Before arriving in Costa Rica, we did a quick Google search to see whether Uber operated in the country, and happily it does. Though technically it’s not legal, you can still use the service as normal - more on that later in the guide.
We used Uber in Costa Rica many times and will be sharing all our tips for safely using the service, including how to pick up a lift from the airport, and what to look out for so your journeys go off without a hitch.
Here’s everything you need to know about using Uber in Costa Rica.
Frequently asked questions about Uber in Costa Rica
Is it legal?
This is a funny question as you’d imagine that you couldn’t use Uber at all if it wasn’t legal. We’ve been to many places where Uber is banned, and the app simply doesn’t work. However, you’ll find that the app does work in Costa Rica, and in cities such as San Jose there are plenty of drivers.
However, technically speaking, Uber is illegal in Costa Rica. Like a lot of countries, the taxi industry in Costa Rica is pretty vocal and to keep them happy, the Costa Rican government has never allowed any ride-sharing, or unlicensed taxi services in its legislation. However, the government collects tax from Uber and the app works as normal.
So Uber pretty much lives in a grey area. Technically it’s illegal, but hundreds of Uber journeys operate each day. We used Uber many times and never had a problem. So whilst it isn’t legal, they don’t seem to be going out of their way to enforce this law.
Is Uber safe in Costa Rica?
Yes, Uber is safe in Costa Rica and you’ll have near enough the same experience here as you do in any other country. We never had even the slightest problem using Uber in Costa Rica and we’ve never heard of anyone else having an issue. In general, Uber drivers work hard to keep a good reputation so that they are able to keep picking up fares.
As you can rate your experience, there is more incentive for an Uber driver to give you a good experience than a taxi driver. If their overall rating is low it can directly impact their livelihood. Drivers also have to provide identification and Uber has several processes designed to look after passenger safety.
We recommend still being vigilant as you would anywhere else in the world, but Uber in Costa Rica is not much different to Uber in the UK, USA or anywhere else.
8 things to know about using Uber in Costa Rica
1. Understanding the routine at San Jose Airport
There are a lot of myths about booking an Uber at San Jose Airport. We read that the wifi in the airport blocks the use of the app on their wifi (which is false, we used it) and that Uber drivers are stopped from going into the airport (also false, we got picked up and dropped off by Ubers at the airport).
However, it’s pretty likely that your Uber driver will be nervy at the airport. This is the place where Uber drivers come into direct contact with the taxi drivers who are feeling threatened by them.
Upon arriving, we saw our Uber driver kept doing laps of the area until we were in the specific place he wanted us to be. It took a while to understand that he wanted us to go to departures and not arrivals, but once we got the gist, we were on our way.
2. Sit in the front seat
It’s likely that your driver will ask you to sit in the front seat. This may seem a little strange, but sitting in the front seat will make the driver feel more comfortable and give the appearance that you’re not in an Uber (which is what it looks like when you’re sitting in the back).
Of course the truth would come to light in the incredibly rare chance you were stopped - I have no idea how I would explain Gustavo and I were best friends despite the fact he didn’t speak a word of English and I didn’t speak a word of Spanish. Luckily I never had to!
3. One scam to look out for
We only had one instance in the entire time we used Uber In Costa Rica, and this was a pretty minor one. If a driver ever asks you how you plan to pay, always say by card through the app. Do not agree to pay cash or any alternative form of payment, as this is almost guaranteed to be a scam. This happened a few times in Egypt, so I knew what to look out for in Costa Rica.
This usually happens in the message before the driver arrives, so if you stay firm, it’s very likely they will just cancel the ride and you’ll get another driver who won’t scam you. This was an isolated incident though, and easy to fix, so don’t be put off.
4. Alway pick a driver with a 4.9 score or more
The great thing about Uber is that you can see the driver’s rating before you hop in. Once you book, make sure you check the score (it’s out of 5 stars) as you have time to cancel if you aren’t sure.
In general, most riders give 5 star reviews, so the scores of virtually all Uber drivers are high. We always use drivers who are 4.9 and above as they are most likely to provide a safe and uneventful trip. It’s a high standard, but when there are so many with 4.9 or above, why risk going with a lower score?
If someone accepts your ride and you don’t like the score, then you just immediately cancel it, and wait for another. It doesn’t penalise you for doing this and you likely won’t have to do it often as the review scores are generally very high.
5. It is cheaper than using a taxi
Unsurprisingly, Ubers are generally cheaper than taxis, and this is the prime reason for the taxi industry wanting to ban it. A ride from San Jose Airport to Barrio Escalante (20km and takes about 45 minutes) costs about USD $18, which is about a third less than a taxi. Short journeys are also pretty cheap as well.
We have read that you can use Ubers for long distance journeys in Costa Rica, but didn’t take one ourselves (we chose to have a rental car for our trips outside of San Jose).
6. The coverage drops outside of San Jose
San Jose has the best coverage for Uber in the whole of Costa Rica, and once outside the capital, the amount of drivers drops.
Uber operates in Liberia, the San Carlos area which includes La Fortuna, Jaco, Manuel Antonio and San Isidrio de General, but there are less drivers available than in San Jose.
Coverage may change with time, so make sure you check the Uber website for the current areas they operate in and have a look on the app to see if you can book rides in the areas you’re interested in.
7. Don’t expect luxury
As you’d imagine, most Ubers in Costa Rica are relatively old or small cars. Once you hop in, you’ll find that the windows are all wide open and air conditioning is virtually never used - which is fine when you’re moving, but a bit sweaty in standstill traffic in the middle of the day. It’s also very likely that your driver will take frequent social media breaks on their phone - but this is no different to taxi drivers!
You may also find that there are not always working seat belts in the back of the car.
8. You can check the costs and routes before you even get to Costa Rica
One of the great things about Uber is that you can get an estimate of a journey cost from anywhere in the world. This means you can check to see if Uber operates in the area you’re interested in and whether it is a better price than getting a local taxi or shuttle.
It’s worth noting that whilst there are other options to the standard “Uber X”, these are far less frequent. So if you have a large group and a lot of luggage, you may want to choose an alternative transport.
9. You don’t need a local sim card, but it helps
As long as you have wifi when booking your Uber, you don’t need data or internet access to use Uber. However, it’s preferable to have it just in case you want to check your route along the way.
Surprisingly, sim cards in Costa Rica are pretty expensive for pre-paid month to month plans, so you may want to look at getting an international roaming plan with your current provider. Some of the plans we saw were offering 5GB for $20 USD! We got an okish deal with Claro, but the coverage is not always good.
10. Uber Eats works, but it’s hit and miss
Uber Eats also works in San Jose, but it’s hit and miss. In our experience, we had a few times and it was fine, but we also had a couple of times where the food was either cold, missing items or both. It’s an easy fix when you’ve arrived on a late flight, but we wouldn’t recommend it as the go-to option.
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