Bring your Car or Buy in Costa Rica?

Should I bring my car to Costa Rica when I move (or visit long-term), or should I buy one there?

This is one of the most asked questions by people planning to move here, and the answer is it is not a good idea to bring your car here.  We tend to like our cars, and parting with them is often difficult.  Sadly, so is my answer.

When you bring a car to Costa Rica by any means, you are charged import duties.  HUGE import duties.  The import duty on a used car here runs from 45% to 70% of THE RETAIL VALUE of that car!  That is NOT the Blue book, Black book or any other color book friends.  It is the "Costa Rica book", and it is not cheap.  To be clear, that is BOOK price, NOT the price you paid for it in the USA.

On a $20,000 used car, that's from $10,000 to $17,000 in duties depending on the age of the car!. Newer cars actually have MORE duty and older cars have less.. older meaning maybe ten years old.  Also, just to be clear... if you own it (it is titled), it is a used car.

Next, add about $500.00 for freight charges to have it shipped from the US to Puerto Limon where you will have to drive to get it!

Finally, once it is here, you will still need to have it inspected, pay your Marchamo, and insurance.  Ugh!  With those costs, you better REALLY be in love with the old wagon.

Next, models of cars in the USA and other countries are not the same as here. Some are not offered... some have different names model names here.  I owned a Toyota Avalon in the US and it is not even sold here. That means parts can be a real problem. Some may have been interchangeable with a Camry, but many others weren't.

Finally, any warranty that you have or would have on a US purchased automobile (new or used) is very likely not valid here.

To buy a car here, I recommend a dealer, used or new, and make SURE you have the car inspected by a competent mechanic before you sign the papers.  It must be able to pass the Inspection.  If not, there could be a lot of hidden expenses.  A private sale is not out of the questions, but then, the mechanic's inspection is even more important.  The best prices are always in the Spanish language newspapers like La Nación. Also, there is a ton of paperwork buying a car here and the dealer will do all the footwork.

Also see Owning a Car in Costa Rica