www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Currently it is 550 collones to 1 dollar. How are you guys converting this? It makes for hard math to always have to divide by 550. Any advice?

Before I go, I usually go to xe.com, figure out what the value is for 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 colones, then just write it on a small slip of paper & keep it in the spare wallet that I carry when I'm on holidays, there's not much else in there, just the cash that I'm likely to spend. If I ever want to convert, I just pull out the slip. Simple math takes care of the rest, ie. if I'm looking to convert 4000 colones, obviously just double the US equivalent on the slip of 2000, & so on.

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I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

FXCheatSheet http://www.oanda.com/currency/travel-exchange-rates

The problem is, according to Brother Orange's post on 13 Oct. 09 ("Search" for oanda to find it), that this lists the sell rate, not the buy rate, meaning a serious haircut for the buyer--for example today they list the ratio at $1 USD = 534 CRC. A better choice is the National Bank rate here: http://www.bncr.fi.cr/ which lists both buy and sell rate. Then there's a box on AMCostaRica's front page linking to all the buy/sell rates at every major CR financial institution http://www.amcostarica.com . Myself I do my buying and eventual selling at the Dunn Inn's front desk--true rate there.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

A quick and dirty way is to go to google, and type in "x USD in CRC", so for $100 you type 100 USD in CRC and you get:

100 U.S. dollars = 54 436.5814 Costa Rican colones

But the quick and dirty way is to just double and divide by 1000, then add a bit for fudge factor.

10,000 = 20,000 / 1000 = $20

$20 = 10 * 1000 = 10,000.

In reality, $20 is more like 11,000 and 10,000 is more like $18, but it gives you a ballpark.. just ad some fudge factor to get close to make sure you're not being taken advantage of.

Use MadGerman's formula but subtract 10% at the end

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BKTUNA/Boyd
I am never going home

Do it in $10 increment or $100

$1=550
$10 =5500
$100= 55000
$1000= 550000

so see it not difficult.. just add an extra 0 for each increment by the power of 10

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"THE TRUTH IS' EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HURT YOU. YOU JUST GOTTA FIND THE ONE WORTH SUFFERING FOR"
Robert Nesta Marley

Round it off to 500 colones = 1 USD. From there its simple....just double it (ie 1,000 col = $2, 5,000 col = $10, 10,000 col = $20, etc). Yea its not 100% on the nose, but close enough for me.

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"Reality manages to phuck up every fantasy I've ever had....except in CR!"

Thats exactly what I do. Well done sir.

it worked for me too. I had no problems with the conversion as long as the girls are not stealing it.

Jason

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Remember in Costa Rica when you get off the plane not every girl is a hooker
on her knees waiting to blow you for 50 cents.

I am a pu*sy pirate, call me Jack Sparrow, take off my pants and see my flesh arrow.
"Boats and Hoes"

That's how I do it. It's still not exact, but better than just using the 500:1 rate.
If you're converting colones to dollars, subtract 10%. If converting dollars to colones add 10%.


For example:

how much is ¢10,000 worth in USD?
10,000 = $20 - 10% ($2) = $18 (it's more like $18.50 but close enough)

how much is $20 worth in CRC?
$20 = ¢10,000 + 10% (1,000) = 11,000 (it's 10,800 so the difference is minimal)