What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?

Cars travel on the right side of the road in Costa Rica.

Cheap Car Hire in Costa Rica | Deals From R298/Day

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Costa Rica car hires in 2025

Most common car type	Standard

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Popular car types in Costa Rica

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In Costa Rica, there are 627 active hire locations from 58 car hire companies. small car is the cheapest car type to hire in Costa Rica in the past week - currently priced from R298/day. View deals for 3 car types available to hire in this destination:

Economy

R298+

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Compact

R314+

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Standard

R455+

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SUV

R577+

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Full-size SUV

R615+

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Mini

R468+

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Compact SUV

R361+

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Intermediate SUV

R364+

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Best car hire deals found in Costa Rica

Toyota YarisR298/day

A/C

Toyota Corolla QuestR314/day

A/C

Ford FiestaR326/day

A/C

Cheapflights insights for Costa Rica car hires

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in Costa Rica, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Costa Rica?

To get the best deal on car hire in Costa Rica, book about 7 days before your trip. At that point, average daily prices are around R319, which is about 1 168% cheaper than the typical rate.

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What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Costa Rica?

At Costa Rica, the best time to hire a car is in September, with an average daily rate of just R248. Conversely, December is the priciest month, averaging R974 per day. Below youll find the monthly average car hire prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.|1#In Costa Rica, the best time to hire a car is in September, with an average daily rate of just R248. Conversely, December is the priciest month, averaging R974 per day. Below youll find the monthly average car hire prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.

January

R655

February

R620

March

R514

April

R425

May

R301

June

R301

July

R354

August

R337

September

R248

October

R266

November

R337

December

R974

What car do most people hire in Costa Rica?

SUV cars (Chevrolet Tahoe, for example) are the most popular in Costa Rica. Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra) and Luxury (Chevrolet Tahoe) cars are also often chosen by our users when visiting Costa Rica.

Which car hire company has the most locations in Costa Rica?

Alamo has 63 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has the second-highest number of locations in Costa Rica at 60.

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Top rental agencies in Costa Rica

Avis

5,1

Fair

111 reviews•22 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

8,0

Very Good|Jan 2025

Friendly easy pick up. But only open 9-5 so difficult to return.

2,0

Poor|Apr 2023

un desastre, nunca mas contrato ni con uds ni con avis nos quisieron cobrar cualquier cosa, me retuvieron 500 dolares que no me estan devolviendo, no pudimos contratar el auto perdimos mas de dos horas, malos modos y malos tratos una verguenza, nunca los voy a recomendar

2,0

Poor|Mar 2023

The Avis in Liberia sent us off the lot with an old, dilapidated tire that came apart in pieces as we were driving. The office did not pick up the phone or respond to us when we called in with the problem, but thankfully we were able to get in touch with the insurance provider who sent someone to change the tire. He was shocked at how old and rundown the tire was compared to the three others on the vehicle and told us we were very lucky it didn’t cause an accident. When I returned to Liberia and was finally able to connect to the Avis service people in person, they told me it was my fault for driving the car off the lot and charged me $280 for the tire. I have a report filed to try and resolve this, but this was one of the worst car rentals AND customer experiences I have ever had.

4,0

Mediocre|Mar 2023

Probably the worst condition rental car ever. Rusted, bad tires, high mileage. Yet expensive.

8,0

Very Good|Mar 2023

Pretty happy with the service including the shuttle to the airport. The location has a coffee machine on site which is nice for travelers, however, the trash can was way too full and the table where the sugar and cups were kept wasn't wiped. This area could be kept cleaner. All the rest was good.

2,0

Poor|Mar 2023

Price ended up being 3x what was quoted on your website. Had to pay over $40 a day for insurance. $12.50 a day for a phone that did not work. Also charged $100 for a 1/4 tank of gas. The staff was rude on pickup and drop off. I will never use Avis again. Very disappointed.

1 out of 37

Avis Locations in Costa Rica

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8,2

Very Good

30 reviews•60 locations

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Overview

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Costa Rica

Alamo

7,9

Good

70 reviews•63 locations

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Overview

Alamo Locations in Costa Rica

Budget

5,7

Fair

48 reviews•20 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2,0

Poor|Jun 2023

I had 2 cars reserved with my brother, our plane was delayed by 6 hours, once we arrived there was no staff at budget. When I tried the following day, they only have 1 car available but needs a $3000 security deposit.... that was mever mentioned anywhere durong the booking. terrible experience and would never try to rent a car from budget ever again.

2,0

Poor|May 2023

I booked my car , I bought extra insurance as suggested and when I got there they told me the extra insurance $65000 worth didn’t cover third party damages and therefore required a $3000 damage deposit . Why was this only brought to my attention upon arrival ?! I’m in Costa Rica at 8 pm and stuck with no car . I plan to make a lot of noise on social media about this experience and I will recommend everyone not ever use budget in any country !!

1 out of 16

Economy Rent a Car

4,9

Mediocre

89 reviews•26 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

4,0

Mediocre|Aug 2024

The cost was exponentially higher than listed on Kayak.

2,0

Poor|Mar 2023

Before you make plans to go to Costa Rica, be aware of the countries car insurance scam. Our car insurance was over $100 per day. Stay away! It's not Economy, it's everyone.

4,0

Mediocre|Dec 2021

Do not rent from Economy in LIR.

2,0

Poor|Nov 2021

Bait & Switch. Forced you to take their vastly overpriced insurance. Links in email to provide your own insurance don’t work. At counter,the requirements kept escalating as we provided proof of insurance via credit card and domestic policy. Will be asking credit card co for help. To top it off, windshield was massively screwed up and we had to use a non standard cleaner just to be able to see out of it at night.

1 out of 30

Economy Rent a Car Locations in Costa Rica

Europcar

4,5

Mediocre

52 reviews•9 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

2,0

Poor|Feb 2023

Booked on kayak and company didnt have a car available for me upon arrival. Also paid for insurance in advance and never heard back from them to attempt to receive a refund. 0/5 for them and for renting a car via kayak

2,0

Poor|Feb 2023

Fraud and not reliable. We were 3 different customer with the same problem. They take reservation but does not have any vehicle available. Poor service. Staff appared annoyed and were not helpful. They tell customer they dont have car. Very dissapointed. This issues cost me a complete day of vacation. Very upsetting

2,0

Poor|Feb 2023

Although I received an email saying that the car rental was confirmed, when I showed up to pick up my vehicle, the rental company had no cars available at all. In fact, I went back to the airport to see if other companies had cars and no one had any rentals available. I lost my money on the 2 nights pre-paid hotel accommodations. I will likely never use Kayak’s service again.

6,0

Okay|Feb 2023

Service ok Car wasn’t in the best condition, hiding fees like insurance was more them double of what kayak offered,

8,0

Very Good|Dec 2021

More transparency regarding Extra mandatory charges, exclusive to Costa Rica

2,0

Poor|Dec 2021

Overall Awful

1 out of 18

Europcar Locations in Costa Rica

National

8,8

Very Good

19 reviews•59 locations

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Overview

Recent reviews

10,0

Wonderful|Dec 2024

From when we were greeted by the shuttle driver on arrival,to being served by Alex at the company, and receiving our car, to the final return with Ricardo and the young lady, everything was perfect! The price could be a bit lower, but we were very satisfied.

10,0

Wonderful|Feb 2024

You guys do what promise and that's usually what counts. No hidden surprises or secret up charges.

10,0

Wonderful|Jan 2024

Our experience with National was very good. The check out was quick and easy. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The car was new, clean and comfortable. Check in was easy and quick and we were on our way back to the airport in no time. Shuttle service to and from airport was easy and quick. Overall, I would recommend National Car Rental if visiting Liberia and Costa Rica.

6,0

Okay|May 2023

I had rented a car previously in Costa Rica and was able to wave the added protection as I am covered through other insurance and credit cards at national they would not let me so add an additional $15 a day to the price

10,0

Wonderful|Jan 2022

All good

1,9

Poor|Aug 2021

I bought car insurance from Kayak before the trip. National insisted that it was useless and that I had to repurchase car insurance from them for $ 24/ day minimum. I went to Atlas car rental where the service was excellent.

1 out of 7

Sunnycars

58 locations

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Sunnycars Locations in Costa Rica

Car hire FAQs

What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?
Cars travel on the right side of the road in Costa Rica.

Car hires by fuel type in Costa Rica

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Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in Costa Rica. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Petrol/Diesel being the cheapest (R17+).

Electric

R33+

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Hybrid

R75+

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Petrol/Diesel

R17+

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Airport car hires in Costa Rica

San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport car hire

Liberia Airport car hire

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Cheap Car Hire in Costa Rica from R298

Costa Rica car hires in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in Costa Rica. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 11 June 2025.

Most common 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 11 June 2025.

Best car hire deals found in Costa Rica

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hiredeals in Costa Rica. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect rental option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in Costa Rica with an average daily rate of R517. Data was last updated on 11 June 2025.

Cheapflights insights for Costa Rica car hires

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in Costa Rica, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Costa Rica?

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Costa Rica?

What car do most people hire in Costa Rica?

Which car hire company has the most locations in Costa Rica?

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 11 June 2025.

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in Costa Rica, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 11 June 2025.

What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?

Car hires by fuel type in Costa Rica

Browse car hires by fuel type in Costa Rica. Currently, Petrol/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in Costa Rica. Deals were last updated on 11 June 2025.

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Airport car hires in Costa Rica

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