Population | 5.21 million (2023) |
GDP | $68.5 billion USD (2022) |
GDP per capita | 12,894 USD (2022) |
Internet penetration | 81.6% of the population use the internet (2022) |
Ecommerce users | 45% of the population shop online (2022) |
Leading product categories | Entertainment, electronics and IT, clothing, shoes, and jewelry |
Preferred online payment method(s) | Credit or debit cards, ewallets, PayPal, and bank transfers |
Languages | Spanish and English |
Currency | Costa Rican colón/CRC/₡ |
The landed cost for a cross-border transaction includes all duties, taxes, and fees associated with the purchase. This includes:
CIF: CIF (cost, insurance, freight) is a method for calculating import taxes or duties, where the tax is calculated on the cost of the order plus the cost of freight, and insurance.
Further explanation of duty, tax, and de minimis is provided below
Applied to the CIF value of the order
Duty and tax will be charged only on imports into Costa Rica where the total CIF value of the import exceeds Costa Rica’s minimum value threshold (de minimis), which is 50 USD. Anything under the tax de minimis value will be considered a tax-free import, and anything under the duty de minimis value will be considered a duty-free import.
Applied to the CIF value of the order
The standard VAT rate is 13%; it is applied to the CIF value of the order. There are certain items that are exempt from the VAT, such as staple foods, school uniforms, etc.
Applied to the CIF value of the order
Costa Rica’s import duty ranges from 1-15%. The average duty rate is 5.6%. The Costa Rican Government has been lowering duty charges over recent years.
Excise tax: Some imports incur an excise tax. These items include wine and beer, new and used vehicles, and some appliances.
Surcharge: Certain imports can also incur a surcharge from Costa Rica’s Central Bank (Banco Central de Costa Rica). However, surcharges are usually only on goods that are also manufactured in Costa Rica or in other parts of Central America.
Below are sample landed cost breakdowns for Costa Rica (one below the de minimis threshold and one above), which were calculated using Zonos Quoter:
Landed cost for a shipment to Costa Rica below the de minimis value:
Landed cost for a shipment to Costa Rica above the de minimis value:
Costa Rica has at least 15 trade agreements that offer a zero or highly discounted duty rate for goods manufactured in participating countries.
As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Costa Rica must abide by the most-favored-nation (MFN) clause, which requires a country to provide any concessions, privileges, or immunities granted to one nation in a trade agreement to all other WTO member countries. For example, if one country reduces duties by 10% for a particular WTO country, the MFN clause states that all WTO members will receive the same 10% reduction.
Customs and Trade Archives - CostaRicaLaw
Talk to your carrier about customs refunds.
Depending on the courier, additional shipping fees may include:
Government agencies regulate imports.
Restricted items are different from prohibited items. Prohibited items are not allowed to be imported into a country at all. Restricted items are not allowed to be imported into a country unless the importer has approval or a special license. Controlled goods have military or national security significance.
Prohibited items:
Restricted items:
Import permits
Import permits are required for the following:
Pharmaceuticals
Cosmetics
Drugs
Medical devices
Chemicals
Food products
Certain chemical products
Toxic substances
Insecticides
Pesticides
Agricultural chemicals
What are the most popular online stores in Costa Rica?
The most popular stores are as follows: Amazon.com, eBay.com, Encuentra24.com, and Mercadolibre.co.cr.
A cross-border guide to Costa Rican ecommerce, shipping, and importing goods
If you are looking to grow your ecommerce business into Costa Rica
, you’ve come to the right place. In our guide, created by Zonos' cross-border experts, you will find the following: