Having a car is almost a necessity here in Costa Rica. Even in San Jose, the public transport is sparse and complicated and taxis can be unreasonably pricey and ubers are frowned upon. Most expats will eventually need to purchase a vehicle here.
While it is possible to bring import a car into the country, the taxes and fees are so steep that many times it is more economical to simply buy one in Costa Rica. Here are some things we recommend when looking for a car in Costa Rica, particularly in the Southern Zone where we live.
We have a ’95 Jeep Wrangler which is pretty much the perfect car for Costa Rica. The soft top is a blast to have down in the summer time and the 4×4 can take you through the thickest of jungles. And there are plenty of dirt roads to explore in Costa Rica’s last frontier. The Wrangler appears to be getting more and more popular around Uvita where we live, but as it is an American car, parts can sometimes be hard to find. Many times we have needed to have parts shipped in from the capital city of San Jose or even Miami, Florida. If you have the time and know what you’re doing you can also shop online at places like wWw.BestPartStore.co.uk and then have the parts shipped in using an import service.
Other popular car options include the Geo Tracker and the Suzuki Samari. These two light 4×4 vehicles are common and easy to find parts for.
Are you considering buying a car in Costa Rica? Let us know what type of car you’d want in the comments!
