Seattle → San José, Costa Rica

San José, Costa Rica

6 nights in San José, Costa Rica

7 days away

San Jose is a practical base for Costa Rican culture, coffee country, cloud forest, and volcano excursions.

Flight

American Airlines / Alaska Airlines · AA Basic Economy outbound / Alaska Saver (X) return

Round-trip fare: $601 per traveler
Outbound: 1 stop in DFW · 2h 28m layover · 10h 34m total
Return: 1 stop in LAX · 2h 00m layover · 11h 35m total
Carry-on: Included
Checked bag: Optional · $103 round trip

Hotel

Casa Lima Bed & Breakfast

Stay: 6 nights
Hotel dates: February 4, 2027 – February 10, 2027
Class: 3-star · Google 4.2
Hotel total: $278
Room: Standard Room, 1 Bedroom, 1 Queen Bed

U.S. passport / entry

Valid U.S. passport for the stay; return or onward ticket required

Passport: Yes
Visa: No
Stay limit: Up to 180 calendar days; immigration officer determines the actual authorized stay.

Details

Return/onward ticket is required. Travelers must be able to show economic means; the Costa Rica Tourism Board states a minimum of US$100 per month or partial month. Yellow-fever documentation is situation-specific based on recent travel/transit history, not a routine Seattle-origin requirement.

Checked September 22, 2026

Verify official guidance →

Top 5 things to do

National Theatre of Costa Rica

Step inside the National Theatre of Costa Rica to see the ornate landmark at the center of San José. It is an easy way to add architecture and local cultural context to a day downtown.

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum

Explore the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum for Indigenous goldwork and archaeology in a focused collection. It gives you useful historical context without requiring a full day away from the center of San José.

Central Market

Browse the Central Market's maze of long-running stalls and stop for a local dish while you are there. It is one of the easiest ways to experience everyday food and market life in the city.

Poas Volcano

Head out to Poas Volcano to see the high-elevation crater and trade the city for a dramatic volcanic landscape. It gives a San José stay an easy dose of Costa Rica's mountain scenery.

Coffee-country day trip

Spend a day in the surrounding highlands learning how Costa Rican coffee is grown and processed. The experience connects one of the country's best-known products with the landscapes where it actually comes from.

What the trip costs

Flight$601 × 1 traveler$601

Hotel6 nights · one room$278

Daily spending$58 per day × 6 nights × 1 traveler$347

Daily spend, explained

Food$37.27/day

Beer$4.40/day

Coffee$4.32/day

Transit$2.20/day

Buffer · 20%$9.64/day

Estimated daily spend$57.83 per traveler

Where this estimate comes from

We use current crowd-sourced Numbeo price estimates for meals, beer, coffee, and local transit, then add a 20% buffer for everyday variation. Numbeo aggregates price reports from people around the world, so these are planning estimates rather than guaranteed local prices.

Average trip cost per day away divides the full estimated trip cost by every calendar day you are away, including travel days. Everyday food and local-transit estimates apply to your time at the destination, so actual spending will vary from day to day.

Estimated total$1,226

What's included in this estimate? +

Included: selected airfare with the Atajo carry-on assumption, selected hotel, estimated everyday food, drinks and local transit, and required entry costs where applicable. Couple totals use two airfares and two daily-spend estimates with one shared room.

Generally not included unless explicitly shown: optional checked baggage, paid attractions and tours, airport transfers, travel insurance, and upgrades.

Prices are planning snapshots, not guarantees. Fares, hotel rates, availability, taxes, fees and booking terms can change, so check final details with the provider before booking. Entry requirements should be verified with official authorities.

Read the methodology →

Optional attractions are not included in the estimated trip total.

Prices are planning estimates and can change before booking.

Ready to book?

Our best-value flight and hotel picks for this trip.

Flight pick

American Airlines / Alaska Airlines

$601round trip per traveler

Seattle (SEA) → San José, Costa Rica · 1 stop each way

Dates: Feb 4 – Feb 10
Fare type: AA Basic Economy outbound / Alaska Saver (X) return
Outbound: 1 stop in DFW · 2h 28m layover · 10h 34m total
Return: 1 stop in LAX · 2h 00m layover · 11h 35m total
Carry-on: Included
Checked bag: Optional · $103 round trip

Check current flights

Hotel pick

Casa Lima Bed & Breakfast

$278total · 6 nights

Stay: 6 nights
Hotel dates: February 4, 2027 – February 10, 2027
Class: 3-star · Google 4.2
Room: Standard Room, 1 Bedroom, 1 Queen Bed

Expedia 8.4/10 · 440 reviews

Pavas/Rohrmoser; U.S. Embassy8minwalk; Sabana4min drive onExpedia;Google nearby busstops5–7minwalk;Google locationoverall4.0 transit4.6.

Rate checked for one room, two adults. Confirm dates, guests, and room type before booking.

Book on Expedia · $278

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Tours & experiences

See what's worth doing in San José, Costa Rica.

Viator is a convenient way to browse tours and activities in one place. Prices can sometimes be higher than booking directly with the tour operator, so it's worth checking the operator's own site before you book.

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