Can I pay taxis in Costa Rica in cash?

I spent a month in Costa Rica earlier this year and taxis were almost always cash only. The only exception was in Escazú where I used a local private taxi booked through my hotel and they had a card reader. But that’s not the norm. For day-to-day use on the street, local cash is definitely the way to go. I suggest withdrawing cash once or twice during your stay and using it mainly for transport, street food, and markets.

In Quepos and Manuel Antonio, I asked several taxi drivers if they took cards and all of them said no. One of them mentioned that card machines take too long and they have to pay extra fees. I mostly paid in colones but had USD on me too. Interestingly, a few drivers were fine accepting US dollars at a fair rate. Still, I’d recommend always carrying some colones and not counting on cards for taxis unless you’re using an app-based service.

I was in Costa Rica for two weeks and not a single cab I took had a card machine. Even in popular spots like Tamarindo and Jaco the drivers expected cash. I used my Revolut card to withdraw colones and always kept small bills ready. Some drivers don’t have change for bigger notes. In San José I mostly used Uber since I could pay through the app, but in smaller towns I found it essential to carry cash.

I visited San José and La Fortuna in May and used regular street taxis a few times. None of them accepted cards. One driver actually laughed when I asked. Most official red taxis in the cities still operate on cash only. I ended up taking out colones at a Banco de Costa Rica ATM just to cover short rides. If you prefer using cards, you’re better off using Uber or DiDi, which work in most urban areas and link directly to your card.