Currency: Costa Rican colón

Meals Budget: US$3-10

Mid-range: US$10-20

High: US$20-25

Deluxe: US$25+

Lodging Budget: US$5-15

Mid-range: US$15-40

High: US$40-70

Deluxe: US$70+

If you're coming from one of the poorer neighbourhoods such as Nicaragua or Honduras, Costa Rica can strike you as the rather well-to-do Central American cousin with a proportionately high-cost lifestyle.

In reality, it's a fast-developing country with an unabashed interest in the tourist dollar that, nevertheless, still has hotels and hostels for the shoestring traveller. If you're travelling with someone else and don't mind a bit of grudge living and a few low-rent meals, you should be able to scrape by on 35 a day.

If you're planning to have your own bathroom, eat decently and catch an occasional plane, 40 to 60 should cover your needs.

Travellers expecting to be very comfortable can easily spend $100 to $150 per day, depending on their definition of comfort.

The best tours cost upwards of $200 per day, but these include flights and first-class accommodations and services.

If you want to change cash, stick to US dollars (but make sure they're in decent condition and avoid $100 bills - due to a counterfeiting scam, most Costa Ricans won't touch them).

US dollars are your best bet for traveller's checks as well, as other currencies will rarely be accepted - any of the major brands will do.

If you buy colones with your credit card, expect to get hit with a huge interest bill. Banco Popular, ATH and Credomatic have the largest number of ATMs and their networks often extend as far as the smaller towns and cities.

Some banks, though, such as branches of Banco Nacional, accept cards held by their customers only.

Visa and MasterCard are the most widely-accepted credit cards; you may have some trouble with American Express.

You don't usually need to bother with tipping at restaurants, as most add a 10% tip (plus 15% tax) to the bill.

You should tip bellboys and room cleaners about $0.50, tour guides $1 to $5 a day per person.

Of course, if the service is excellent or lousy you should use your own discretion.