Car hire prices at San Jose Airport, Costa Rica

For November 2026 at San Jose Airport, use £39 a day as your benchmark for a Compact, such as a Hyundai Verna, when booking around a month before your trip. At the same lead time for November 2026, an Economy, such as a Suzuki Swift, averages £36 a day, while an Intermediate, such as a Toyota Rav4, averages £42. In the last 2 weeks, the Compact car averages £41 a day, £2 more a day. Use the price checker to compare your quote for your exact dates.

For November 2026 at San Jose Airport, book around a month before your trip: a Compact car averages £39 a day then, against £41 a day in the last 2 weeks. The broader pattern favours waiting: across the year, a Compact car averages £40 a day around 2 weeks before your trip, from 1,497 prices. If you have not booked yet, the £74-a-day Compact car average around 9 months before your trip, from 1,267 prices across the year, is reassuring rather than a reason to rush. Across the 395 airports covered by our sites, 65% of people booking through our sites do so within a month of pickup.

Dollar is the cheapest company at San Jose Airport for a Compact car over the last 12 months, averaging £26 a day, but you need a credit card for its £1,136 deposit. Dollar's desk is at the airport, and Dollar scores 80/100 from 38 reviews over the last 5 months, so you are not giving up a review score. Amigo averages £36 a day for a Compact car over the same 12 months, £10 more a day, and does not yet have enough reviews for a score.

The cheapest company can cost you a longer queue or a bigger deposit, so check the review score and desk wait beside each car in the results before you book.

Dollar is the best-reviewed qualifying company at San Jose Airport, scoring 80/100 from 38 reviews over the last 5 months, with an average desk wait of 16 minutes. Dollar is also the cheapest for a Compact car over the last 12 months, averaging £26 a day, so start your comparison there. Amigo does not yet have enough reviews for a score; do not treat its lack of a rating as equivalent to Dollar's reviewed result.

Review scores are CarTrawler customers' own, from the last five months; the score and the desk wait sit beside each car in the results.

At San Jose Airport, deposits range from £379 to £3,787, and none of the 16 companies accepts a debit card, so you need a credit card with enough available credit. If you need to use a debit card, filter for that before comparing prices rather than assuming one of these companies will accept it. Check the deposit and card rule beside each car before booking. Extras charged at the desk are listed under each car with their price.

If you bring your own child seat, check your airline's rules first: most carry one free, some charge.

At San Jose Airport, watch out for credit-card-only deposits and desk waits that can delay your departure, especially if you have a long drive after landing. All 16 companies require a credit card, so do not arrive relying on a debit card. Check your available credit against the deposit before booking: Avis holds £3,787, compared with £379 at Alamo. Allow time for collection rather than scheduling an immediate departure; Budget's desk wait averages 23 minutes and Avis's averages 22 minutes.

Only 71% of prices at San Jose Airport are full tank out, full tank back, so read the fuel line under the car before you book.

For up to 5 people with cases, pick a Compact at San Jose Airport, the Hyundai Verna or Hyundai Accent size at about £39 a day in November 2026. It seats 5 but takes 2 bags, so a full car means soft bags on laps. A couple can save a little with an Economy, a Suzuki Swift, at £36 a day, though it takes 2 bags. An Intermediate, the Toyota Rav4 size, takes 3 bags and is £42 a day. 64% of hire cars at San Jose Airport are automatic, at £63 a day against £67 for a manual, so tick automatic when you search rather than assuming. No electric or hybrid cars are on offer at San Jose Airport.