Costa Rica Car Rental: What the Online Price Leaves Out
Why the price at the counter is often higher than your quote, and four booking sites compared.
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Costa Rica
Travel eSIMs, rental cars and airport transfers you can book online before your trip to Costa Rica.
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Stay connected: travel eSIM
10 GB of data for 30 days, set up before you fly. Prices as listed on each official page on October 20, 2026.
| eSIM | Price | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yesim | US$25.20 | Shown as a discount from US$51.60 | See plan |
| GigSky | US$33.99 | Shown as 15% off US$39.99 | See plan |
| Airalo | US$34.00 | Also sells a version with 100 minutes and 100 SMS for US$36.50 | See plan |
| Saily | US$36.99 | Starts automatically when you arrive, once the eSIM and roaming are on | See plan |
Not sure you need an eSIM? eSIM or local SIM in Costa Rica
Rent a car
Online prices often leave out the third-party liability insurance that Costa Rica requires, and the rental company adds it at the counter. Check what your quote includes before you pay.
| Booking site | How it works | |
|---|---|---|
| Economybookings | Compares international and local rental companies at San José airport (SJO) | Check prices |
| QEEQ | Pick-up at SJO, Liberia airport and towns such as La Fortuna, Jacó and Tamarindo | Check prices |
| Localrent | Local rental companies. You pay part online and the rest when you pick up the car | Check prices |
| GetRentacar | Cars from local owners. You pay 15% online and 85% to the owner at pick-up, plus a deposit the owner holds | Check prices |
What gets added at the counter, and what to check: Costa Rica car rental: what the online price leaves out
Airport transfers from SJO
| Service | How it works | |
|---|---|---|
| intui.travel | Private transfers and shared shuttles. The driver meets you with a sign, and the price includes fees and taxes | Check prices |
| GetTransfer | Enter your route and get offers from drivers | Get offers |
Good to know
- Prices change. Check the total, the insurance and the cancellation terms on the booking page before you pay.
- We list what each company states. We haven’t tested these services.
Sources
Checked on October 20, 2026.
- Yesim: Costa Rica 10 GB / 30 days
- GigSky: Costa Rica eSIM
- Airalo: Costa Rica eSIM
- Saily: Costa Rica eSIM
- Economybookings: Car rental in Costa Rica
- QEEQ: Car rental in Costa Rica
- Localrent: Costa Rica
- GetRentacar: Costa Rica
- intui.travel: Juan Santamaría International Airport transfers
- GetTransfer: SJO airport transfers
Guides for Costa Rica
Costa Rica: eSIM or Local SIM?
Four travel eSIMs compared, and what to expect if you buy a local SIM after you land.
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