How to Call Costa Rica from the US

To call Costa Rica from the US, dial 011 + 506 + the 8-digit number. San José landline example: 011-506-2XXX-XXXX. Costa Rican mobile: 011-506-8XXX-XXXX (leading 6, 7, or 8).

The 011 is the US international exit code. The 506 is Costa Rica’s country code. Costa Rica has no area codes and no trunk prefix, so there is nothing to add or drop — you dial the same 8 digits used locally. On a smartphone you can substitute + for 011, dialing +506 2XXX XXXX.

How to dial Costa Rica from the US

Follow these three steps every time:

1. Dial 011 — the US exit code for all international calls. On a mobile keypad, long-press 0 to enter + as a shortcut; + works identically to 011 on smartphones.
2. Dial 506 — Costa Rica’s ITU-assigned country code, shared with no other country.
3. Dial the 8-digit number exactly as written. There is no area code and no leading 0 to remove. A San José landline written 2222 1234 is dialed in full.

The complete pattern: 011 506 <8-digit number>.

If you see a Costa Rican number already formatted with +506 (common on business cards and websites), replace the + with 011 from a US landline, or dial it as-is from a smartphone.

Costa Rican number format

Costa Rica uses a flat 8-digit national numbering plan administered by SUTEL, the national telecom regulator. There are no geographic area codes — the leading digit identifies the line type, not the city.

Line type	Leading digit	Dial from US
Landline	2	011 506 2XXX XXXX
Mobile	6, 7, or 8	011 506 6/7/8XX XXXX
Toll-free (domestic only)	800 / 0800	unreliable from abroad

Because numbers are not tied to a region, a contact in San José, Liberia, or Limón is dialed exactly the same way. You cannot tell which city a landline is in from the number alone, and mobiles roam nationwide regardless of where the SIM was issued.

History of Costa Rica’s +506 country code

Costa Rica’s country code +506 was assigned by the ITU under the E.164 numbering plan and has been used consistently for the country’s national telephone network.

In 2008, Costa Rica migrated from a 7-digit plan to the current 8-digit format. The reform added a leading 2 to all landlines and standardized mobiles on the 6/7/8 ranges, expanding capacity as mobile adoption grew.

SUTEL continues to govern number allocation, line-type ranges, and carrier portability. The flat structure — no area codes, no trunk prefix — makes Costa Rica one of the simpler Latin American countries to dial from abroad.

Time zone: Central Standard Time, no DST

Costa Rica observes a single time zone year-round:

• Central Standard Time (CST) — UTC-6, in effect all year. Costa Rica does not observe daylight saving time.

US time zone	Offset (US winter / EST period)	Offset (US summer / EDT period)
Eastern (ET)	US +1 h	US +2 h
Central (CT)	same time	US +1 h
Mountain (MT)	US -1 h	same time
Pacific (PT)	US -2 h	US -1 h

Important for business callers: because Costa Rica never changes its clocks, the offset shifts only when the US moves on or off daylight saving. During US summer, Costa Rica matches US Mountain time; during US winter, it matches US Central time.

The overlap with US business hours is unusually generous. A call placed any time between 8 AM and 5 PM ET comfortably reaches a Costa Rican office during its own working day — there is no awkward early-morning or late-night window to manage.

US to Costa Rica calling costs

Costs vary by calling method:

• US carrier per-minute (no plan): major US carriers can charge roughly $1–$3 per minute to Costa Rica without an international add-on. Fine for an occasional call.
• Carrier international add-on packages: a monthly fee reduces the per-minute rate, worthwhile if you call Costa Rica regularly.
• VoIP providers (including DialPhone): flat per-minute rates to Costa Rica that typically undercut carrier add-ons, with no monthly minimum. For US–Costa Rica business calling at any volume, a VoIP plan on DialPhone business phone pays for itself quickly.
• Free app-to-app (WhatsApp, Signal): works if the Costa Rican side also uses the app and has Wi-Fi or data. Not viable for reaching most landlines or businesses directly.

For predictable per-minute pricing without a monthly carrier add-on, a VoIP business line is usually the most cost-effective route for recurring calls.

Calling Costa Rican mobile vs landline from the US

From a US perspective, the dialing procedure is identical for both: 011 506 <8-digit number>. The only difference is the leading digit of the number itself.

• Landlines begin with 2 and are 8 digits total.
• Mobiles begin with 6, 7, or 8 and are also 8 digits total.

There is no separate prefix, no area code, and no extra digit to add for either type. You identify the line type purely from that first digit, which is useful when a US carrier or VoIP plan prices mobile and landline destinations differently.

SMS to Costa Rica and business use cases

US-to-Costa Rica SMS works from most US mobile plans — the same international add-on that covers calls usually covers texts. Address the message in +506 format followed by the 8-digit number.

Business-grade SMS (A2P, bulk, or CRM-triggered) requires a provider supporting international SMS routing to Costa Rican networks.

US–Costa Rica B2B context where this matters most:

• Nearshore operations and BPO: Costa Rica is a leading nearshore hub for US contact centers, shared services, and software teams. Reliable, low-cost two-way calling into San José operations is a daily requirement.
• Tourism and hospitality: US tour operators, travel agencies, and property managers coordinate constantly with Costa Rican ground partners — and a +1 US caller ID that contacts recognize improves answer rates.
• Medical and dental tourism: US patients and coordinators booking procedures in Costa Rica benefit from predictable per-minute rates and timezone-friendly scheduling, given the minimal offset.

A DialPhone business phone plan gives a US team flat per-minute Costa Rica rates and clean caller ID for outbound calls, without the surprise charges of standard carrier international billing.

FAQ

Calling Costa Rica FAQ

What is the country code for Costa Rica? +

Costa Rica's country code is +506. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US international exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 506. From a smartphone that supports E.164 dialing you can substitute + for 011, so +506 works identically.

Do I need to drop a leading 0 when calling Costa Rica from the US? +

No. Unlike many European countries, Costa Rica has no trunk prefix and no area codes. Every number is a flat 8 digits, dialed the same way at home and abroad.

From the US you simply dial 011 506 followed by the 8-digit number — there is no leading 0 to remove. A number written locally as 2222 1234 is dialed as 011 506 2222 1234.

How do I call a Costa Rican mobile number from the US? +

Costa Rican mobile numbers are 8 digits and begin with 6, 7, or 8 in standard format. Dial 011 + 506 + the full 8-digit mobile number.

Example: a mobile written as 8888 1234 is dialed from the US as 011 506 8888 1234. There is no separate mobile area code or extra prefix to add — the leading digit (6, 7, or 8) identifies it as mobile.

What is the best time to call Costa Rica from the US? +

Costa Rica stays on Central Standard Time (UTC-6) all year and does not observe daylight saving. That makes it 1 hour behind US Eastern in winter (when ET is on EST) and 2 hours behind US Eastern in summer (when ET is on EDT).

The overlap with US business hours is excellent: nearly any US working hour reaches a Costa Rican office during its working day. A 9 AM–5 PM ET window lands roughly 7 AM–3 PM in Costa Rica during summer.

How much does it cost to call Costa Rica from the US? +

Standard US carrier rates without an international plan can run roughly $1–$3 per minute to Costa Rica. Carrier international add-on packages reduce this to a lower per-minute rate for a monthly fee.

VoIP providers including DialPhone charge flat per-minute rates to Costa Rican destinations that are typically lower than carrier add-on plans, with no monthly minimum for low-volume callers.

Can I call Costa Rican toll-free (800) numbers from the US? +

Costa Rican 800 and 0800 freephone numbers are free only when dialed from within Costa Rica. Many do not connect at all from the US, and those that do may carry a standard international charge rather than being free.

If you need to reach a Costa Rican business reliably, ask for their standard 8-digit geographic or mobile number and dial it as 011 506 + the number.

Why does Costa Rica have no area codes? +

Costa Rica moved to a flat 8-digit national numbering plan in 2008, expanding from the older 7-digit format and removing geographic area codes entirely.

Since then, every number is the same length nationwide. The leading digit signals the type of line — 2 for landlines, and 6, 7, or 8 for mobiles — rather than a region. This is why there is nothing to drop or add when calling from abroad.

How do I save a Costa Rican number in my phone contacts? +

Save Costa Rican numbers in full E.164 international format: +506 followed by the 8-digit number. For example, 2222 1234 should be saved as +506 2222 1234.

This format works from any country without modification, prevents dialing errors when roaming, and is the standard format expected by CRMs and VoIP platforms including DialPhone.

Related guides

• How to call internationally from the US — exit code 011, country codes, and per-country mobile rules
• DialPhone business phone — international calling plans with flat per-minute rates