Often people think it is better to pay everything with a credit card. This is true in many cases because most credit cards have reward systems. So there is a benefit to paying with a credit card and then paying off 
your statement each month.
In Costa Rica you may find using your credit card to be a little more complicated than using it in your country of origin. When paying for different items in Costa Rica one reason you may not want to use a credit card is because most credit cards charge you a foreign transaction fee. What this is basically is your credit card company is going to charge you a percentage of your purchase to figure out how much colones is in dollars so they can bill you.
Another reason you may not want to pay with a credit card is that not all credit cards are accepted everywhere. Though most companies in Costa Rica will accept pretty much all major credit cards there are some credit cards that Costa Rican businesses have trouble with. For example every time I try and use my American Express I have problems with the transaction.
The worst part though is trying to get a hold of customer service; I have tried getting in touch with them through Costa Rican phone numbers which has proven to be almost impossible. I also have a Visa card with my bank, which quite different than the American Express I have had no problems with. My transactions are processed and billed without any problem; they also have a lower foreign transaction fee than American Express. I have had similar problems with Visa and their customer service that I have had with America Express. I believe the reason for this is because there is a problem in calling 800 numbers internationally. For this reason I suggest that you have a United States number like through Skype or any other VOIP company that you desire.
Another thing you may want to make sure of is to let your credit card company know how long you will be out of your country of origin. This isn’t necessary but it helps avoid many headaches. For example when making many purchases outside of your country of origin your credit card company may freeze your account thinking these purchases are due to identity theft. This is actually nice in a way to see your credit card company is actually trying to protect you. You may find that you make a large amount of purchases if you’re buying souvenirs for your friends and family or if you are relocating to Costa Rica.
In order to prevent this all you have to do is call your credit company and let them know when you are leaving the country and when you are planning on returning. If you take care of this before you leave your country of origin than you won’t have to worry about interruptions of service while you are in Costa Rica. The important thing is to do research on your credit card before leaving the country and then making decisions based on your needs.
Facebook
Twitter