Pick-up location | San José |
---|---|
Car types | Compact, Compact SUV, Economy, Full-size, Full-size SUV, Intermediate, Intermediate SUV, Premium SUV, SUV, Standard SUV |
Rental locations | 77 |
Airport locations | 26 |
Popular agencies | Routes Car & Truck Rentals, Europcar, U-Save, Avis, Dollar |
Economy | $5/day |
Compact | $5/day |
Intermediate | $5/day |
Full-size | $10/day |
SUV | $5/day |
Full-size SUV | $5/day |
Premium SUV | $18/day |
Compact SUV | $5/day |
Standard SUV | $5/day |
Intermediate SUV | $9/day |
To get to some towns close to San Jose you just might need a 4x4. This is definitely a necessity if you are traveling to the forest or visiting the country during the rainy season. Depending on where you want to go, a compact car might be more comfortable because of the tight, curvy roads. Diesel vehicles might also be more appealing because of the lower cost of fuel.
Speed limits in San Jose might be lower than you are used to. On the freeway you may only drive at a maximum speed of 50 mph (or 80 km/h). When you are on a main highway, the speed limit may go up to as much as 62 mph (100 km/h). However, when you get close to the city, the speed limit will go down quickly -- so always pay attention to signs you might be passing.
In downtown San Jose you’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, shops, and museums. Consequently, there are numerous paid parking lots in which you can safely leave your rental car. One popular area for parking is around the Central Market. If staying downtown, you might also get free parking at your hotel.
On average a rental car in San José costs $15 per day. But prices differ between operators and you can save money through a price comparison of car rental deals from different agencies. The cheapest price for a car rental in San José found in the last 2 weeks is $1.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at Europcar ($5/day), U-Save ($5/day) and Routes Car & Truck Rentals ($5/day). In the last 72 hours the cheapest rental car price was found at Europcar Carretera Aeropuerto Internacional 760-1007 (8 miles from city center).
Yes, automatic cars are available in most car renting companies in San José. As cars with manual transmission are more common in many countries, you might have to pay an additional charge for renting an automatic car.
The average gas price in San José is $5.63 per gallon over the past 30 days. Filling up a gas tank costs between $68 and $90, depending on the car size.
Standard (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in San José.
Car rental companies onsite at Juan Santamaria Intl airport include Deal Mobility Rent a Car, U-Save, Europcar, Budget, Apex, Economy Rent a Car, Dollar, E-Z Rent-A-Car, Thrifty and Routes Car & Truck Rentals.
Car rental companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Juan Santamaria Intl airport to off-airport locations include Avis, U-Save, Europcar, Payless, Budget, Apex, NU Car, Economy Rent a Car, Alamo, and Dollar.
Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.
A Standard car rental in San José costs $5 per day, on average.
An Economy car rental in San José costs $9 per day, on average.
An Intermediate car rental in San José costs $12 per day, on average.
In San José, cars are most frequently rented at U-Save Rio Segundo (8 miles from city center).
On average a rental car in San José costs $104 per week ($15 per day).
On average a rental car in San José costs $448 per month ($15 per day).
Most car rental providers in San José offer insurance but the level of protection can differ substantially. If you're unsure whether to get extra protection for your car rental in San José, check out KAYAK's car rental insurance guide.
KAYAK has deals for you to compare from 35 car rental agencies in San José.
Some car rental companies in San José which have updated their car rental health and safety policies due to COVID-19 to make sure vehicles are clean and disinfected include Avis, Europcar and Budget
Finding the right price, understanding the add-ons and staying up to date with policy changes can be a challenge. That’s why KAYAK has produced the ultimate guide to renting a car to help you cut though the jargon and make the right choice for your rental car. Find tips and insights for how to book your rental, what car rental insurance you’ll need, how to deal with a car rental agency and what extra fees to expect (and avoid!).
KAYAK searches thousands of car rental agencies to provide you with offers from all car rental agencies operating in San José so that you can compare car rental rates, reviews and pick-up and drop-off locations to find the best deal for you.
Whether you'll pay for parking in San Jose will be determined by where you are in the city. If you're on the city's outskirts, you won't have to pay for parking. However, if you're within the city's central business district, you'll have to pay, as these parking spots are managed by city authorities. These parking spots range from ¢200 ($0.6) to ¢500 ($2), depending on the duration you park.
To drive to destinations outside San Jose, such as Cartago, Limon, and Caldera, you'll have to use a toll road. On the toll roads serving Cartago and Limon, you'll only have to go through one toll. On the contrary, on the Caldera toll road, you'll go through tolls at Escazú, San Rafael, Atenas, and Pozón.
3 locations in San José
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Reviews
2.0 Poor
May 2021
Cons:
Worst value. Clearly has no concept of customer service or friendliness. Exceedingly overpriced.8.0 Very good
May 2021
Pros:
The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.Cons:
The price of the insurance is three times the price of the rental. Very different from the US and Canada. I found it quite absurd. I still haven't received the safety deposit!!2.0 Poor
Dec 2021
Cons:
Get insurance before you get down there6.0 Okay
Mar 2020
Pros:
The staff was helpful and friendly enough...pick up took a while but drop off was quick and easy (few customers probably due to coronavirus).Cons:
If there were more prominent statements when we made the reservation online about MANDATORY liability insurance from CR government... and there would be a $950 damage deposit put on my credit card...this despite having purchased insurance covering any damage to vehicle when I made the reservation.8.0 Very good
Mar 2020
Pros:
Staff was helpful!Cons:
Insurance is expensive but nor sure how it would compare to other rental car agencies in CR. We had no problems2.0 Poor
Feb 2020
Pros:
Nothing. Although I made a reservation in December, Economy was unable to fulfill my reservation.Cons:
They could have given me the car I booked months in advance, or at the very least have had the courtesy to not charge my credit card after not giving me a vehicle.3 locations in San José
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5.6 Fair
Mar 2020
Cons:
When I arrived at the counter to pick up the car I was told purchasing the rental car's insurance was NOT optional, I had to purchase one of two plans, otherwise they would not rent the car to me. If the insurance was not optional, then it should have been shown in the original price of renting the car. A definite bait & switch which I didn't appreciate. $300 for the car, $250 for the insurance, kind of changes the value of the rental.6.8 Okay
May 2018
Pros:
Car was nice, good on gas.Cons:
If someone is renting from Costa Rica, you should tell them about the mandatory insurance purchase. My rental went from $63 to ~$400, by far my biggest expense this trip.5.6 Fair
Feb 2018
Pros:
New car and easy drop offCons:
When I booked the car and chose Thrifty the price was 175. At the end it cost me 540 with all taxes fees etc. There was no way to get it for 175. I feel I was misled and will not recommend10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2018
Pros:
Very friendly service. Threw in a GPS for $53.2 Poor
Jan 2018
Cons:
I had already bought insurance but was told it didn't work in Costa Rica and that I had to buy the insurance they provided. Nothing I said could change this. The insurance ended up doubling the price of the rental. I had also asked about the size of the SUV we were renting prior to arriving and was told it would hold 5 adults comfortably. Not hardly! Ended up having to pay an additional amount to have a somewhat larger SUV. Then on top of all that, they put a $950 deposit amount on my credit card making it unusable to me the rest of my trip. I have NEVER had a car rental company put that large of a deposit on my credit card. NEVER!! That pretty much wiped out my spending money as I only brought two credit cards with me for this trip. It really would have been nice to know all this additional expense before I arrived so I could have adequately planned.4.8 Mediocre
Dec 2018
Pros:
Good pickup location and quick to the counter to pickup the car.Cons:
We had a letter from Chase credit card as they required from the thrifty Costa Rica website. He wouldn’t accept it- “it doesn’t state amount covered” - it stated up to the entire value of the car. So we were forced to buy the coverage since where else are you going to go. DO NOT TENT FROM THRIFTY AT THE SJO AIRPORT!2 locations in San José
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Reviews
4.0 Mediocre
Jun 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2021
Pros:
Drop off was excellentCons:
Would have liked a better explanation of the insurance coverage and not a hard sell.2.0 Poor
Apr 2020
Pros:
NothingCons:
They refused to give back my deposit despite the trip. Ring cancelled due to Covid-19 A disgrace4.8 Mediocre
Mar 2020
Cons:
Don’t use this car rental. A lot of hidden fees. They are crooks.2.0 Poor
Jan 2020
Pros:
Nothing, did not like anything about this experienceCons:
Staff was extremely unhelpful. Was the worst experience in Costa Rica. Outrageous price for a beat up old car with 150,000 miles on it, manual transmission, radio had been taken out, fog lights missing, horrible car, took us 3 hours to check in and get car, staff is inept and we stood in line for hours while no one could give us a clear answer on when we would get a car even though we had a reservation.8.4 Very good
Jan 2020
Pros:
The staff and car were great.Cons:
The "insurance" needs to be more clear and affordable. It is not the staff's fault, this is a corporate problem. The cost of insurance is double the cost of the car. It is a scam.4 locations in San José
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2.0 Poor
Jan 2018
Pros:
Car and experience was fine, but....Cons:
After all was stated very clearly on the confirmation.... The agent at the desk required that I add insurance or not be able to rent the car. Of course, my credit card covers insurance, and this was a shock and dismay (and an extra hundred dollars!). Foul!!!!!!2.0 Poor
Jan 2017
Cons:
they did not have the car ready and told us to call within 4 hours. this delayed our trip and exhausted us. Instead of waiting, we decided to go to their site and there were a multitude of cars available. They claimed that they did not have cars available, because many people had not returned them from the day before. Customer service was slow and it lagged the promptness needed to get in and out. Also, if you prepay insurance from the US, it will not work. You are obligated to purchase their insurance. Our reservation was worthless.2.0 Poor
Jan 2017
Cons:
When I came there was no SUV's. So I had to wait more 5 hours to get one.3 locations in San José
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7.2 Good
Apr 2017
Pros:
We rented an SUV from Alamo for three months in Costa Rica. The first SUV had a transmission problem and Alamo replaced it with a maintenance free vehicle. The vehicle ran fine for the remaining 2 1/2 months.Cons:
Our contract with Alamo was in dollars. However, Alamo in Costa Rica converted the charges to colons at the a favorable exchange rate for Alamo. This ruse is a way for Alamo to squeeze more money from unsuspecting Gringos. To resolve this problem I had to contact Alamo's corporate office in the U.S.2.0 Poor
Jan 2017
Pros:
Nothing, they didn't even have a car for usCons:
After traveling from Boston for 9 hours we arrived to San Jose, CR. We had a whole vacation planned out and these people told us they had no car. They offered us a shuttle to San Jose and promise to call us the next day with a car. It never happened. We end up renting a car with budget but this services was a nightmare. DO NOT, DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICE!!!One location in San José
4 locations in San José
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10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2021
Cons:
Good service and reasonably priced. There are extras added to what kayak shows, but these are legitimate fees.3.6 Poor
Mar 2018
Cons:
We got stuck in traffic because of construction in Monteverde. It was beyond our control. They shut down the only street in or out for hours. We called Dollar Rental to let them know and they told us NOT TO WORRY and that we would NOT BE CHARGED EXTRA for running late as long as we got there before they closed at 11:30 PM. We got there at 10:30 PM and the guy that was checking us back in said, "Don't worry, you won't be charged extra for being a few hours late." However, when we went to pay, the guy at the front desk charged my credit card for an additional $60.51 for the few hours we were late. I told him that both the guy on the phone and the guy who checked us back in told us we would not be charged extra. He gave me a funny look and said, "Oops, they didn't tell me that and I already ran your card, so I can't reverse the charge now. You'll have to email corporate when you get back to the US and they will fix it for you." I emailed corporate over a week ago and never heard back from them. I will never be using Dollar Rental again.4.8 Mediocre
Jan 2018
Pros:
No restrictions on where I could go with the car. Air conditioning worked. Offered WiFi device for $5/day, and that worked great.Cons:
Reserved an automatic, but their computer didn’t show it, so I was forced to upgrade. Paid for insurance via Kayak, but told that was no good and that we were required to get additional insurance that cost more than $100. The shuttle to/from airport is slow, and we waited almost an hour to get to the airport after drop off. Car’s brakes stuck and needs new shocks.2.0 Poor
Apr 2017
Pros:
Dollar lured my family in with a low price listed on the internet. BUT it was only an empty promise as they made us pay nearly twice that amount upon our arrival to pick up our reserved vehicle.Cons:
My family paid in full online prior to my trip. We received a confirmation of both our payment and reservation. After arriving in our destination (Costa Rica) Dollar made us pay additional insurance and fees to obtain our car. With our young children in tow and after pleading with them for 2 hours we had to pay the additional money to drive away. A formal credit discard dispute has been filed. Stay away from this dishonest company.7.2 Good
Oct 2016
Pros:
Customer service at DollarCons:
Kayak misrepresented the vehicle. I booked a vehicle that could fit 7 with insurance. When I got there I found out the vehicle only seated 5 and the insurance I paid for through Kayak wasn't even basic insurance for this country. Ended up paying 400 more than originally quoted!! Could have saved almost 200 going directly through Dollar.4 locations in San José
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6.4 Okay
Feb 2019
Cons:
AVIS added a mandatory fee for insurance that was equally high as the advertised rental price. It doesn't make much sense to advertise a price for a rental if it's not possible to rent the vehicle for that price or anything close to it.8.0 Very good
Mar 2023
2.0 Poor
Jan 2023
3 locations in San José
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Jan 2021
Pros:
Staff was super friendly!Cons:
The advertised price is not what you end up paying when the mandatory insurance is added on. BEWARE!4.0 Mediocre
Jan 2021
Cons:
The car was fine, but I left feeling like I was scammed. I had to pay for Liability insurance, which I was prepared for, but Europcar’s cost for this was twice as much as other rental places for no reason. And they wouldn’t accept my credit card’s CDW coverage (a first) and made me pay for that as well. Overall, it more than doubled the cost of the rental de me. A nasty surprise at the counter, but at that point, they know they’ve got you. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone.7.6 Good
Feb 2020
Pros:
The staff is very nice and helpful. Taking the shuttle to the car rental was pretty easy.Cons:
The insurance the is quoted by kayak versus what they charge at the car rental is much higher. We rented a car for one week for about 50 USD, which is very cheap, but the medium level for the insurance ran 450 USD.5.2 Fair
Jan 2020
Pros:
The car.Cons:
Transparency. I did everything possible to waive the insurance and I couldn’t. Even when I had a credit card with my own insurance this was not possible because I did not had the 30,000 usd limit in my credit card (it was not possible to understand this limitation through the webpage terms). Additionally the people form europcar put all the possible obstacles so that I could not waive the insurance. Finally I had to pay it. I felt scammed. It is sad the way you manage this business. I spend nearly 2.5 hours at your office to resolve the issue and finally I had to pay the insurance either way. I feel very disappointed.4.4 Mediocre
Sep 2019
Pros:
Easy pick up and drop offCons:
Getting quotes $43 for 9 days and getting to Europcar and being told that it will be $560 instead. Customer service rep also tried to trick us by including fuel service charge in our rental price by saying we get a free tank of fuel by paying full coverage. Bunch of worms really.2.0 Poor
Feb 2018
Pros:
Free shuttle from airportCons:
Horrible experience, car was not as described. We didn’t receive the Kia Sportage as advertised but rather a beat up 15 year old Tesoro which had no air conditioning and shocks. On top of that we were forced to purchase insurance which was almost as expensive as the car rental. We were not even allowed to purchase the insurance offered by kayak. They only accepted the insurance direct from their company. Absolutely horrible.2 locations in San José
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2.0 Poor
Nov 2022
2 locations in San José
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Reviews
6.0 Okay
Jan 2018
Pros:
Car was in good shapeCons:
The reservation price didn't include a $30/day mandatory insurance fee that is required I'm Costa Rica. So, my quote was for $7xx, and total cost was actually $1100. AND, the guy at the ciunter was a total dick and kept trying to sell us on the optional insurance to make us pay EVEN MORE. UGH.5.2 Fair
Jun 2017
Cons:
We were given a very good rate when we booked but when we showed up we not given an option of taking out additional insurance. We discussed at length- the entire process of renting the car took a very long time. They tried to charge me over $500. After much discussion they wouldn't let us take the car for an amount that was over 3x the quoted rate. We really needed to get going and the Hertz facility is away from the airport so reluctantly signed. The front desk employee was rude and found VERY small print to justify the increase in the rate. I will not use Hertz again at this location.3.2 Poor
Mar 2017
Pros:
Not muchCons:
The internet booking site was COMPLETELY mis-leading. It made no mention of the exorbitant insurance fees. It felt like fraud. I'm not sure I'll ever use Hertz again, especially in Costa Rica.2.0 Poor
Feb 2017
Pros:
NothingCons:
Car had over 100,000 miles no power and was charged almost triple my quoted rate because no one at booking says you will be asked to get Costa Rican insurance. So my $80 car was $230. Don't buy the third party insurance it's useless here in CR. More money lost. Not happy at all2.0 Poor
Feb 2017
Pros:
nothingCons:
They gave my car away. They literally had no automatic cars available the day I arrived at their location. I had to find another rental car company on the spot that day.One location in San José
4 locations in San José
from $43/dayLocations in San José
Centro Comercial Plaza Carolina, Rotonda de La Bandera, Mercedes
+506 2542 4848
Edificio Adobe, 34th St., 16th Ave., Barrio Corazón de Jesús Hospital, San José, San José -
+506 2542 4800
Route 3, Río Segundo Río Segundo, Alajuela, Alajuela - Costa Rica
+506 2442 2422
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2 locations in San José
from $4/dayLocations in San José
Tobias Bolanos Airport
+506 2255-2200
next to the Ambassador Hotel
+506 2255 2000
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2 locations in San José
Locations in San José
Hotels Delivery And Collection Service Only
+506 2519 9308
Paseo Colón Centro de San Jose
+506 4002 3857
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3 locations in San José
from $65/dayLocations in San José
300 meters east from the Purdy Motor building in Paseo Colon San Jose
+506 2542 4865
30th Street
+506 2105 3400
Edificio Adobe, Calle 34 Barrio Corazon De Jesus
+506 2542 4865
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One location in San José
from $3/dayLocations in San José
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3 locations in San José
from $37/dayLocations in San José
Avenue 18th, Between 11th
+506 2242 7901
La Asuncion De Belen
+506 2242 7800
Paseo Colon
+506 2242 7800
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Reviews
6.4 Okay
Oct 2016
Pros:
Guys at the office were greatCons:
Radio not working!! Insurance purchased from Alianz not relevant (had to cancel)6.4 Okay
Sep 2016
Pros:
We were happy with the service and the vehicle in general was good. We did find our vehicle a bit squeaky and the shocks could have been replaced. Having seen the roads though, we understand why the vehicle was in the condition it was. The service was great and he took pity on us when he realized we weren't expecting the extra $800 in insurance and he threw in a GPS, which was a total life saver.Cons:
Please be aware that the cost of the vehicle rental does NOT include the insurance. The rental was estimated at $150 but when we got there, the mandatory insurance coverage took the total cost to $920 CAD. We had read about this, but we thought the credit card insurance covered it. With all the information printed out and in hand, we realized no cards will cover third party liability - which is mandatory there. The options were to put thousands down as a deposit and pay for any / some damages, or get full coverage for MUCH more per day. Please keep this in mind when booking a vehicle. And a 4 wheel drive is an absolute must if you want to drive any of the 'roads' in hard to reach but beautiful places.7 locations in San José
Locations in San José
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3 locations in San José
from $26/dayLocations in San José
Calle 3 Ave. 13, Barrio Amón / 3rd Street, 13th Ave, Barrio Amón Apartado Postal: 750-1007 Centro Colón./ P.O Box: 750-1007 Centro Colón.
+506 2523 3200
San Jose Airport
+506 2442 8585
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3 locations in San José
from $34/dayLocations in San José
Calle 43, 50m sur del Bar Rio
+506 4000 7498
Edificio Galicia Avenida 39
+506 4000 7498
Frente Indoor Club Curridabat
+506 4000 7498
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2 locations in San José
from $1/dayLocations in San José
Paseo Colón, San Bosco, centro de San Jose, Costa Rica
+506 7085 6570
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2 locations in San José
Locations in San José
Europcar, Paseo Colon Centro De San Jose
+506 4002 3857
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2 locations in San José
from $28/dayLocations in San José
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One location in San José
Locations in San José
La Uruca 5 Blocks West From Hospital Mexico
5-062-294-2354
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One location in San José
from $14/dayLocations in San José
Rio Segundo
+506 2443 4645
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One location in San José
from $62/dayLocations in San José
Dr R.A. Grillo, Coca Cola
+54 11 6009 3539
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One location in San José
from $45/dayLocations in San José
San Jose airport
+506 8885 8626
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One location in San José
Locations in San José
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One location in San José
from $4/dayLocations in San José
Paseo Colon
+506 2256 0101
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One location in San José
from $3/dayLocations in San José
500 Mts East
+506 2430 0629
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One location in San José
Locations in San José
San Jose Airport Juan Santamaria SJO
+506 2436 2070
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One location in San José
Locations in San José
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One location in San José
from $1/dayLocations in San José
Rio Segundo
+506 2430 4648
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One location in San José
Locations in San José
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Most popular agency | Deal Mobility Rent a Car |
---|---|
Most popular car type | Standard |
Average price | $15/day |
Good deal | $9/day |