can make your money go further by finding a car hire deal in Costa Rica with 'unlimited mileage' or a 'full to full' fuel policy. This can save you cash on topping up the tank.