Costa Rica packs volcanoes, cloud forests and two coastlines into a small country, and most trips loop from San José to Arenal and La Fortuna, Monteverde, the Pacific beaches of Guanacaste and Manuel Antonio, and sometimes Tortuguero on the Caribbean side. Coverage is good in towns and on the main routes and weaker deep in the rainforest. Costa Rica is not part of the EU's Roam Like at Home area, and European tariffs normally bill a daily roaming charge there.
Key facts for Costa Rica
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Telefónica (now Liberty) (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 911
- Embassies: in San José
On the road
Waze is widely used in Costa Rica, and you will want data for it: many roads are narrow and winding, some are unpaved, and in the rainy season rivers can rise across rural tracks. Never drive into water if you cannot tell how deep it is. For shorter trips, use licensed taxis or a well-known ride-hailing app, never unlicensed cars.
Addresses without numbers
Costa Rican addresses are usually given from landmarks, such as 200 metres north of the church, rather than street names and numbers. If you need help, read out the coordinates from your map app or describe the nearest landmark.
Arenal, Monteverde and the national parks
Coverage is good in La Fortuna and around Monteverde, but it fades on forest trails, on the Osa Peninsula around Corcovado and in Tortuguero, which is reached only by boat or small plane. Tickets for many national parks are sold on the official SINAC website, and Manuel Antonio and Poás do not sell them at the entrance at all. Manuel Antonio also closes on Tuesdays.
Beaches and rip currents
Both coasts have dangerous rip currents, and most beaches have no lifeguards or warning signs. Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, as official advice recommends. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore until it lets go of you, then head back in.
Rental cars and belongings
Leave nothing visible in a parked car, even for a few minutes at a viewpoint or trailhead. Thieves sometimes jam the signal from key fobs, so check that the car has really locked before you walk away.
Paying
Costa Rica uses the colón, but US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, often with change given in colones. Cards work almost everywhere in towns.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM goes on before departure and starts with its first connection in Costa Rica, so Waze and your messages work from the moment you land in San José or Liberia. Your usual number keeps receiving texts and bank codes. Heading on to Panama or Nicaragua? An Americas plan covers the region.
Costa Rican prepaid SIMs from Kölbi, Claro or Liberty are sold at the airports and in phone shops, and you need your passport to buy one.
Consular protection: who to call in Costa Rica
- 911 handles every emergency: police, ambulance and fire service.
- Embassies are in and around San José. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country has no embassy or consulate in Costa Rica, the embassy of any other EU country must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- The app has emergency phrases in Spanish, ready to show on screen.
Costa Rica travel-safety page →
Questions travellers ask about Costa Rica
Does my EU plan work in Costa Rica?
No. Costa Rica is outside Roam Like at Home, so check your operator's daily rate.
Can I buy national park tickets at the gate?
Not everywhere. Manuel Antonio and Poás only sell them online, through SINAC.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Costa Rica?
Liberty, the network formerly run by Telefónica, with 4G and 5G where available.
What is the emergency number?
911, for any emergency.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you fly, buy park tickets online, swim only where lifeguards are on duty, leave nothing in the car, and save 911.
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