You're standing in a small pulpería in La Fortuna, the smell of rain-soaked earth still fresh in the air. You hand over a twenty-dollar bill for a bottle of water and a bag of plantain chips. The cashier smiles, hands you back a handful of vibrant, plastic-feeling bills and a pocketful of heavy gold-colored coins. Welcome to the world of the Costa Rican colón.
Honestly, it's one of the most beautiful currencies you'll ever hold. While most people just call it "money," its official name—the colón—has a history as colorful as the sloths and hummingbirds printed on the polymer.
The Costa Rican Colón Explained (Simply)
The Costa Rican colón (plural: colones) is named after Christopher Columbus, known in Spanish as Cristóbal Colón. It’s been the official currency since 1896, when it replaced the old peso at a one-to-one ratio. Today, the currency symbol is a capital "C" with two vertical slashes (₡), though you'll often see locals just use the cent symbol (¢) on hand-written signs.
The ISO code you’ll see on exchange apps is CRC.
As of January 2026, the exchange rate is hovering around ₡494 to ₡500 per 1 US Dollar. This is actually quite stable compared to previous years. Bank of America and the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) have been working to keep things steady, despite the usual global economic jitters. If you're looking for a quick "tourist math" trick: basically, 5,000 colones is about 10 bucks.
Why the Design Actually Matters
Costa Rica didn't just make their money pretty for the sake of it. Since 2012, they’ve transitioned almost entirely to polymer—a fancy word for plastic. Why? Because Costa Rica is wet. Like, really wet. Tropical downpours and humid cloud forests would turn traditional paper money into mush within weeks.
These polymer bills are basically indestructible. You can accidentally leave them in your pocket when you go for a swim in the Pacific, and they’ll come out just fine.
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The Biodiversity on Your Bills
Each denomination is a different color and features a different ecosystem. It’s like a mini-biology lesson in your wallet.
- ₡1,000 (The Red One): Features Braulio Carrillo Colina and a coral reef with a sea turtle. Locals call this "un rojo."
- ₡2,000 (The Blue One): Shows Mauro Fernández Acuña and a bull shark.
- ₡5,000 (The Yellow One): Features Alfredo González Flores and a white-faced capuchin monkey.
- ₡10,000 (The Green One): This is the famous "sloth bill." It features José Figueres Ferrer, the man who abolished the army.
- ₡20,000 (The Orange One): Dedicated to Carmen Lyra, a pioneer in children's literature, and the high-altitude páramo ecosystem.
Slang You’ll Actually Hear
If you want to sound like you’ve been here for more than a weekend, stop saying "colones" every five seconds. Costa Ricans have a whole vocabulary for their cash.
"Una teja" (a roof tile) is 100 colones. It’s an old-school term from when 100 colones was actually worth a lot. You’ll hear "cinco tejas" for the 500-colon coin.
Then there’s "cañas" (sugarcane). Instead of saying "one thousand colones," someone might say "mil cañas." It sounds more local. If you’re at a farmers market and someone asks for "dos rojos," they want two of the red 1,000-colon bills.
The Dual-Currency Myth
Many tourists think they can just use US Dollars everywhere. While it’s true that most tourist-facing businesses (hotels, tour operators, high-end restaurants) accept USD, it’s not always the best move.
If a price is listed in colones and you pay in dollars, the merchant gets to decide the exchange rate. Usually, they’ll give you a "convenience rate" that’s much lower than the bank’s. You might lose 5% to 10% on every transaction just by being the person who didn't want to carry local cash.
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Also, expect your change in colones. Even if you pay in pristine $20 bills, that change is coming back in ₡2,000 and ₡5,000 notes.
Practical Tips for Your Wallet
Managing money in Costa Rica is mostly about being smart with your plastic and your paper.
1. Don't use the airport exchange booths. The rates at San José (SJO) or Liberia (LIR) are notoriously bad. You’ll lose a significant chunk of change before you even leave the terminal. Instead, just use an ATM.
2. Use the right ATMs.
Look for "Banco Nacional" (green) or "BCR" (blue). They usually have the lowest fees for foreign cards. Most ATMs will give you a choice: do you want USD or CRC? If you’re paying for a $400 zipline tour, take out USD. For everything else, take out the Costa Rican colón.
3. The "Pristine Bill" Rule.
Costa Rican banks are incredibly picky about US Dollar bills. If your $20 bill has a tiny tear, a pen mark, or is just too wrinkled, nobody will take it. Not the bank, not the grocery store, nobody. Keep your dollars in a flat folder, not stuffed in your pocket.
4. Credit Cards are King (Mostly).
Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, even in smaller towns. Just make sure your card has no foreign transaction fees. However, don't rely on it for the bus or the small fruit stand on the side of the road.
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The 2026 Outlook
Right now, the economy is in a "steady state." Inflation is projected to stay around 3.5% through the end of the year. This is great news for travelers because it means the price of a casado (a traditional lunch) isn't going to double overnight.
While the colón has shown some resilience, the Central Bank keeps a tight grip on things. They use a system that prevents the currency from swinging too wildly, which is why your budget for a trip planned six months ago will likely still hold up today.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
Before you fly out, call your bank. Tell them you're going to Costa Rica so they don't freeze your card the first time you try to buy a coffee in Alajuela.
Download a simple currency converter app that works offline. The reception in the jungle can be spotty, and you don't want to be doing "divided by 494" in your head while a line of people waits behind you at the grocery store.
Finally, aim to keep about ₡25,000 (roughly $50) in small denominations on you at all times. It’s the perfect amount for tolls, parking attendants (the "vienes-vienes"), and that random roadside coconut that you absolutely need when it's 90 degrees out.