Ride Hailing Apps in Costa Rica

Uber dominates Costa Rica's app-based ride market and is the best visitor install. Its official city list includes San José, Río Segundo, Rosario, La Fortuna, Liberia, Limón and Puntarenas as of July 2026, although supply outside Greater San José and Guanacaste tourist areas can be thin. DiDi publishes driver operations in San José, Liberia and San Carlos, and is usually cheaper than Uber on comparable urban trips. inDrive operates in the same main tourist and metropolitan markets and is often the cheapest because riders and drivers agree a fare. All three use English interfaces and foreign phone registration without Costa Rican ID or a local bank account. Uber and DiDi normally accept international Visa and Mastercard cards, while inDrive remains cash-heavy. Keep colones because drivers can prefer cash and a foreign issuer may decline a local online charge. At Juan Santamaría International Airport, Uber provides pickup guidance but official airport taxis have the formal terminal rank. Follow the app pin and do not accept an off-app fare. Ride-hailing legality has remained contested since the government described Uber as unauthorized in 2016, but the apps continue serving passengers in 2026. Uber is normally dearer than DiDi or inDrive but has better availability and support. In Monteverde, the Osa Peninsula, Caribbean beach towns and remote national-park areas, arrange a shuttle or hotel driver because app coverage can disappear completely.