A Practical Guide to Money in La Fortuna & Arenal: Cash, Cards, and ATMs

For a smooth trip in the Arenal area, you'll need a mix of payment methods. Most tours, hotels, and larger restaurants in La Fortuna accept credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) and US dollars. However, for smaller local restaurants (sodas), groceries in Venado, and tips, it's best to have Costa Rican colones.

One of the most common questions we get from guests planning their stay at Casa Venado is about money. It’s a practical detail that makes a huge difference in your day-to-day adventures. Knowing when to pull out a credit card versus having local currency on hand for a fresh fruit smoothie makes everything feel easier. We want you to spend your time enjoying the volcano views, not worrying about payments.

Here’s our guide to navigating money in La Fortuna, Venado, and the surrounding Arenal region.

US Dollars vs. Costa Rican Colones

Costa Rica's official currency is the colón (plural: colones), often abbreviated as CRC. The exchange rate fluctuates, but it generally hovers around 500-550 colones to $1 USD in recent years. While you can get by with US dollars in many tourist-focused businesses, carrying colones is both practical and respectful.

When to Use US Dollars (USD):

• Tours and Activities: Most major tour operators in La Fortuna price their services in USD and happily accept them.
• Hotels and Larger Restaurants: Upscale restaurants and resorts will typically take dollars.
• Private Shuttles & Taxis: Many drivers catering to tourists will quote prices in USD.

When to Use Costa Rican Colones (CRC):

• Local Restaurants (Sodas): For an authentic and affordable meal at a place like Soda La Hormiga or a small spot in Venado, colones are best. You'll often get a better price, as the 'unofficial' exchange rate at a small shop won't be in your favor.
• Groceries: Supermarkets and local corner stores (pulperías) operate in colones.
• Public Buses: If you use the local bus system, you will need colones.
• Gas Stations: While many accept cards, it's good to have colones as a backup.
• Small Purchases: For street food, a coconut water (pipa fría), or small souvenirs, cash in the local currency is king.

In short: use dollars for big tourist-centric things, and colones for everything else. It shows respect and usually saves you a little money.

Using Credit Cards in the Arenal Area

Credit cards are a convenient and secure way to pay for many of your expenses. Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere that takes cards. American Express and Discover are much less common, so we don't recommend relying on them.

Most larger businesses in La Fortuna—adventure parks like Mistico Hanging Bridges, hot springs resorts, and bigger restaurants—will accept credit cards without any issue. However, the further you get from the tourist hub, the more you'll need cash.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Notify Your Bank: Before you leave, let your credit card company and bank know about your travel dates. This prevents them from flagging your Costa Rican purchases as fraudulent and freezing your card.
• Bring a Backup: We always recommend traveling with at least two different credit cards, just in case one is lost, stolen, or declined.
• Check Foreign Transaction Fees: Many credit cards charge a fee of 1-3% on every international purchase. Look for a card that has no foreign transaction fees to save money.
• Dynamic Currency Conversion: If a card machine asks if you want to be charged in USD or CRC, **always choose CRC**. Your home bank will give you a much better exchange rate than the local machine will.

Finding and Using ATMs in La Fortuna

ATMs, or cajeros automáticos, are the best way to get colones. You'll find plenty of them in downtown La Fortuna, but they are nonexistent in the small town of Venado. We always recommend our guests stop for cash in La Fortuna on their way to the house or during a day trip.

Look for ATMs attached to official banks, as they are safer and generally offer better rates and lower fees than standalone, private ATMs in shops or hotels.

Recommended Bank ATMs in La Fortuna:

• Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
• Banco de Costa Rica (BCR)

How Much Cash Do You Really Need?

This is the million-colón question! It depends entirely on your travel style. If you plan to eat at local sodas and explore off-the-beaten-path spots, you'll need more cash. If you're sticking to pre-booked tours and resort restaurants, you'll need less.

As a general guideline, we suggest having around $50-$75 USD worth of colones per person per day as a starting point. This should comfortably cover meals at sodas, small souvenirs, tips, and incidentals.

We recommend arriving in Costa Rica with about $100-$200 USD in cash (clean, small bills) for immediate needs like snacks or tips before you can get to an ATM. For a week-long stay, planning to withdraw cash 2-3 times in La Fortuna is a good strategy. If you're renting a car, it's easy to stop at a bank while you're in town for groceries or an activity.

Tipping Etiquette in Costa Rica

Tipping is not as widespread or obligatory as in the United States, but it's always appreciated for good service.

• Restaurants: By law, all restaurant bills include a 10% service charge (servicio) and a 13% sales tax (impuesto). You'll see these itemized on your check. Tipping beyond this is not required, but if you had truly excellent service, leaving an extra 5-10% in cash is a very kind gesture.
• Tour Guides: This is one area where tipping is customary and very much appreciated. For a great guide on a half-day or full-day tour, $10-$20 per person is a good range.
• Drivers: For a private driver, $10-$20 for a long transfer is standard. For a taxi driver, rounding up the fare is fine.
• Hotel Staff: For housekeeping at a place like Casa Venado, leaving about $5 per day is a lovely way to say thank you.

Whether you tip in dollars or colones is up to you, but colones are often more useful for the recipient for their daily life.

Putting It All Together: A Sample Day

Let's imagine a day trip from Casa Venado:

1. Morning: Drive to La Fortuna for a guided hike on the Arenal 1968 trails. You can likely pay for the entrance and guide with a credit card.
2. Lunch: Stop at a roadside soda for a delicious casado. This is the perfect time to use your Costa Rican colones.
3. Afternoon: Visit a hot spring resort. Your entrance pass can be paid with a credit card.
4. Tip: You had a fantastic hiking guide, so you give them a $20 USD cash tip.
5. Evening: On the way home, you stop at a pulpería in Venado for some milk and eggs for breakfast. You'll need colones for this.

Having a mix of payment options simply gives you more freedom. It allows you to choose the fancy restaurant or the humble soda, the big adventure park or the quiet walk in the countryside, without ever being caught unprepared.

If you ever have questions during your stay, just ask. We're always here to help you navigate the little details so you can focus on the big adventure.

Pura vida,

• The Casa Venado Team