Costa Rica currency is called the colón (or colones for the plural) after Christopher Columbus. Travel Tip: Most places accept credit and debt cards. Most private banks have English speaking tellers as well. Most prices are actually similar to prices in the US or UK. Bring cash because it will be cheap! We manage everything from your arrival to your departure and ensure your vacation is the most rewarding ... Top Six Extra Things to Pack on Your Next Trip Abroad, Ten Things to do on the beach in Manuel Antonio, High speeds, high waves, high in the air over Manuel Antonio, In-shore fishing off the coast of Manuel Antonio, Protecting the kinkajous in Manuel Antonio, The Top 5 Reasons I love living in Tamarindo, Naturalized Costa Rican Citizenship by Marriage, Servicios Internacionales Unigiros S.A. (Avenida 1 between Calle 1 and Calle 13). The observe shows Mauro Fernández Acuña, who was a lawyer and politician, as well as the Colegio Superior de Señoritas. MoneyGram has more than 40 agent locations (22 agents in San Jose) where you can send and/or receive money. Bills are issued in the following denominations: ₡1,000, ₡2,000, ₡5,000, ₡10,000, ₡20,000 and ₡50,000 colon notes. The colón was introduced in 1896, replacing the Costa Rican peso at par. New colorful waterproof bank notes were released between 2012 and 2014. You will most likely receive your change in the local currency: colones. The Costa Rican Colon is the currency of Costa Rica. Looking for more Costa Rica travel tips? The main color of the 50,000 colones banknote is violet. Here, your money exchange can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. The first thing to note about Costa Rican currency is just how beautiful it is. We suggest having a meal at a traditional soda too! For example, if you want to buy a Casado for 2,500 colones, try not to us a 20,000 colones bill. The most economical places to shop for fresh foods, meats, fish fruits, and vegetables are at outdoor ferias (farmer’s markets). You’ll see money changing kiosks as soon as you exit the baggage claim area, but it’s best to walk right past it. History. The funds will be available as soon as the transaction is done. Just check with your bank about any possible fee you might have to pay to use your card internationally. All local car rental agencies accept credit cards. In Spanish Christopher Columbus is known as Cristóbal Colón, and it is from his name that the Costa Rican colón derives its name. Most stores, taxi drivers and street corner money-changers will also accept U.S. dollars, as long as they do not have to give you too much change back. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are widely accepted at most upscale and mid-range hotels and shops, as well as restaurants in tourist towns, but you can expect a transaction fee on all international credit card purchases. In 1897, gold 2, 5, 10 and 20 colones were issued, followed by silver 50 centimos, and followed by cupro-nickel 2 centimos in 1903 and silver 5 and 10 centimos in 1905. You might also notice that the bills are different sizes. Costa Rica’s currency, the colón (colones plural) currently exchanges at around ¢580 per US dollar (Exchange Made Easy). Costa Rica currency is called the colón (or colones for the plural) after Christopher Columbus. Shopping for clothes and food in Costa Rica is not as cheap as you might expect. In plural, it is regarded as colónes. © 1996-2020 costarica.com, Inc. All rights reserved. The Spanish introduced the first real currency to Costa Rica in the 16th century. Sodas are “mom and pop shops” that traditionally serve the famous Costa Rican casado, or “married man’s meal.” It’s served with chicken, fish, pork or beef, rice, beans, salad, plantains and fresh juice! Click here! Travel Tip: If you are making a smaller purchase at a local convenient store or soda, try not to pay with large colones bill. You may get local colones using your ATM card. On the reverse, you can see Paramo, a volcano hummingbird, a sunflower and coffee plants. The first Costa Rican colón coins were introduced in 1897 and produced in denominations of 2, 5, 10, and 20 colones. It shows Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno, who served as president of Costa Rica three times and also served the Supreme Court in San José. Fees apply only if you send money. The funds will be available to you as soon as the transaction is complete. Our currency rankings show that the most popular Costa Rica Colon exchange rate is the USD to CRC rate. The currency code for Colones is CRC, and the currency symbol is ₡. Prices of luxury hotels and tours are in dollars, and dollars are widely accepted, but it is useful to have some Colones on hand. They will just have to order the colones, so plan on exchanging your money a few weeks ahead of time. The Costa Rica currency is called colón. 1,000 colones is about $2, 4,000 colones ~ $8, 5000 ~ $10. The first thing to note about Costa Rican currency is just how beautiful it is. Make sure to check with your banking institution for separate foreign currency exchange fees. Ticos tend to get annoyed because they don’t want to break that much change. Travel Tip: Local banks in Costa Rica include the BCR (Bank of Costa Rica), BN (Banco Nacional) and BAC (a private bank). Many ATMs also dispense U.S. dollars in addition to colones. Tips are appreciated, and your guides and drivers will be used to receiving them from tourists. The symbol for the colon is a c with two forward slashes (₡). Home » Costa Rica Facts » Costa Rica Money and Tipping Customs in Costa Rica. On the reverse, you can see a rainforest, a brown-throated sloth, a cup fungi and a eriopsis orchid. Although if you are insistent, they will usually help you. Costa Rican Colón Currency Code: CRC; Coins: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 colones; Costa Rican Colón Banknotes: 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 colones; Costa Rican GDP (nominal): $427.139 billion (29th) Central Bank: Central Bank of Costa Rica; History. Below, you'll find Costa Rican Colon rates and a currency converter. You may be wondering how that works, but ole Chris’s name in Spanish is Crístobal Colón. The Global Exchange office located in San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport is open daily from 5 a.m. until midnight. © Copyright 2004-2021 all rights reserved. You can also exchange money at your own bank in your home country for a good rate. Private banks are usually open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Colón, the currency unit and named after Christopher Columbus has a fluctuating value of 500 to 550 per 1 US dollar. Following Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821, it joined the Federal Republic of Central Am… Some upscale hotels will also exchange money for their guests. The symbol for the colon is a c with two forward slashes (₡) Bills are issued in the following denominations: ₡1,000, … The 50 centimos coin made from silver, and 2 centimos coins made of cupro-nickel 2 were added 1903, followed by 5 and 10 centimos coins in 1905, which included the letters G.C.R as an indication that the coins were issued by the government.Between 1917 and 1919, subunits of the colón were renamed as centavos, rather than centimos. You can change money in one of the government-owned or private banks found throughout Costa Rica. Sometimes you will get a better price paying in cash rather than use a card, especially when you are negotiating. Some ATMs will let you withdraw dollars, but not all of them. Supermarkets now offer a wider selection of local and imported food and a good selection of wine. The exchange rate between the dollar (USD) and the colon is always fluctuating and is currently around 612 colones to the dollar. Costa Rica Currency Exchange Made Easy Update March 2020 – After many years around ¢500 to the dollar – a ¢50,000 price tag was the equivalent of $100 the colón went through some wild swings but it’s currently stable around ¢575 to one U.S. dollar. Costa Rica - ColÓn (CRC) In Costa Rica, cash is the most common payment method, and sometimes there is a shortage of Colón. The money system in Costa Rica is not too confusing, so you shouldn’t be too worried about trying to figure it out. The larger the bill, the more perfect it needs to be. The observe shows José Figueres Ferrer, who served as President of Costa Rica on three occasions, as well as the Abolition of the Army. Most machines use the Visa plus network, but you'll also see machines on the Cirrus network, which accepts most foreign ATM and credit cards. Above all, we hope that you find this information useful and that you are getting excited about your upcoming trip to Costa Rica. The main color of the 2,000 colones banknote is blue. If someone is wiring money to you, the person must know the telex number of the bank where you'll receive the cash. Depending on how much time and effort each guide or driver spent with you, $10, $20 or $40 is certainly appreciated based on the level of service you feel you received. The two original denominations – the golden “Escudo” and the silver “Real” – were used for exchanges, with the “Real” being used for most daily transactions.