Banks in Costa Rica

Gather general information about Costa Rica banks Information about banks in Costa Rica can be found from the Costa Rican government and from private sources.

I recommend:  Although only available in Spanish, Banco Central de Costa Rica, the central bank of Costa Rica, offers a wide range of economic information about the country. The American European Real Estate Group offers an article on Costa Rican banking with details about the differences between public and private banks. They also offer an article on internet banking in Costa Rica. InfoCostaRica offers an article with general banking information.

Use a list of banks in Costa Rica in order to know which banks will best suit your needs With banks of many different types, Costa Rica banking requires a knowledgeable choice before starting to bank.

I recommend:  Costa Rican banks are listed by Costaricareisen.com. Remember that most banks’ websites are in Spanish, even if the list is in English.

Find out about regulations on foreign banking and investing in Costa Rica Foreigners can bank in Costa Rica but need residency for a checking account and must meet other requirements for savings or business accounts.

I recommend:  CupoTico.com gives details about the regulations concerning the opening of a bank account. Costarica.com gives detailed instructions for any type of bank account in Costa Rica.

Use Costa Rica foreign banks or other private banks Public, government banks in Costa Rica are secure but often frustratingly slow and generally only offer service in Spanish. Private banks tend to be more efficient and are more likely to have English-speaking employees and services.

I recommend:  One of the largest foreign banks in Costa Rica is Scotiabank. They offer online banking information for both business and personal banking.