1 USD =~ 500 Colones.
Colone currency values are quoted as 1 Mil, 2 Mil,5 Mil, 10 Mil, 20 Mil etc (1 Million = 1000 Colones). Get Colones with smaller denominations like 2 Mil, 5 Mil, 10 Mil.
There are 3 ways to get colones:
- Get it from any local bank or currency agency from your home town (Recommended)
- You need to contact them atleast a week in advance because they need to bring the currency.
- Super markets in Costa Rica (haven’t tried this yet, but it is possible)
- Airport (not recommended because conversion rates are bad)
Around 90% of the places in Costa Rica will accept US credit cards (a travel credit card without foreign transaction fee is recommended) or USD dollar currencies. If you have one such credit card, you may need to carry only a small amount of colones for a week like an equivalent of $200. There are some places like the following that won’t take a credit card:
- Taxi from airport to destination
- Roadside fruit stalls
- Photo pick up of any activity like ziplining, river rafting etc
- Some places accept both, but paying in colones is cheaper.
- Tour guides if hired on the spot
- Some car parking places that are managed by the local people like Manuel Antonio, Tabacon free hot springs.