What is the most popular car rental provider in Costa Rica?

With an average price of $22/day, Budget is the most popular car rental provider in Costa Rica, booking 119% more rental cars than any other provider.

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 $18/day (43% less than the country average). The absolute cheapest rental car price in Costa Rica was found in San José for just $8/day.

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

In Costa Rica, drivers are expected to maintain the lane(s) on the right side of the road.

Popular Car Types in Costa Rica

There are 58 rental agencies servicing Costa Rica. These agencies, altogether, have 627 rental locations available. Need an affordable rental? medium car is the cheapest car type to rent in Costa Rica with prices from $5 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 4 car types you can rent in Costa Rica:

Cheap Car Rentals in Costa Rica

Q: What are the car rental prices for popular cities in Costa Rica?

Out of all the popular cities in Costa Rica, San José is the cheapest city to rent a car in at just $4/day. Renting a car in San José is 91% cheaper than renting one in Quepos where the per day rate is around $43. Other fairly inexpensive cities in Costa Rica to get a rental car in are: Liberia ($4/day), Limon ($13/day), and Tamarindo ($14/day). While these cities typically have cheaper prices than the rest of the country, travelers looking to rent a car in San José should expect to spend around $4/day on their transportation. The most popular city to rent a car in Costa Rica is San José.

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Costa Rica car rentals in 2025

Most popular company	Budget
Most common car type	Standard
Average price per day	$20
Cheapest price per day	$5

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Compare car rental deals in Costa Rica by type

Here are the best Costa Rica small car rental prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best Costa Rica medium car rental prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best Costa Rica SUV rental prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best Costa Rica pickup truck rental prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Toyota Yaris$5/day

A/C

Mazda Mazda3$6/day

A/C

Best car rental deals found in Costa Rica

We've found these great deals on car rentals in Costa Rica, including options within the San José, Liberia and Alajuela area. If these deals don't match what you're looking for, not to worry -- deals are updated on a regular basis.

Hyundai Tucson$5/day

A/C

Subaru Outback$5/day

A/C

Nissan Rogue$5/day

A/C

Cheapflights insights for Costa Rica car rentals

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

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

For the best savings on car rentals in Costa Rica, make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just $18/day—about 19% less than the yearly average.

Find deals

What is the cheapest rental car company in Costa Rica?

Economy Rent a Car is currently the cheapest rental car company in Costa Rica with deals as low as $3.97/day found in the past two weeks. COSTA RENT is another inexpensive option with rates as low as $4.45/day.

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

The cheapest month to rent a car in Costa Rica is September where you can expect to pay $12/day on average. The most expensive month to rent a car in Costa Rica is December ($51/day on average). The average daily rental price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you rent.

January

$34

February

$32

March

$24

April

$19

May

$14

June

$15

July

$19

August

$15

September

$12

October

$14

November

$17

December

$51

What car do most people rent in Costa Rica?

The most popular types of cars to rent in Costa Rica are the following: SUV rentals (Kia Sportage or similar), Premium rentals (Nissan Pathfinder or similar), and Intermediate rentals (Kia Sportage or similar).

Which car rental 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.

What are the car rental prices for popular cities in Costa Rica?

If you're looking for the best car rental deals in Costa Rica, start with San José, where rates average $4/day. You can also find good prices in Liberia ($4/day), Limon ($13/day), and Tamarindo ($14/day).

Find deals

Top rental agencies in Costa Rica

Choose from the top rental car agencies available in Costa Rica, including locations near San José, Liberia and Alajuela. Browse through some of the top rental car agencies in Costa Rica, including locations around San José, Liberia and Alajuela.

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

View Avis Locations in Costa Rica

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.2

Very good

30 reviews•60 locations

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Overview

View Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in Costa Rica

Alamo

7.9

Good

70 reviews•63 locations

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Overview

View 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

View 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

View 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

Check prices

View Sunnycars Locations in Costa Rica

Car rental FAQs

What is the most popular car rental provider in Costa Rica?
With an average price of $22/day, Budget is the most popular car rental provider in Costa Rica, booking 119% more rental cars than any other provider.
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 $18/day (43% less than the country average). The absolute cheapest rental car price in Costa Rica was found in San José for just $8/day.
What side of the road do you drive on in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, drivers are expected to maintain the lane(s) on the right side of the road.

Car rentals by fuel type in Costa Rica

All deals

Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in Costa Rica. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Gas/Diesel being the cheapest ($5+).

Electric

$17+

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Gas/Diesel

$5+

View Deal

Hybrid

$20+

View Deal

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Airport car rentals in Costa Rica

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We make it easy and fast to find and compare deals from 70,000+ rental locations and hundreds of agencies.

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Plans change — we get it. And that’s why you can search and book rental cars on Cheapflights from agencies that offer free cancellation

Cheap Car Rentals in Costa Rica from $5

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car rental in Costa Rica with a pick-up date of 8/5 and drop-off date of 8/15. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of rental.

Costa Rica car rentals in 2025

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

Most popular company

Most common car type

Average price per day

Cheapest price per day

Compare car rental deals in Costa Rica by type

Best car rental deals found in Costa Rica

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car rental deals in Costa Rica. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect rental option for your needs. There are currently 8 rental car agencies in Costa Rica with an average daily rate of $7. Data was last updated on June 12, 2025.

We've found these great deals on car rentals in Costa Rica, including options within the San José, Liberia and Alajuela area. If these deals don't match what you're looking for, not to worry -- deals are updated on a regular basis.

Cheapflights insights for Costa Rica car rentals

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

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

What is the cheapest rental car company in Costa Rica?

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

What car do most people rent in Costa Rica?

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

What are the car rental prices for popular cities in Costa Rica?

Top rental agencies in Costa Rica

Explore the leading car rental agencies in Costa Rica known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car rental companies in Costa Rica. Reviews were last updated on June 12, 2025.

Choose from the top rental car agencies available in Costa Rica, including locations near San José, Liberia and Alajuela. Browse through some of the top rental car agencies in Costa Rica, including locations around San José, Liberia and Alajuela.

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Overview

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car rentals in Costa Rica, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on June 12, 2025.

What is the most popular car rental provider in Costa Rica?

What is the cheapest city to get a rental car in Costa Rica?

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

Car rentals by fuel type in Costa Rica

Browse car rentals by fuel type in Costa Rica. Currently, Gas/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in Costa Rica. Deals were last updated on June 12, 2025.

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Airport car rentals in Costa Rica

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