This page will help you rent a car with Adobe Rental Cars at the best possible price. Adobe is my favorite company in Costa Rica because it is locally owned, the pricing is transparent because it includes the insurance quote before you book, and the fleet is updated every 12-18 months, so you are driving low-mileage cars.

By booking through the link below, you will receive the following perks:

  • A 5-10% discount on your rental car cost before insurance. This is calculated by season and availability. For example, in December you might only receive a 5% discount because it is high season. But in November, the height of the rainy season, you might receive a 10% discount (or more).
  • Free additional drivers for your trip. $5 per driver per day. Average savings of $35/week.
  • Free car seats and booster seats for your trip. Please note that no rear-facing car seats are available at this time. $4 per seat per day. Average savings of $56/week.
  • Free cooler. $20 total. You must request this directly. Having a cooler is honestly a huge money saver, as we haul around our own beer and soft drinks instead of paying resort prices.
  • Free delivery of car within 15-20 minute radius of an office. This can save you a lot of money because if you arrive late, you can request the car delivery the next morning to your hotel, saving you a half day’s rental cost.

Please make sure to bookmark this page as you shop because if you do not book through the link below, you will not get the discounts. This is especially important if you make several quotes to compare prices.

How To Book:

Use this widget to book your car. If you do not, you will not receive the discounts. Wondering which car to book? See below.

  1. Put in your dates and pickup/drop off location. If you are flying into San Jose late, I highly recommend you stay at the Adventure Inn (10% off coupon here) because Adobe will drop your car off there the next morning. Adventure Inn has a free shuttle to and from the airport. Plus their kitchen is open until 10pm, and a hearty breakfast is included with your stay. If you are dropping off and picking up at a different location, the cost is $50.
  2. Choose your car. (see below)
  3. Determine your insurance. You can reject the Car Protection coverage and use your credit card if it is part of the terms of service in your card agreement. This can save money. However, Costa Rican law states that you cannot leave the country until damages are paid out, so you are responsible for the entire total of the damages before you leave, and then you have to get reimbursed by your credit card company. Lately, we have been opting to just add the insurance so we don’t have the headache if something happens.
  4. Submit your order.
  5. Check your email. You will have a message from reservas@adobecar.com, it may go into your spam folder.
  6. Enter your credit card information. The email contains your link to enter your credit card information to hold your reservation. Your card will not be charged. Your reservation will not be held unless you provide the card. You have 24 hours to enter your credit card information. You can cancel your reservation up to 48 hours in advance with no penalty.

Costa Rican Rental Car Discount Link

Which Car To Book

Knowing which car to book can save you a TON of money. Most all places in Costa Rica will tell you it is better to have a 4×4 car, but these can cost over $1,000 a week, when in reality you can get a car that will be more than fine and cost closer to $600 a week. That’s a lot of money saved!

Here’s what you need to know:

Find out if you really need a 4×4 car. You can double-check with your accommodations. Ask them if a 4×2 will work. If you are driving between the major tourist places in dry season, you don’t need anything more than a 4×2. For the rainy season, a 4×4 is better for more rural places such as Nosara, Drake Bay, Monteverde. Otherwise, a 4×2 is fine.

Decide how many people and how much luggage. If you are 4 or fewer people and light packers, you can get away with a Geely or smaller. We don’t go much smaller than a Creta for 4 people, suitcases and boosters. If you need a more specific recommendation, you can email me at christa at puravidamoms dot com.

Also- don’t forget to get an automatic car if you don’t drive a stick shift!

More Info On Cars

Here are some videos of our favorite cars. Honestly, if you want to spend the money and have an amazing car, get the Hyundai Tucson! It’s awesome- and also the most expensive car in the fleet.

A good 4×2, super economical with gas is the Geeley GX3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ1geSNpGh0

Another great 4×2 but slightly roomier, still good with gas is the Hyundai Creta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGL1fzieLc

Hyundai Kona will get you anywhere you need to go and has a big trunk for extra luggage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daN4WADtkYs

For families larger than 5 people, please feel free to message me for the minivan options. christa at pura vida moms dot com

To see the full fleet of cars, you can visit Adobe Rental Car’s YouTube page.