Hello Bobshere...whassup?
Welcome to CRT, and thanks for posting questions the best way possible.
I echo BKTuna's offer: If you get stuck, can't find info...PM me or go ahead and post. Now that you're a VIP member, use the VIP forum for any "sensitive"
questions.
There is a mountain of information here, and sometimes it's hard to find answers quickly. If after having done some research you're still stuck...give
a shout. We're here to help.
Be sure to read the Newbie's section, especially the "sticky" posts from Ace, Orange and my report on taxis. Costa K*D's links list is also invaluable,
as is King Costa's primer on how to negotiate in the BM/KL.
You asked about how much money per day, and no one has yet answered, so I'll take a shot. The amount you'll need depends on your need for creature comforts,
how much you intend to screw, what you like to eat and drink, etc. Here are some general budget lines to consider:
1. Airport taxi to hotel = $18.00 - 20.00
2. Departure Tax, payable just before you check in for your flight home = $26.00
Hotel room: As low as $15.00/night (Nuevo Johnson) to $250.00/night (Hotel M., Zona Blue suite) Add 16.5% room tax to any price quoted to you. Breakfast
is often included in the room rate.
4. Meals = $3.50 for a big lunch at a locals' "soda" to "the sky's the limit." McDonald's is more expensive than in the States. You'll find all the fast-food
chains you can stomach.
Local places are often cheaper and better quality. Read the Restaurant section for tips and reviews.
5. Booze: 500 colones (less than a buck) at the cheapest bars, $5.00 for a beer at the touristy places. Local rums are inexpensive. American whiskey
is very expensive. Buy a bottle or three on your way into the airport; the duty-free shop is before you even hit Customs!
6. Taxis - About half the cost per mile of U.S. mid-sized cities. Most trips around downtown will not cost more than $4.00 absolute max.
7. Prostitutes: $12.00 (half hour on Calle 6) - $150.00 - 200.00/hour (high-end independents at the del Rey, if you're dumb enough to pay it). Remember
that the average unskilled tico worker makes less than $250.00/month.
8. Tips. Tipping is not customary in Costa Rica. A 10% service charge is already figured into your bar bill or restaurant check. Yes, you should tip
your room maids and hotel porter (if he carries a suitcase for you). Yes, you're free to tip at restaurants too for excellent service. Taxi drivers do
not expect tips. IMHO for prostitutes: I'll tip massage parlor girls, but the independent whore has already agreed to her best price, and unless she figuratively
has blown me away, no tip for her.
9. Gambling: Only you can answer this. I don't gamble, except for the occasional pass by a slot machine.
10. Incidentals: Tours, transportation and other vacation activities in C.R. aren't terribly expensive, but may cost more than you think. From what I've
read here, deep-sea fishing for example is very expensive, as are some jungle tours and rafting trips. OTOH, your CRT buds have already done a lot of
research on non-mongering activities; plenty of info is right here for you.
My budget excluding hotel and airfare is usually about a hundred bucks per day. YMMV.
Again, welcome to CRT!