Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read Two Weeks in Costa Rica Was All I Could Afford.
Costa Rica was never going to be a long stay for me, as I discovered in the planning stages when I realized how expensive accommodation had become. I’m a low-income senior doing the budget backpacker thing, and Costa Rica turned out to be the only country on my Great South American Adventure where I had to rely on shared dormitory rooms.
Even with careful planning, hotels were simply out of my budget. I still wanted to go, so I adjusted my expectations, kept my stay short, and focused on seeing as much as I could within those limits. What follows is a straightforward look at where I stayed, what I did, and how Costa Rica felt on a tight budget.
The last time I was in Costa Rica was 2010 and I wasn’t suffering from sticker shock back then. The country has become so popular with tourists that the prices of everything have hit the roof and now Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Latin America.
Arrival: the customs line that set the tone
The reality of Costa Rica set in almost immediately at San José airport. I had the foresight to take a photo, because I’ve rarely seen anything quite like it—what looked like well over a thousand travellers stretched out in a slow, snaking customs line. It was so long I couldn’t even see the front of it, just bodies inching forward in stages.
I waited in a hallway with many other passengers for at least 30 minutes while we inched our way to this large room where we’d go through passport control.
After hours of travel, there’s something slightly surreal about joining a queue that feels like it has its own timezone. There wasn’t much to do except shuffle forward with everyone else and accept that this was my introduction to a country I already knew would test my budget more than most.
Hey dude, where’s my luggage?
The worst part came after I finally made it through the line two hours later. By the time I reached the baggage area, my suitcase was nowhere to be seen. Likely removed from the carousel an hour earlier because no one claimed it. I checked the surrounding area, then asked several airport staff for help, all of whom were quietly scanning their tablets and trying to track down where the luggage had gone.
Eventually, one staff member took a closer look and led me to a pile of unattended suitcases on the floor. My bag was sitting there among them, waiting to be claimed.
Once I finally had my luggage, I called the guesthouse to arrange a pickup from the airport. It was an extra $10, which was fine, but the timing wasn’t ideal. Traffic was heavy and it took quite a while for the driver to arrive.
When he did show up, things didn’t get any smoother. Another vehicle was already in his designated, reserved pickup spot, so he had to circle around looking for somewhere to park. I was standing right there watching the whole situation unfold, thinking he could have just pulled over for a minute and picked me up instead of adding another layer to the confusion.
Airport chaos seemed to be the theme of the day.
First night near the airport
I stayed at Gardens House, Airport Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, San José on February 21, 2026. They have shared dormitory rooms plus private rooms.
I booked a bed in a shared room with 3 beds – well a single bed and a bunk bed – and also had an attached bathroom with shower. Cost was CAD $23 for the night which included breakfast. Plus USD $10 for the ride from the airport to the guest house. For convenience sake, I also booked Gardens House for my last night in Costa Rica.
I made a reservation through Booking.com which had a lower price than Expedia.
Seeing as how I was the first person to arrive in the room, I had my choice of the three beds. Obviously, I took the single. Nice room, had lockers to stow my stuff when I went out to Walmart to stock up on a few things, I put my valuables in the locker and put my own lock on it. The lockers are too small to fit my backpack.
Later on, two guys showed up to take the beds on the bunk. It’s like being back on the Camino de Santiago and staying in mixed dormitories. Fortunately I was travelling with ear plugs and the same eye mask I used on the Camino.
Puerto Viejo: Caribe Shuttle to La Tribu
The following day I took an Uber to the Denny’s Restaurant near the airport where Caribe Shuttle would pick me up and transport me to Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean coast.
Booking the shuttle was a little weird. I chose my date and time (it goes twice daily from San Jose to Puerto Viejo) and paid by credit card – about USD $65. Then I received an email telling me they will confirm my reservation shortly. So, that’s a little weird. You don’t actually know if the 15 passenger van is full or if you got a spot until you get a confirmation email. Yeah, after you already paid.
There were several of us who got on the 2pm shuttle from Denny’s and then Caribe Shuttle stopped at a few hotels in San Jose to pick up more passengers.
It’s a 5 hour ride to Puerto Viejo and Caribe Shuttle dropped me off at La Tribu, a women’s boutique hostel. Two other ladies on the shuttle were also staying here. In fact we were all assigned to the same room.
Booking the hostel
I originally reserved my bed through Booking.com. Almost immediately I received a message on Booking’s system from La Tribu welcoming me and telling me about daily activities that I can view on their website – link provided.
Hmmm. Kind of an oops on my part. I usually check to see if the hotel I want to stay at has a website and if they offer a better deal than Booking and Expedia.
So I went to their website to check out the activities and then saw I can make a reservation through the website. I put in my dates – February 22 for 10 nights – and realized I could save $100 booking with them directly. Yup, you guessed it. I cancelled my reservation on Booking right away. Cost me about $300 for 10 nights instead of $400. Yup, for the same bed.
Staying at La Tribu
I spent 10 nights at La Tribu and I was usually the oldest woman there. Most of the young ladies are in their 20s and 30s in the same boat as me – figuring out Costa Rica is too expensive to stay anywhere else.
Each room has 4 bunk beds, fortunately I got a bottom bunk. Each bed has privacy curtains. There is an attached bathroom with shower. Out in the main area are more toilets and showers, so if someone is using the one in the room and you gotta go, there are other options. There are also lockers to stow our stuff and lock it up when we’re out.
There is a large communal area consisting of a kitchen (we all get bins to store our food), a big table, and a sitting area with chairs and couches.
The facilities were very clean and I really have no complaints about my stay there. The owners have two other hotels/hostels in Puerto Viejo and we were able to use the swimming pool at their property about a block away.
It was only a few minutes walk to the beach, shopping, or restaurants. There were three grocery stores in town and a couple of vendors selling produce at roadside stands.
Two women who were on the same Caribe Shuttle were also staying at La Tribu, one had been there a few times over the years and had spent time in some of the nearby towns, too. Guess she really likes this part of Costa Rica! They were about 40, very nice, and invited me to join them for drinks or eating out.
Now, as a nomad, I can’t afford to be dining out all the time. Versus wanting to be social. So I probably did eat out more than I normally would.
La Tribu has bikes for rent and the three of us rented bikes and cycled to the Jaguar Rescue Center, which was one of the reasons I wanted to stay in this part of Costa Rica.
La Tribu hosted a movie night, painting night, karaoke night, cooking class, and had a Saturday culture trip that cost US $50. At least 5 people have to sign up for the trip to go, and it was quite popular on the day I signed up – about 12 of us! We visited a cacao farm, swam by a waterfall, saw monkeys, and enjoyed a scenic drive.
Puerto Viejo
One of the highlights of staying in Puerto Viejo is that I saw a few sloths while out walking.
My overall impression of Puerto Viejo is that it’s a party town on the Caribbean. Open air restaurants that had blasting music and party vibes were packed with tourists or all ages. Pretty beaches, maybe not so safe for swimming due to rip currents and undertows.
Yes, I can certainly see the draw that keeps people coming back.
Moving on to La Fortuna/Arenal
I’m on the move! Once again with Caribe Shuttle that picked me up at La Tribu around 1pm on March 4 and dropped me off at the Poshtel Arenal in La Fortuna where I stayed for 5 nights. This is the area of the Arenal Volcano that was usually shrouded in mist and I never really got a good shot of it from town.
The Poshtel Arenal is in a good location on the main street of La Fortuna in the thick of shopping and restaurants. They have regular hotel rooms plus dormitory rooms, mixed and women only. I booked in the women’s dorm – 6 single beds and a bathroom with shower. There were lockers in the room to stow our valuables, but not big enough to put a full sized backpack into. The hotel had a swimming pool and there was a communal kitchen area for guests to use.
It cost me US $88 for the 5 nights. I booked in advance directly on their website where they claimed to have an early bird special discount of about 40% for 2026 bookings (I booked in October, 2025). Prior to noticing the discount I was thinking 3 – 4 nights in this part of Costa Rica. However, I’m not so certain I got a “special” deal. The other young ladies who stayed there said it was around $20/night.
Anyway, it was good enough, but 5 nights was probably one or two nights more than I needed.
Big Day Out: Volcano, Hanging Bridges, Hot Springs River
The big draw was taking a day tour that included a hike to the volcano, lunch, the hanging bridges at Mistico Park, and a soak in the hot river springs.
Honestly? I saw more sloths in Puerto Viejo that I did on the tour! But it’s wildlife. You never know when they’re going to make an appearance.
Back to reality
For my return to San Jose and the Garden’s House near the airport, I booked with Volcano Shuttle. It cost about $40.
It was about a 3 hour drive and halfway the driver stopped at a gift shop and restaurant. The highlight was a toucan that landed in the restaurant. The staff there were pretty used to seeing it come and go. It looked like a stuffed animal until it moved its head.
If you’re wondering why I didn’t book the last leg with Caribe Shuttle – they didn’t offer this route! Crazy, hunh.
I booked the same room at the Gardens House, and being the first to arrive scored the same bed. Where I promptly crashed. I’d been feeling nauseous. Fortunately didn’t puke on the shuttle ride or at the guest house either, but I definitely had no appetite for the rest of the day.
Another lady arrived about 20 minutes later and took the bottom bunk. I’m not sure if she was feeling unwell too but she also laid down on her bed and never left. In the morning I was surprised to find another woman. She had arrived around 10:30pm the previous night and said she hated coming in to a room where the lights are out and the others are sleeping. I never heard a thing. I was wearing my eye mask and ear plugs.
Two weeks in Costa Rica comes to an end
What’s funny is that when I returned to San José airport for my flight to Guatemala, I was met with another long customs line to exit the country. As I made my way through the roped area toward the main queue, an employee opened the barrier and signalled me into a shorter line.
That line turned out to include a man in a wheelchair travelling with his wife, two sons, and a German Shepherd service dog. It took at least 5 minutes for staff to review the dog’s paperwork and process their way through the security screening, so the line barely moved at first.
As a few more people joined behind me, it slowly dawned on me that, aside from the passenger requiring assistance, everyone in the line seemed to be of a certain age. I couldn’t help thinking I didn’t quite look like I belonged in the “senior lane,” though I wasn’t about to argue with a shorter queue. Interestingly, there were people in the main line who looked older than me anyway, so I decided not to read too much into it and just stayed where I was.
Maybe the fellow working there just liked my Tilley hat. In any case, I wasn’t complaining about the shorter line.
Good bye, Costa Rica. I’m not sure I’ll be back. Well, maybe for the right house sit, but not as a traveller.
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle Digs on July 11, 2026.
