Electricity in Costa Rica

North American appliances are compatible with Costa Rica's electrical system (110 volts) and outlets (parallel two-prong). Australian and European appliances require a two-prong adapter and a 220-volt to 110-volt transformer. Most laptops operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts and so require only an adapter, but you should bring a surge protector for your computer. Never use an outlet that specifically warns against using higher-voltage appliances without a transformer. Dual-voltage appliances (which are usually designed especially for travel) need only a two-prong adapter.