Dont want to carry too much or too little. Whats the average cash people carry when travelling around Costa Rica?
I just got back from a two-week trip and my general rule was to have about 50 US dollars worth of colones on me at all times. That seemed to be the sweet spot. I used card for most larger expenses but cash was still essential for colectivos, fruit stands, or places that didn’t want to deal with foreign cards. Some rural areas don’t have ATMs so I’d always top up before heading out.
For a ten-day trip I withdrew 100000 colones at the start and that lasted most of the time. I paid for hotels and car rental with my credit card but in towns like Monteverde and Puerto Viejo many places preferred cash for things like coffee shops, yoga classes, or laundry. I found that having at least 30000 colones on me each day gave me enough freedom without worrying about running out.
I was backpacking through Costa Rica last month and tried to keep it light. I usually had about 20000 colones on me at a time which worked fine for local buses, sodas, and quick snacks. I used ATMs in bigger towns like Heredia and Liberia and withdrew smaller amounts two or three times during my trip. It helped me avoid carrying a lot and I didn’t pay too much in ATM fees because my card refunds those.
I travelled solo through Costa Rica for three weeks and always kept around 40000 to 60000 colones on me, which is roughly 75 to 110 US dollars. That covered meals, taxis, and some entrance fees where cards weren’t accepted. I used my card for hostels, tours, and supermarket runs but always had cash for day-to-day stuff. I split it into two stashes and kept one in my day bag and one hidden in my luggage.