There are 4 ways to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica by plane, bus, car, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport
best- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane LAX - SJO
9h$222–655Bus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 16h$380–442Drive 5,354.4 km
- Drive from Santa Monica to San Josécar 5,354.4 km
2d 18h$718–1,038Fly to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane LAX - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas
12h 10m$825–1,882
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $220 - $700 and takes 9h.
The fastest way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 9h and costs $220 - $700.
The distance between Santa Monica and Costa Rica is 4406 km. The road distance is 5354.4 km.
The best way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 16h and costs $380 - $450.
It takes approximately 9h to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica, including transfers.
The best way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 9h and costs $220 - $700. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $380 - $450 and takes 4 days 16h.
Costa Rica is 1h ahead of Santa Monica. It is currently 2:31 AM in Santa Monica and 3:31 AM in Costa Rica.
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Monica to Costa Rica is 5354 km. It takes approximately 2 days 18h to drive from Santa Monica to Costa Rica.
There are 752+ hotels available in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between Santa Monica, CA, USA and Costa Rica?
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Delta, and four other airlines fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Downtown Santa Monica Station to Terminal NicaBus via Pico Station, Pico / Flower, Union / Olympic, Los Angeles, and Managua in around 4d 16h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 41m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $350–1,400
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $390–1,500
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–750
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–750
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 52m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 52m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $420–1,600
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 39m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Website
- vivaaerobus.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 5m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $190–650
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston Hobby Apt
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 10m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $350–1,400
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- info@boletosdebus.com
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $340–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- Nicabusinternacionalsa@gmail.com
- Website
- nicabus.com.ni
Bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- https://nicabus.com.ni/en/
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- info@ridecr.com
- Website
- ridecr.com
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $269
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
Shuttle from Monteverde to Puntarenas
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $209
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–69
- Website
- https://tropicaltourshuttles.com/
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