bawlmerhon

Has anyone recently exchanged USD for Colones at San Jose Airport?? Was the exchange rate decent?? The banks in the US want to charge you plus take about 10% on the total exchange.

shillmac

You'll get a fair exchange rate at the airport and at the banks, of course. Hotels will give you a decent rate. It isn't necessary to exchange before you go. We use our bank card to get colones out of ATM's. You can also get by just using US dollars--accepted almost everywhere. You'll then get colones as change.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Definitely don't get colones in the U.S. before you leave. You get an unfavorable rate. In fairness, the colon is unstable, continually losing value against the dollar. The odometer is just now turning 500 to the dollar. There's a definite cost to a bank in the U.S. for even having them on hand that they have to pass on to you.

Hotels in Cost Rica will exchange dollars for colones, but at a less favorable rate than you'd get at a bank here. Many businesses gladly take dollars, but exchange rate they use won't be quite as good as the bank's rate either. You pay something for the convenience.

bawlmerhon

What Costa Rica Bank is in the air terminal??

Jeff_Costa_Rica

There's an exchange booth in the baggage claim area that's open for all flights. There's a branch of the private banck BAC San Jose in the check-in area when it's time to leave and you can exchange any unused colones back to dollars.

sandyc

I've often heard that the rates at the SJ airport are really bad. That being said, I have never ever exchanged money. I bring American dollars in small denominations ($20s & under). Most places take my money and give change in colones. Credit cards are widely accepted too.
Sandy

shillmac

Sandy's suggestion of taking small bills only (nothing over $20) is a very good one. We have always adhered to that, but for some reaon, my husband had a $100 on him during our last trip and decided to buy gas with it between Cahuita and Puerto Viejo.

Businesses usually reject the larger bills (counterfeiting is a problem), but this young man accepted it and made change for us. Well, silly us, of course we didn't get back enough change, and I questioned him about the transaction. He showed me on the calculator just how he had deduced the amount of change to give us. It was all very correct--after we saw that he was choosing his own rate of exchange since we had put him in the position of exchanging dollars for colones! Live and learn. . . .!!

dariow

I would not exchange money at the airport as the exhange rate is bad.
Pay in dollars and you will get change in colones. Otherwise, go to a bank.

Tomottawa

If you are driving north, San Ramon (1 hour from SD airport) has a brand new Scotiabank just off the highway. Not busy, guarded parking lot. Gives best rate we saw for a $2. fee regardless of amount changed. As per other responses, you don't need much since everyone takes US at the favourable 500:1 ratio.

TioGringo

Just a comment...

There is an ATM in the baggage claim area at SJO airport, and another upstairs, outside the ticketing/check-in area. No need to exchange at all --- just withdraw $$$ in colones.

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

dariow

Two caveats of using ATM machines:
1) Some ATM and credit cards do not work in Costa Rica ATM machined
2) Some ATM and credit cards charge surcharges when you use them in other currencies than U.S. dollars. (My visa charges a 3% surcharge)