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Cost Of Shipping A Container To Costa Rica

Published on 2021-08-17

How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Container To Costa Rica?

cost of shipping a container to Costa Rica, shipping company with commercial invoice
Costa Rica Container Shipping Cost

There’s a lot of things to consider when you are going to ship a container across the world. It’s a very complex procedure where mistakes in packaging or documentation can be costly. You should work with a professional, like Three Movers. We can ship to several different countries, including Costa Rica. Let us get your aid started with a breakdown of how the charges are handled for this type of shipping.

Factors That Affect The Cost Of Shipping

When you are shipping a container internationally, distance is a clear price factor. More distance means more fuel and by extension more money. The method of transportation is another cost factor, one that will also determine whether your cargo transportation is priced based on volume or weight during the shipping process.

The destination port and time of the year are also relevant to determining the price. The former will have an impact on the kind of customs duties and service fees you’ll face. For Costa Rica, you’ll most likely be shipping to Puerto Limon by sea, or Juan Santamaria Airport by air.

The time of the year is important because of peak shipping seasons. If you are shipping something during high-demand months, it’ll end up costing more.

Which Size Of Shipping Container Works Best For Me?

There are 16 different types of containers you can use, but most of them are used by big businesses or companies. In reality, most customers select either the 20ft or 40ft options.

A 20ft container will fit the contents of a three-bedroom household. That’s about the size of a garage or 100 washing machines. You can also pack up a car, but you won’t have much space for anything else. If you are shipping more volume than this, go with a 40ft container. The space is double, but not the price.

For both options, you can choose from Full Container Load (FCL) or Less Than Container Load (LCL). Traditionally people select FCL as it means you will have a container all to yourself. It’s more cost-effective and safer. However, if you don’t have enough to fill one up LCL is a good alternative.

International shipments, parcel shipping label San Jose
Instant Rates For Shipping Containers To Costa Rica

Average Container Shipping Rates Estimates

Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping Rates

FCL shipping is best for transporting lots of boxes, pallets and anything which will require a full container shipping to Costa Rica of up to 45,000lbs.

Full Container Load (FCL) Shipping Rates

20 ft Container $1634
40 ft Container $1868

Less Than Container (LCL) Shipping Rates

LCL shipping is more affordable way to transport less than container load shipments to Costa Rica.

Less Than Container (LCL) Shipping Rates

LCL $56/CBM
Personal Effects $430
Household Goods $480
International House Moving Costs

International house moving to Costa Rica services – quick, easy and cheap.

International House Moving Costs

Partial House (2000Lbs & Less) $430
1 Bedroom (3850 Lbs) $2807
2 Bedroom (4500 Lbs) $3305
3+ Bedroom (8750 Lbs) $3904

Container Car Shipping

International auto transport services to Costa Rica via RoRo and container ships. Ship cars, trucks, suvs, atv’s, boats, RV’s, heavy equipment and more.

Container Car Shipping

Sedan (Container) $2156
SUV (Container) $2256
Sedan via RORO $1225
SUV via RORO $1286

Understanding The Different Types Of Freight Transportation

There are three types of freight transportation that you can use. You can ship a container by air freight, ocean freight, or land.

Land freight transportation is reserved for countries where you have direct land access. This is the cheapest of all three options and is available if you are shipping to Costa Rica from the United States. For the land option, you can go with trucks or trains. Trucks have more flexible schedules, but trains are faster and cheaper.

Sea freight is normally best when you have huge volumes of items to move, or land is not an option. This option is slower than the rest, but it has less of a problem with weight.

Finally, air freight shipping is an excellent option if you need your cargo delivered as soon as possible. It’s the fastest of all three, but also the most expensive. Here, the weight of the objects is a critical element.

Additional Shipping Costs

There are a few additional shipping costs that you need to consider:

  • Customs duties
  • Container inspection fees
  • General Rate Increase
  • Inland delivery charges
  • Quarantine fees
  • Insurance

You’ll be facing customs duties where you ship to. For Costa Rica, you are looking at a range between 1 and 15% for them. This ad valorem duty varies depending on the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value of the item.

What’s Next?

If you have already decided on what you’d like to do, then the only thing left to get started is to get a price quote. You still need to get an estimate to have a clear picture of how much it’ll cost you to ship your belongings. We can offer you a reliable quote that’s also free. Simply fill out our web form or call us at (888) 202-0036.

Shipping household items with either a larger container or shipping boxes
Find Cargo Containers For Freight Transport & Relocation

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do FCL and LCL Shipments Have Different Transit Times?

The FCL courses are straightforward. The shipping personnel will not reopen or reload the container once your items have been placed inside. Your container will be delivered to its final destination port or the location specified in your agreement.

Contrarily, LCL shipping is more complicated. The container will be unpacked and updated at numerous ports since it contains cargo from diverse persons. As a result, LCL shipments take longer to arrive than FLC shipments.

What Kind of Taxes, Duties, and/or Fees Do I Have to Pay When Shipping to Costa Rica?

The taxes in a given nation are determined by the local GST/VAT rate, as well as the item category and stated value. The tax & duty threshold is the point at which a person begins to pay taxes on an item’s stated worth.

Costa Rica charges import taxes, including value-added taxes, purchase taxes, uplifts and surcharges, and provincial taxes. Authorities assess import duties and taxes using the CIF system, which means they are based on the value of the imported products as well as shipping expenses.

What Types of Goods Am I NOT Allowed to Ship to Costa Rica?

Every country has its own external trade laws and bans.

If you’re shipping cargo to Costa Rica, try checking out their official website first. This will save you time and money by preventing you from packing things that may lead to a delay or an increase in shipping expenses.

To provide you a broader understanding of what you can’t transport to Costa Rica, here are some examples:

● Acids
● Alcoholic beverages
● Animal products
● Batteries, Haz
● Bearer Documents
● Bio Products, Haz
● Blank forms
● Booklets, brochures (non-adv)
● Chemicals, Haz and Non-Hazardous
● Coffee
● Cologne and Perfume, Haz and Non-Haz
● Corrosives
● Cosmetics
● Cosmetics, Haz
● Dangerous Goods as defined by IATA (Intl. Air Transport Association)
● Drugs, Non-Prescription
● Flammables
● Foodstuffs
● Ice, Dry
● Ice, Wet
● Infectious Substances
● Liquids, Haz
● Log and timber products from Liberia
● Magnetized Materials
● Medical/dental supplies & equipment
● Oxidizers
● Paints, Haz
● Perfume, Haz
● Personal Effects
● Plants and Plant Products
● Poisons
● Radioactives
● Seeds
● Subversive Material
● Telecommunications equipment
● Toiletries, Haz
● Used Shoes
● Used Underwear

What’s the Difference between Shipping Taxes and Shipping Duties?

A government’s income sources include both duty and tax. This money is used on social and developmental projects that the government is responsible for, such as education, health, and security.

Customs duties are a form of tax on cross-border products collected by customs to generate income for the government and to safeguard local businesses.

Import taxes are fees levied by the government on products brought into the nation (imported). Even though the products were purchased outside of the nation, the consumption tax remains in effect and must be collected by customs when the commodities enter the country.

What’s the Difference Between a Freight Forwarder, a Broker, and an NVOCC?

A Freight Forwarder is a firm or operator who, on account of the cargo owner, handles the transfer of commodities from point to point.

The goal of freight forwarding is to guarantee that the cargo is collected from the seller and transported to the buyer at the specified location, at the agreed rate, and in the same condition as when it was picked up from the origin utilizing the most appropriate resources and routing.

Customs brokers assist their clients in breaking down impediments to global trade by enabling the import and export of products across international boundaries. Customs brokers utilize their expertise to help products through customs in other countries, whether you’re a person, a small firm, or a large corporation. Customs brokers decrease the burden associated with overseas shipments for their clients by streamlining the movement of cargo across borders.

Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCC) do not own or operate ocean transport vessels. Instead, they establish arrangements for cargo transportation under their own Bill of Lading, known as the House Bill of Lading, with ship owners, charterers, or shipping companies (HBL).

Customers purchase cargo or container space onboard mainline transport boats from NVOCCs. They lease or rent space aboard ships and then sell it to their customers.

What is the Maximum Weight That Can Be Loaded into a Container?

A container’s payload is its maximum load weight. The weight of the container is indicated on the right container door. The payload limit for a 20ft container is usually 25.000 kg/ 55.126 lb.

Can I Track My Container While It Is in Transit?

Yes, you just need the tracking number of your cargo. Enter the tracking code to the shipping company’s webpage for tracking shipments.


Shipping Containers Worldwide – Popular Routes

Three Movers can help you ship a container from anywhere in the world to Costa Rica:

Afghanistan to Costa Rica
Albania to Costa Rica
Algeria to Costa Rica
Andorra to Costa Rica
Angola to Costa Rica
Antigua to Costa Rica
Argentina to Costa Rica
Armenia to Costa Rica
Australia to Costa Rica
Austria to Costa Rica
Azerbaijan to Costa Rica
Bahamas to Costa Rica
Bahrain to Costa Rica
Bangladesh to Costa Rica
Barbados to Costa Rica
Belarus to Costa Rica
Belgium to Costa Rica
Belize to Costa Rica
Benin to Costa Rica
Bhutan to Costa Rica
Bolivia to Costa Rica
Bosnia Herzegovina to Costa Rica
Botswana to Costa Rica
Brazil to Costa Rica
Brunei to Costa Rica
Bulgaria to Costa Rica
Burkina to Costa Rica
Burundi to Costa Rica
Cambodia to Costa Rica
Cameroon to Costa Rica
Canada to Costa Rica
Cape Verde to Costa Rica
Central African Rep to Costa Rica
Chad to Costa Rica
Chile to Costa Rica
China to Costa Rica
Colombia to Costa Rica
Comoros to Costa Rica
Congo to Costa Rica
Congo {Democratic Rep} to Costa Rica
Croatia to Costa Rica
Cuba to Costa Rica
Cyprus to Costa Rica
Czech Republic to Costa Rica
Denmark to Costa Rica
Djibouti to Costa Rica
Dominica to Costa Rica
Dominican Republic to Costa Rica
East Timor to Costa Rica
Ecuador to Costa Rica
Egypt to Costa Rica
El Salvador to Costa Rica
Equatorial Guinea to Costa Rica
Eritrea to Costa Rica
Estonia to Costa Rica
Ethiopia to Costa Rica
Fiji to Costa Rica
Finland to Costa Rica
France to Costa Rica
Gabon to Costa Rica
Gambia to Costa Rica
Georgia to Costa Rica
Germany to Costa Rica
Ghana to Costa Rica
Greece to Costa Rica
Grenada to Costa Rica

Guatemala to Costa Rica
Guinea to Costa Rica
Guinea-Bissau to Costa Rica
Guyana to Costa Rica
Haiti to Costa Rica
Honduras to Costa Rica
Hungary to Costa Rica
Iceland to Costa Rica
India to Costa Rica
Indonesia to Costa Rica
Iran to Costa Rica
Iraq to Costa Rica
Ireland to Costa Rica
Israel to Costa Rica
Italy to Costa Rica
Ivory Coast to Costa Rica
Jamaica to Costa Rica
Japan to Costa Rica
Jordan to Costa Rica
Kazakhstan to Costa Rica
Kenya to Costa Rica
Kiribati to Costa Rica
Korea North to Costa Rica
Korea South to Costa Rica
Kosovo to Costa Rica
Kuwait to Costa Rica
Kyrgyzstan to Costa Rica
Laos to Costa Rica
Latvia to Costa Rica
Lebanon to Costa Rica
Lesotho to Costa Rica
Liberia to Costa Rica
Libya to Costa Rica
Liechtenstein to Costa Rica
Lithuania to Costa Rica
Luxembourg to Costa Rica
Macedonia to Costa Rica
Madagascar to Costa Rica
Malawi to Costa Rica
Malaysia to Costa Rica
Maldives to Costa Rica
Mali to Costa Rica
Malta to Costa Rica
Marshall Islands to Costa Rica
Mauritania to Costa Rica
Mauritius to Costa Rica
Mexico to Costa Rica
Micronesia to Costa Rica
Moldova to Costa Rica
Monaco to Costa Rica
Mongolia to Costa Rica
Montenegro to Costa Rica
Morocco to Costa Rica
Mozambique to Costa Rica
Myanmar, {Burma} to Costa Rica
Namibia to Costa Rica
Nauru to Costa Rica
Nepal to Costa Rica
Netherlands to Costa Rica
New Zealand to Costa Rica
Nicaragua to Costa Rica
Niger to Costa Rica
Nigeria to Costa Rica
Norway to Costa Rica
Oman to Costa Rica
Pakistan to Costa Rica

Palau to Costa Rica
Palestine to Costa Rica
Panama to Costa Rica
Papua New Guinea to Costa Rica
Paraguay to Costa Rica
Peru to Costa Rica
Philippines to Costa Rica
Poland to Costa Rica
Portugal to Costa Rica
Qatar to Costa Rica
Romania to Costa Rica
Russian Federation to Costa Rica
Rwanda to Costa Rica
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines to Costa Rica
Samoa to Costa Rica
San Marino to Costa Rica
Sao Tome & Principe to Costa Rica
Saudi Arabia to Costa Rica
Senegal to Costa Rica
Serbia to Costa Rica
Seychelles to Costa Rica
Sierra Leone to Costa Rica
Singapore to Costa Rica
Slovakia to Costa Rica
Slovenia to Costa Rica
Solomon Islands to Costa Rica
Somalia to Costa Rica
South Africa to Costa Rica
South Sudan to Costa Rica
Spain to Costa Rica
Sri Lanka to Costa Rica
St Kitts & Nevis to Costa Rica
St Lucia to Costa Rica
Sudan to Costa Rica
Suriname to Costa Rica
Swaziland to Costa Rica
Sweden to Costa Rica
Switzerland, {Eswatini} to Costa Rica
Syria to Costa Rica
Taiwan to Costa Rica
Tajikistan to Costa Rica
Tanzania to Costa Rica
Thailand to Costa Rica
Timor-Leste to Costa Rica
Togo to Costa Rica
Tonga to Costa Rica
Trinidad & Tobago to Costa Rica
Tunisia to Costa Rica
Turkey to Costa Rica
Turkmenistan to Costa Rica
Tuvalu to Costa Rica
Uganda to Costa Rica
Ukraine to Costa Rica
United Arab Emirates to Costa Rica
United Kingdom to Costa Rica
United States to Costa Rica
Uruguay to Costa Rica
Uzbekistan to Costa Rica
Vanuatu to Costa Rica
Vatican City to Costa Rica
Venezuela to Costa Rica
Vietnam to Costa Rica
Yemen to Costa Rica
Zambia to Costa Rica
Zimbabwe to Costa Rica

Written by Chris Townsend

Chris Townsend

Chris Townsend is a moving professional and relocation expert that has more than 10 years of experience in the moving industry. With a background that includes working in virtually every aspect of the company, he has distinguished himself as an integral part of our operations with expertise in all things related to moving.

If you have any questions about moving, our services, or anything else you think he may be able to help with, you can contact Chris by emailing him at [email protected]

Customer Reviews

I want to take a moment to say thank you to the extremely hard working crew that handled my move. I admit I was skeptical of hiring a company to move my household stuff but I was so pleased with the services. These guys packed everything up and had it loaded and delivered in no time at all. Everything was taken care of from start to finish and my wife and I were able to take some much needed time to check out the new town without having to worry about getting things unpacked. Three Movers took care of everything and we really appreciate it!

Jeff T.

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