CURRENCY IN COSTA RICA 2025: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW COINS AND BANKNOTES

Are you heading to Costa Rica on vacation or considering buying a property and want clarity with everyday payments?

My native Costa Rica is a country where every day begins with a cup of exceptional coffee and ends with a breathtaking sunset over the Pacific Ocean, all in the spirit of our lifelong philosophy of "pura vida." In 2025, Costa Rica is also undergoing a major practical change: the complete modernization of the national currency and the introduction of a brand-new circulation coin family.

Whether you are heading to Costa Rica to relax or planning to purchase an investment apartment or an ocean-view villa, the colón will accompany you every step of the way. As a private Costa Rican real estate specialist with background from the Embassy of the Republic of Costa Rica in Prague, I have prepared a comprehensive guide to all the updates in cash payments.

WHO THIS ARTICLE IS FOR

This overview will be especially valuable for those who:

• are planning a trip or vacation to Costa Rica and want to avoid confusion when paying in shops and restaurants
• have older Costa Rican coins tucked away from past travels and need to know where and until when they remain valid
• are considering buying real estate in Costa Rica and want a thorough understanding of the local financial and economic environment
• are interested in numismatics, collecting, and Central America's unique cultural heritage.

WHAT IS THE COLÓN AND HOW THE COSTA RICAN MONETARY SYSTEM WORKS

The official currency of Costa Rica is the colón (code CRC), internationally designated by the symbol ₡. It takes its name from explorer Cristóbal Colón (the Spanish name for Christopher Columbus), who reached our country's shores in 1502.

In 2025, the central bank Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) completed a major transformation of its coinage and fully implemented the so-called "cono monetario" (monetary cone). This is a well-engineered coin system where each denomination features a unique size, thickness, and visual design. If you stack the coins by size on top of each other, they form a distinct cone shape, which is where the official name originates.

The new colón coins introduced into circulation are:

• noticeably smaller and lighter compared to previous heavy versions
• made from modern, long-lasting metal alloys
• color- and texture-differentiated for prompt and reliable identification
• bearers of designs that celebrate the biodiversity, geography, and key historic milestones of our nation.

According to the BCCR, the objective was not only to simplify everyday cash transactions and bolster counterfeit protection, but also to express our national identity and pride through every single coin.

OVERVIEW OF THE NEW 2025 COINS: FROM THE COAT OF ARMS TO HISTORIC MILESTONES

The following denominations circulate in regular payments: ₡10, ₡25, ₡50, ₡100, and ₡500. Each denomination features a specific theme.

01₡10 COLONES COIN: NATIONAL COAT OF ARMS

The base coin features the official coat of arms of the Republic of Costa Rica with all its traditional symbols: three volcanoes, two oceans, and the rising sun of freedom.

02₡25 COLONES COIN: HERITAGE OF THE SEVEN PROVINCES

Coins of this denomination depict landmark sights from our seven provinces. The province of Alajuela is represented by the majestic Arenal Volcano, Guanacaste by the historic colonial residence La Casona de Santa Rosa, and Cartago by the renowned Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles.

03₡50 COLONES COIN: RICHES OF TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS

The fifty-colón series showcases Costa Rica's unique wildlife across different ecological zones:

• the legendary blue morpho butterfly of the cloud forest
• the tiny red-webbed tree frog (rana calzonuda) from the lowland rainforest
• the hawksbill sea turtle from coral reefs
• the mangrove crab
• the anole lizard from the tropical dry forest
• the rare mountain rabbit from the high-altitude páramo tundra.

04₡100 COLONES COIN: INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

The one hundred colones coins pay tribute to Costa Rican traditions, music, and crafts. They feature the swing criollo dance style, calypso limonense rhythms, the traditional tope de toros liberiano horse-and-bull parade native to Liberia in the Guanacaste province, cimarrona street brass bands, traditional painted oxcarts (the boyeo y carreta tradition), and decorative Chorotega ceramics from the Nicoya Peninsula.

05₡500 COLONES COIN: HISTORIC NATIONAL MILESTONES

The highest denomination coin commemorates pivotal moments in Costa Rican statehood:

• 200 years of independence (1821)
• 175 years since the proclamation of the Republic (1848)
• 75 years since the abolition of the military (1948)
• 200 years since the voluntary annexation of the Nicoya region to Costa Rica (1824).

KEY 2025 DEADLINE: WHICH COINS ARE CEASING TO BE LEGAL TENDER

If you have colones saved at home from earlier trips, keep this date in mind:

As of July 1, 2025, old large-format coins valued at ₡50 and ₡500 will no longer be accepted in shops, restaurants, or services. Through June 30, 2025, they remain in regular circulation alongside the new issues. Starting July 1, 2025, they can only be exchanged at commercial bank counters in Costa Rica.

POLYMER BANKNOTES IN COSTA RICA

While coins underwent their revamp in 2025, Costa Rican banknotes have been manufactured entirely from specialized polymer since the 2020 to 2021 period. This is a durable, flexible, and fully waterproof substrate. In a tropical climate with high humidity, it lasts significantly longer than traditional paper and withstands everyday wear, as well as accidental dips in the ocean or pool.

Valid banknote denominations:

• ₡1,000
• ₡2,000
• ₡5,000
• ₡10,000
• ₡20,000.

The earlier ₡50,000 banknote was withdrawn from circulation back in 2018 and is no longer encountered in day-to-day transactions.

A COLLECTOR'S ICON: THE 5 COLONES BANKNOTE (ALLEGORY OF COFFEE AND BANANAS)

Among Costa Rican notes, there is one historical treasure that deserves special attention: the famous Billete de 5 colones known as the Alegoría del café y el banano (Allegory of Coffee and Bananas). These two crops form the cornerstones of modern Costa Rica's economic rise and national identity.

In circulation from 1968 to 1992, it remains one of the most sought-after collector souvenirs today. The front displays Costa Rican President Rafael Yglesias Castro alongside the national flower, the guaria morada orchid. The reverse features a famed fresco by Italian painter Aleardo Villa, showing farmworkers harvesting coffee beans and bananas at the port of Limón. The scene combines natural beauty, labor, and the proud story of an entire nation, and it is internationally celebrated as one of the most beautiful banknotes in Latin American history.

A RELIABLE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR TRAVELS AND INVESTMENTS

"When you hold Costa Rican currency, you are holding more than just money; it is the entire story of our country, from respect for nature to the courage to abolish the military. For investors, a stable financial background and a functioning rule of law provide the clearest proof that Costa Rica is a safe haven for both their capital and their lifestyle."

Maria Kopřivová

If you are heading to Costa Rica to unwind, the new coins and polymer banknotes will streamline your everyday purchases. For those considering a property purchase, the stability of the Costa Rican currency and the broader financial system reinforces why the country has long been one of the most desirable destinations for acquiring a second home and securing dependable returns.

CONSIDERING A PROPERTY PURCHASE IN COSTA RICA?

As a native Costa Rican living in Prague with background in Costa Rican diplomacy, I guide investors safely through the entire property acquisition process in Costa Rica:

• I will explain the dynamics of the local market, legal requirements, and banking channels
• we will select vetted apartments, oceanfront villas, or land parcels in safe and sought-after locations
• we will structure the purchase to match your investment objectives, budget, and personal goals.

Do you have questions about traveling, currency, or investment opportunities in Costa Rica? Simply fill out the short contact form below this article. I will be glad to connect with you and discuss your plans in a non-binding personal consultation.