The table below gives a summary of the
cost and quality of service for the major car rental companies in Costa
Rica (Winter 2004, Spring 2005).
This
explanation of the insurance system and
summary of some of the advantages
and disadvantages of driving may be useful as well.
| These
prices represent the cost of the rental plus the minimum
insurance required by law or the rental company. This would
be the rate you would actually pay if your credit card covers the
supplemental insurance, or you choose to assume the responsibility
yourself. The rates in the table do not include the additional
costs listed below. Prices are in $US top #s are high season,
bottom #s are low season. |
| Name |
Telephone
Country Code (506) |
Toll
Free U.S. |
compact
|
small
4x4 |
full
size 4x4 |
rating |
Locations* |
|
| Alamo |
233-7733 |
1-800-570-0671 |
54-57
336-354
none
|
66-92
408-534
none
|
112-127
784-889
none
|
 |
SJ,
TA, DO, QP, AL, LF, JS, SC, link |
|
| Adobe—min.
age 21 |
258-4242 |
|
57
355
none
|
76-84
470-518
none
|
93-107
590-662
none
|
|
SJ,
JS, TA, DO, QP, AL link |
|
| Avanti—min.
age 21, free cell phone rental offer (pay for minutes) |
430-4647 |
1-866-342-5774 |
50-54
312-356
38-42
230-250
|
65-70
405-430
50-55
300-330
|
100
620
80
480
|
|
AL link |
|
| Avis—no
charge for one way, min. age 23, hotel pick-up, rates are negotiable |
293-2222 |
1-800-230-4898 |
43-57
267-351
28-48
177-297
|
|
68-106
421-649
49-80
307-493
|
|
AL,
SJ, JS, LI, HE link |
|
| Budget—fly
TACA and get one day free rental |
223-3284 |
1-800-472-3325 |
56-63
349-391
43-50
271-313
|
71-83
493-511
58-65
361-403
|
113
691
82
505
|
|
SJ,
JS, DO, AL, TA link |
SLI—$12.95
addons: [CDW—$10.95-18.95 also cover theft, deductables
$1,000-2,000] [zero deductable super CDW—$18.95]
|
| Dollar—free
SJ hotel dropoff, extra $US 10 per day for drivers 18-21 years, free
cell phone rental offer (pay for minutes) |
257-1585 |
1-866-746-7765 |
47-55
303-339
35-43
219-254
|
61-76
377-467
46-61
272-367
|
82-94
504-578
67-74
399-438
|
|
SJ,
JS, DO link |
|
| Economy—one
way available $US 30-50, no charge for extra driver, limo service
$US 45 per hour |
231-5410 |
1-877-326-7368 |
**na
42
264
|
**na
51-61
318-378
|
**na
75-102
462-624
|
|
SJ,
JS, DO, JA, QP, TA, FL link |
|
| Elegante—aka Payless,
one way $US 30-50, drivers 21-23 years $8 per day addnl., 3 day min.
for free mileage |
257-0026 |
|
42-47
249-299
37-43
229-269
|
48-73
301-431
44-66
276-393
|
90
535
82
488
|
|
SJ,
TA, LI, QP, JA, JS |
|
| Hertz—min.
age 25, extra driver $US 5 per day |
221-1818 |
1-800-654-3001 |
**na
32-53
185-324
|
**na
61
365
|
**na
82
466
|
|
SJ,
JS |
|
| Hola—free
SJ delivery and pickup, 2 day min. for free mileage |
231-5666 |
|
***54-64
338-400
***45-55
284-346
|
***70-84
436-525
***57-69
358-435
|
***104-118
715-799
***85-107
541-673
|
|
SJ |
|
| Mapache—free
SJ delivery, will deliver or pickup from anywhere in the
country for $US 30-150 |
286-0404 |
1-800-948-3770 |
***52
324
***46
288
|
***72-90
450-558
***64-79
400-493
|
***110-130
680-705
***96-114
599-670
|
|
SJ,
JS |
additional
insurance coverage $US 8 per day. Excellent value if you want full
insurance coverage. |
| National—free
SJ pickup, extra driver $US 5 per day, $US 25 per day surcharge for
ages 21-24 |
290-8787 |
1-800-227-7368 |
49-59
301-361
none
|
***80-95
495-590
none
|
***105-145
655-895
none
|
|
SJ,
HE, LI, JA |
|
| Pilot—aka Discount,
free extra driver, free SJ pickup and delivery |
442-7400 |
|
**na
40-49
290-310
|
**na
48-69
310-440
|
**na
70-90
430-565
|
|
SJ,
JS |
|
| Poas |
223-2593 |
1-888-482-5954 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Prego/Europa |
257-1158 |
|
45
270
37
222
|
60-80
360-48
37-50
222-300
|
110
660
72
432
|
 |
SJ,
JS, HE, DO |
|
| Sol—airport
pickup or dropoff |
666-2222 |
|
45
283
37
235
|
60-62
370-498
44-55
282-474
|
90
558-774
65-75
534-594
|
|
SJ,
AL, LI |
|
| Thrifty—min.
age 21, (addnl. charge for 21-24), extra drive $US 5 |
257-3434 |
1-800-847-4389 |
61
336
32
179
|
76
484
50
325
|
115-135
730-860
89-115
500-710
|
|
JS |
|
| Toyota—free
SJ delivery, 5% discount for online reservations |
223-2250 |
1-800-894-6709 |
49-63
306-380
41-43
246-258
|
65-89
405-554
54-74
339-464
|
114-200
709-1,230
94-200
589-1,230
|
|
SJ,
JS, LI |
|
| Tricolor |
440-3333 |
1-800-949-0234 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Location
Abreviations: SJ San José,
TA Tamarindo, LI Liberia, HE Heredia, QP Quepos/Manuel Antonio, AL Alajuela,
JS Juan Santamaría, LF La Fortuna, SC San Carlos, JA Jaco, FL
Flamigo beach, DO Daniel Oduber (all of the rental agencies that serve
Daniel Oduber International Airport near Liberia are located off site)
**na—high season rates for December
2004 through April 2005 are not yet available from these companies.
*** CDW/LDW may not be declined or
replaced with credit card coverage and is included in these rates.
aka—also known as
The prices in the rental agency comparison represent the cost of the rental plus
the minimum insurance required by law or the rental company. This
would be the rate you would actually pay if your credit card covers the supplemental
insurance, or you choose to assume the responsibility yourself. The rates in
the table do not include the additional costs listed below.
Other costs of renting a car in Costa Rica.
Gas—Cars returned with less than a full tank
of gas will be refuled at your expense. The price of gas from the rental
companies can be up to twice the cost at a service station.
Government License Plate Fee— $US 1 per day,
rarely included in quoted rates.
Airport Concourse Fee—There is a 12% airport concourse
tax added to the cost of any car picked up at Juan Santamaría.
The Car companies all know this and will make arrangements to help you
avoid it. If you arrive late and plan to stay in the area (do not drive
at night), take a taxi to your hotel and have the car delivered the next
morning (often free of charge and saves you a day of rental). If you
arrive early and want to get on the road, the car companies have off
airport pickup locations a few minutes away.
Additional Drivers—$US 2.50-10 per day
Secure Parking—Recommended. Never leave anything
in the car!
Damages—Unless you purchase all of the available
insurance or your credit card covers it, you are resposible for damage
done by potholes,
vandals, thieves, falling trees, high tide, army ants, spilled food, and
any other imaginable occurence other than a traffic accident involving
another party.
Ferry—Taking your car on ferry boats costs between
$US 10-15.
Tax—Finally you get a break. Car rentals are not taxed
in Costa Rica. Companies that advertise prices with "All taxes included" are
not technically lying, just missleading. |
