www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Hi there wanted to know how much money would you need for a week? For example zona 2, scores, strip clubs
and independent chicas? What are the prices in the bars so I don't get riped off?

490/500

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It is easier to ask Forgiveness than to ask Permission.

The exchange rate has gone above 500 for the first time in a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time!!

BCR and Banco National were both at 504 late today. A friend got 509 earlier today!!! Wonder how long it will stay above 500?????? Will be surprise if it stays there till the 3rd when all us expats get our SS check. Quite often it will go up for a few days just before, then go down by the 3rd.

Scores and Zona2 chica prices are around $50-$55. Strip club chica prices run from about $32 for short time in the Tico places to as much as $300 (or more) in the rip off clubs. Independents in the Rey and SL will usually ask "cien" especially if they think you are a newbie (and they can tell). Most will go for $80, many will for $60, and a few will for even less. It all depends on the chica, how she feels about you, and your negotiating skills. The Tico MPs run from a low of $14 for 20-30 minutes to as much as $140 for an hour with the majority charging c16000 to c20000 ($32-$40) for an hour.

Food is expensive here. Plan on spending as much or more as you would in the States. If you eat in Tico Sodas is will be less but even they can be kind of expensive. Drinks at bars are not cheap especially the gringo places. What you spend again is dependent on what you drink and where!!!

In short you can spend as much or as little as you would like here!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I was wondering about this. What kind of pricing are we talking about?

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Take The Highway To The End Of The Night...The Doors

I ate and had a couple of drinks at the Lodge last night.
Imperial Light-less than $2
Rum and Coke $3.50
Regular coke- less than $2, bottles, no free refills
Lemonade less than $2
Casado- typical local plate- pork, rice, beans, salad $4.50 ( not huge portions)
Total almost $16.
LESS 10% CRT discount.
Add about 11% sales tax and 10% gratuity my bill was almost 8700 col. or $18 in US

Pay in local money right now, I got 506 to 1 yesterday, most businesses exchanging at 480 to 1

Also had a Chicken enchilada for about $8, good sized portion with rice, beans, salad and plantains.

FLABUCK, try out amistad food. the whole menu is quality. not fried.

As of this morning the exchange rate has moved up higher than it has been in a long time (4+years I think-can't remember exactly) BCR and Banco National are 514 to 1. Banco Popular is 519, and Banco Bansol is 517. Funny the rip-off exchange at the airport is still 445. Most of the exchange places down town like the Service-Max in the Walmart and MasxMenos stores are at 514.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Wow, any chance that hold until march 18th ?

The government supposedly tried to curtail the rapid incline of the dollar here but it did not work. Word going around is that it will continue to go up!!! We hope!!!! But I am sure the clerks in the stores here are also busy changing prices upward!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

N2- I have stayed at the LA and gave the food very good reviews on this site. My point was that you can eat and drink cheaply at a place many people frequent.
I wanted to post actual information from a night at Sportsmens.

I always seem to burn through more money down here than I expect, and I know the cheap places to drink and eat. I believe, no matter what the exchange rate is, it will be a minor blip on your bill for your vacation, but probably will be more significant for the expats.

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" Omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition."

As of 10AM, 21/2/14:

Banco National-526
BCR- 526
Banco Bansol- 530
Banco Popular- 530
BAC- 525
Money exchange at the airport next to baggage claim--455. Why would anyone change money there

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

all the rates http://indicadoreseconomicos.bccr.fi.cr ... nilla.aspx

I found the rate to be 549.5 as of tomorrow.

seems like the dollar rallied 10 percent against this currency in a short amount of time.

buying a bucket of beers on ice can stretch the dollar when buying drinks. Chubbs sports bar does

that still I believe.

the pizza joints have good prices for lunch down the street from Del Rey.

fred 757

Here are the rates on 3/7/14 for some of the banks downtown:

Banco Citibank de Costa Rica S.A. 558
Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) 557
Banco Scotiabank de Costa Rica S.A. 557
Banco BAC San José S.A. 555 --- THIS IS THE BANK AT THE AIRPORT UPSTAIRS
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica 555
Banco Crédito Agrícola de Cartago 555