Comments on: Sending a Letter or Package to Costa Rica

By: Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:49:28 +0000

Well i mail packages to costa rica and some arrive and others no. You have to put the town first the particular area and descriptions like two story blue house ( casa azul de dos plantas ) and ask the person you are shipping to to read you off the number of the house on electric bill. This helps your chances and i noticed the things i did not insurr were more likely to arrive.

By: Jorge

Jorge — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:10:37 +0000

Hey Jo,

I used to live in Cartago, Cartago’s postal code is 07050. If you want to write a letter AND you have a house number it should look like:

Calle X, Casa #27
San Rafael, Cartago, 07050
Costa Rica

Try to get a close landmark, like “Across the street from Banco Nacional”, that usually helps, just make sure it’s close enough and be descriptive as, even though street numbers EXIST, they are not used.

Calle X, Casa #27
(Frente al Banco Nacional)
San Rafael, Cartago, 07050
Costa Rica

If you have them get a PO box it’s even easier, and it only costs a few bucks a year, it saves the last mile and the address would look like:

Apt. Postal. #123
Cartago, 07050, Costa Rica

By: Dina

Dina — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:53:15 +0000

There is no such thing as a zip code per se here in Costa Rica. I have no idea what 30701 is, but this is probably why you keep get letters back that are undeliverable. Also, we don’t have house numbers, there are a limited number of streets/avenues that are actually numbered in the San Jose area, and very few locations within CR actually deliver to homes. More common is an APDO# which is within the local post office. The person rents a box and has to pick up their mail in person. Hope this helps.

By: Jo

Jo — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:15:20 +0000

I have relatives living in Cartago. There’s a section of Cartago called San Rafeal – Oreamuno. Every time I send a card or letter, it comes back reading “NOT DELIVERABLE AS ADDRESSED.” It’s very frustrating. I just received an email from one of the relatives there to address mail to a particular Avenue # and a particular Street #. I’m guessing the Street # is the # on the house. I’m thinking the zip code for Cartago is 30701 but I could be wrong or don’t they even use zip codes in Costa Rica? I mail cards and letters all over the world and none come back except Costa Rica.

By: Meg

Meg — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:58:06 +0000

This is a helpful post…but like was stated above…do not expect all items to arrive in one piece, or at all. It’s not just a black hole because it gets lost, many things get stolen once they arrive in costa rica…even things that you don’t see as very valuable. from letters, to small gifts inside an envelope, to boxes within larger boxes…be careful what you ship, and beware the possible loss of these things. one company i am finding very useful if you have a lot to ship is Barquero. they ship from many places in the US…i think the minimum price is $120 for an 18x18x24″…but they do it by size of package, not by weight, and they take it from door to door, so you dont have to worry about it being handled by non-officials outside of the company.

By: swan

swan — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:50:47 +0000

Thanks, very helpful. I just went to DHL to ship an 8 pound package from Los Angeles to Limon, CR and the cost was $287, so I went to FedEx- even more $387. So just going to split it up into two 4 pound enveplopes for $15 each by USPS.

By: Phoebe

Phoebe — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:43:54 +0000

Thanks, this was exactly what I needed!

By: bert

bert — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:02:49 +0000

not helpfull at all!