Car rental prices at San Jose Airport, Costa Rica

For November 2026 at San Jose Airport, aim for around $52 a day for a Compact car, such as a Hyundai Verna, booked around a month before your trip. An Economy car, such as a Suzuki Swift, averages $48 a day, while an Intermediate car, such as a Toyota Rav4, averages $56 at that lead time. In the last 2 weeks, a Compact car averages $54 a day, $2 more a day. Use the price checker to compare your quote with prices for your exact dates.

For November 2026 at San Jose Airport, book around a month before your trip: a Compact car averages $52 a day then, against $54 in the last 2 weeks. Across the year, a Compact car averages $98 a day around 9 months before pickup against $53 around 2 weeks before, so you have not necessarily missed a saving by leaving booking until now. Your month's prices favour booking around a month before instead. Across the 395 airports we track car hire prices for, 65% of our customers book within a month of pickup, so booking at that point is common.

Dollar is the cheapest company at San Jose Airport for a Compact car, averaging $34 a day over the last 12 months, but you need a credit card for its $1,502 deposit. Dollar's desk is at the airport, and its average wait is 16 minutes, so allow that time in your pickup plans. Dollar scores 80/100 from 38 recent reviews, giving you a review score to weigh alongside the price. Amigo averages $48 a day for a Compact car over the last 12 months, $14 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 both the cheapest and the best-reviewed qualifying company at San Jose Airport, scoring 80/100 from 38 recent reviews, with an average desk wait of 16 minutes. Dollar averages $34 a day for a Compact car over the last 12 months, so you do not need to pay more to choose the company with the strongest qualifying review score. Alamo and Sixt do not yet have enough reviews for a score, so do not treat their higher prices as evidence of better reviews.

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, you need a credit card at all 16 companies checked, with deposits ranging from $501 at Alamo to $5,008 at Avis; none takes a debit card. If you only have a debit card, filter for debit-card acceptance before comparing prices rather than assuming you can collect the cheapest car. Check the deposit and card rule beside each car, and make sure your credit card has enough available credit for the hold. Extras charged at the desk are listed under each car with their prices.

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 before you commit to a tight onward schedule. All 16 companies checked require a credit card, so do not arrive relying on a debit card. Check available credit before booking: Avis holds $5,008, compared with $501 at Alamo. Allow for the collection queue too: 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 $52 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 $48 a day, though it takes 2 bags. An Intermediate, the Toyota Rav4 size, takes 3 bags and is $56 a day. 64% of rental cars at San Jose Airport are automatic, at $83 a day against $89 for a manual, so tick automatic when you search rather than assuming. No electric or hybrid cars are on offer at San Jose Airport.