How to send money to Costa Rica in 2026: colones or dollars in 1-3 business days and transfers by phone
Costa Rica receives transfers in colones and dollars to a 22-character account number. How to read this number, what limits apply to transfers by phone since June 2026, what the bank will check and how much to send for a house and a residence permit.
In short
- The account number has 22 characters and has been required for transfers since January 2017.
- Banks keep accounts in colones and US dollars.
- By phone since 1 June 2026 - up to $1,100 a day through the app.
- Foreign income is not taxed; interest in the country is taxed at 15%.
In detail
Yes, in 2026 money is sent to Costa Rica by ordinary bank transfer, in colones or in US dollars. The key is the recipient's 22-character account number: it was introduced for all the country's banks in January 2017, and together with the bank code it takes the payment to the right account without manual clarification. Within the country money moves instantly through the central bank's system, and new daily limits for transfers by phone number have applied since 1 June 2026. Costa Rica does not tax foreign income.
| How to send | Status in 2026 | Credited in | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer in dollars | works | dollars to a dollar account with no exchange | 1-3 business days | a 22-character account number, the bank code, the recipient's name |
| Bank transfer in colones or to a colón account | works | colones at the bank's rate | 1-3 business days | the same details and the payment purpose |
| Instant transfer between banks in Costa Rica | works | colones or dollars | seconds, around the clock | the 22-character account number |
| Transfer by phone number | works, new limits since 1 June 2026 | colones | seconds | a mobile number linked to the account |
| Transfer to a Costa Rican bank card | works | the currency of the card account | as for a transfer to an account | the number of the account the card is issued to |
The table was checked on 8 October 2026 against the website of the Central Bank of Costa Rica. Dollars on this page are at the central bank rate for 7 October 2026: 453.46 colones per dollar buying and 457.80 selling, converted at the selling rate and rounded up.
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The 22-character account number: how to read it
An account number in Costa Rica follows the international standard: two country letters, two check digits, a zero and the 17 digits of the client account that banks issued before. Since 22 January 2017 the central bank's payment system accepts transfers only to such a number. For a transfer from abroad, the bank's international transfer code and the recipient's name and address are added to it.
The check digits catch a typo at the sender's end: the bank will not send a payment to a number where even one digit is wrong. So it is better to copy the number in full from the recipient's bank app rather than type it by hand.
Colones or dollars: which account to receive into
Banks in Costa Rica keep accounts both in colones and in US dollars, and the central bank's payment system transfers both currencies. The colón is strong in 2026: the rate holds around 450-460 colones per dollar. Dollars sent to a dollar account arrive with no exchange; for a colón account the recipient's bank converts them at its own rate.
A practical set-up for someone moving is two accounts: a dollar one for large sums, rent and a purchase, and a colón one for daily expenses, utility bills and taxes. Money moves between them within the bank in minutes.
Transfers by phone number: new limits since 1 June 2026
Between banks in Costa Rica instant payments go through the central bank's national payment system in seconds, around the clock. An ordinary interbank transfer works on the system's business days, from 7:00 to 18:00. A mobile number is linked to the account, and money is sent to it without details.
From 1 June 2026 the central bank changed the rules for transfers by phone. By text message or through a messenger you can send no more than 100,000 colones a day, which is $220, and only if the client has authorised this sum in advance. Through the app or online banking the limit is up to 500,000 colones a day, which is $1,100; the client sets the sum. For large payments within the country an ordinary transfer by account number remains.
What a bank in Costa Rica will ask about the money
Banks check clients under Law 7786 on countering money laundering and supervisory rule 12-21, in force since 1 January 2022. The bank places each client in a low, medium or high risk group and checks the source and origin of the money. In a large bank's list for 2024, a non-resident foreigner needs a passport with a valid period of stay, a document showing a link to Costa Rica (work, family, property or business), and if the person is abroad, an apostille on the passport or a copy certified by a Costa Rican notary. The client form includes the source of income and expected turnover.
| Amount | The question from a bank in Costa Rica | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | who sent it and why | details and the payment purpose |
| $10,000-$150,000 | the source of the money and how it matches the client form | an income certificate, a statement, a sale contract |
| From $150,000, the investor residence permit threshold | the origin of the whole sum and the purpose of the investment | a contract for the sale of a previous asset, a tax return, a purchase contract |
Is the transfer held up by a check while the deal date is already set? Describe the situation to a manager: they will tell you which documents the bank in Costa Rica accepts and suggest a working option for your deadline. General rules for preparing the papers are in sending a large sum abroad.
We will help you send money to Costa Rica
Mistakes cost more than fees: an account number typed by hand with a typo, dollars to a colón account with an extra exchange, a large sum without documents for the bank's client form, money for a house that arrives after signing at the notary. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and currency of the transfer for the sum, collect documents on the origin of the money for the bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners through to crediting.
Details and the cost are with a manager in the chat: it all depends on the amount, the purpose of the transfer and your status in Costa Rica.
Taxes: foreign income 0%, interest in the country 15%
Costa Rica taxes income on a territorial basis: foreign salary, dividends, interest and pension are not taxed for either a resident or a non-resident, so transferring your own money creates no tax. Income from Costa Rica is taxed: the bank or company withholds 15% from deposit interest and dividends of a local company. There is no inheritance or gift tax in the country.
On 22 September 2026 the government submitted bill No. 25.796 to parliament: a 15% tax on foreign interest, dividends and capital gains for all tax residents, with credit for tax paid abroad. As of the check date the territorial principle applies, and a manager follows the bill when calculating taxes for your transfer.
A person becomes a tax resident after 183 days in the country in a calendar year. The 2026 rates are on the taxes in Costa Rica page.
A house by the ocean and a residence permit: how much to send
A temporary investor residence permit under Law 9996 is granted for an investment from $150,000; when buying a home, its registered value counts. A person of independent means proves income of $2,500 a month or a deposit of $60,000, and a pensioner a pension from $1,000 a month. The Law 9996 benefits for new residents, including the tax discount on buying a home, could be requested for five years from July 2021; that period ended in July 2026.
On a purchase a 1.5% transfer tax is paid on the larger of the two sums: the contract price or the tax value. The notary withholds it, and by custom the seller and buyer split the tax in half; registration and stamp duties and the notary's fee under the official scale come on top. The buyer's money passes through the escrow account of an independent company, and the seller receives it after the transfer of title is registered in the National Registry.
So the sum for the deal is sent in advance, so that by signing the bank has already checked its origin. Choosing between a home and a deposit for a residence permit? A manager will suggest the best way to send the sum for your option. The terms are covered on the Costa Rica residence permit page, and a comparison with its neighbour in Panama or Costa Rica.
From Costa Rica to neighbours in the Americas
- Mexico: pesos, an account and a flat on the coast.
- USA: dollars, taxes and an account by passport.
- Nicaragua: the national currency is the córdoba.
- Honduras: the northern neighbour.
- Argentina: a dollar account and a tax ID.
- Panama: the dollar is legal tender, no exchange needed.
Choosing a country for a move with your money is on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
What does the recipient's account number look like in Costa Rica?
How much can be sent by phone number in Costa Rica?
Does Costa Rica tax income received abroad?
What tax is withheld from deposit interest at a bank in Costa Rica?
How much do you need to invest for an investor residence permit in Costa Rica?
Who pays the transfer tax when buying a house in Costa Rica?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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