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Known for its rainforests, its beaches and its stunning volcanoes, the Central American nation of Costa Rica makes a great inclusion on any holiday itinerary. With a population of almost five million, Costa Rica came under Spanish rule in the 16th century and established its sovereignty in 1847.
If you want to send money to Costa Rica from Australia, compare costs and transfer options to ensure you get the best deal possible.
Send money to 110+ countries for bank deposit, instant e-wallet, mobile top-up or cash pickup at 30,000+ agent locations worldwide.
Banks offer a convenient and easy solution when you need to send money overseas, but they don’t offer cost-effective transfers. They offer low exchange rates and high fees on international transactions, so you can end up paying a whole lot more than you need to for your overseas transfer.
The raw deal offered by the banks has led to the growth in popularity of specialist money transfer companies. These providers, such as WorldFirst and WorldRemit, concentrate all their business efforts on moving money overseas. This means they offer far better exchange rates and minimal fees when compared to banks, which means a better deal for you and your beneficiary.
Jon’s daughter Kelly is holidaying in Costa Rica when, after one too many shopping sprees, she runs out of money. She phones home to ask her dad for a quick transfer of $1,000, which Jon agrees to send straight away. Rather than settle for the quite disappointing exchange rate on offer from his bank, Jon compares the services of two specialist money transfer companies as part of his determination to find a more cost-effective transfer solution.
As you can see from the table below, Jon can send an extra USD $13 to his daughter by doing a quick comparison and choosing the second transfer provider.
| Money transfer company 1 | Money transfer company 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | 1 AUD = 0.688 USD | 1 AUD = 0.701 USD |
| Transfer fee | $0 | $0 |
| Transfer method | Online transfer | Online transfer |
| Processing time | 1-3 days | 1-3 days |
| Amount received (in USD) | $688 | $701 |
If you ever find yourself in the situation where you need to send an emergency cash transfer from Australia to Costa Rica, make sure you read the fine print to find out how much your transaction will cost. Urgent cash transfers tend to attract lower exchange rates and higher fees than ordinary transfers, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before you hand over your money.
Western Union and MoneyGram both have transfer locations in Costa Rica and Australia, allowing you to send quick and convenient cash transfers between the two countries. You can see the details of some popular cash transfer locations in Costa Rica below. If you’re picking up cash, contact an agent to confirm their opening hours and remember to take along photo ID to be allowed to access the funds.
Airpak Avenida Segunda
Sobre Ave Segunda Diagonal A
Caja Ande
San Jose, San Jose CR1000
+506-25285850
Open 8:30am to 7pm Monday to Saturday
Prides
San Jose, San Jose CR 1000
+506-25285904
Open 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday
Farmacia Zeledon
Frente Al Parqueo Del Mas X Menos
Limon, Limon
+506-27587778
Open 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm Sunday
25m Sur De La Cruz Roja
Limon, Limon
+506-27510346
Open 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm Sunday
Gonzalez Lahman
Calles 19-21 Avenidas 8 6
San Jose, 1000
22218228
Open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Saturday, 7am to 3pm Sunday
De La Iglesia Santa Teresita
100 Mt. S Norte Servicentro
San Jose,
47006613
Open 8am to 8pm seven days
BCR
Antigua Urbana De Limon
Limon, 70101
221111111
Open 8am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday
Contiguo A Radio Casino
Limon,
40002121
Open 7am to 8pm seven days a week
The Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises visitors to Costa Rica to exercise a high degree of caution, so keep these few simple safety steps in mind when picking up money in Costa Rica:
