What is the cheapest time to rent a car in Costa Rica?
Discover the most affordable period to rent a car in Costa Rica and save money on your trip. The monthly average price data is based on historical data over the last year and was last updated on 22 April 2025.
January
$61
February
$58
March
$48
April
$40
May
$25
June
$28
July
$35
August
$31
September
$23
October
$25
November
$31
December
$93
Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in Costa Rica is September. The most expensive time to rent a car is December. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.
Popular car types in Costa Rica
Explore the most popular car models available for hire in Costa Rica and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 22 April 2025.
Economy
$8+
Compact
$12+
Intermediate
$34+
SUV
$32+
Full-size SUV
$37+
Mini
$8+
Passenger van
$150+
Pick-up truck
$97+
Compare available car types for rental in Costa Rica
Compare and contrast the various car types offered for hire in Costa Rica to find the perfect fit for your trip. Price data is based on averages over the last 12 months and was last updated on 22 April 2025.
Small cars | $24 - $90 | |
|---|---|---|
All Car Types | $24 - $129 |
To hire a small car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of $36/day. May is the cheapest month to hire a small car in Costa Rica (~$24/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is January (~$90/day). In fact, May is about 34% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a small car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a small car saves you 45% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a medium car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of $48/day. October is the cheapest month to hire a medium car in Costa Rica (~$49/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is June (~$186/day). In fact, October is about 2% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a medium car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a medium car saves you 27% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a large car in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of $66/day. August is the cheapest month to hire a large car in Costa Rica (~$66/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is December (~$192/day). In fact, August is about 0% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a large car hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a large car is 2% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
To hire a SUV in Costa Rica, you would pay an average price of $57/day. May is the cheapest month to hire a SUV in Costa Rica (~$24/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is November (~$129/day). In fact, May is about 58% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a SUV hire for Costa Rica. When comparing with other car types available for hire in Costa Rica, hiring a SUV saves you 13% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.
Top rental agencies in Costa Rica
Explore the leading car hire agencies in Costa Rica known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in Costa Rica. Reviews were last updated on 22 April 2025.
Avis
Overview
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car
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Alamo
Overview
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Budget
Overview
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Economy Rent a Car
Overview
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Europcar
Overview
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National
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Sunnycars
Car rental FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in Costa Rica, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 22 April 2025.
Which car hire company is considered to be the best in Costa Rica?
Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, keddy by Europcar (10.0 rating), National (8.8 rating) and Sixt (8.6 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in Costa Rica.
What is the most popular car hire provider in Costa Rica?
When hiring a car in Costa Rica, the most popular provider of hire cars among Cheapflights users is GREEN MOTION , and with prices around $60/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from GREEN MOTION is COMPACT, which starts as low as $42/day.
What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in Costa Rica?
When visiting Costa Rica, it is typically cheapest to rent your car in San José where rental cars typically will cost around $74/day (0% less than the country average). The absolute cheapest rental car price in Costa Rica was found in San José for just $71/day.
What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?
Cars in Costa Rica are to be driven on the right side of the road.
Car rentals by fuel type in Costa Rica
Browse car rentals by fuel type in Costa Rica. Currently, Petrol/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in Costa Rica. Deals were last updated on 22 April 2025.
Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in Costa Rica. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Petrol/Diesel being the cheapest ($15+).
Electric
$27+
Hybrid
$63+
Petrol/Diesel
$15+