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$162–475Bus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 16h$380–444Drive 5,355.1 km
- Drive from Santa Monica to San Josécar 5,355.1 km
2d 18h$719–1,038Fly 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 5m$735–1,982
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 $160 - $480 and takes 9h.
The fastest way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 9h and costs $160 - $480.
No, there is no direct bus from Santa Monica to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from Wilshire / Lincoln and arriving at Terminal NicaBus via Westlake Ave & Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles and Managua. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 16h.
The distance between Santa Monica and Costa Rica is 4406 km. The road distance is 5355.1 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.
Santa Monica to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, depart from Los Angeles station.
The best way to get from Santa Monica to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 9h and costs $160 - $480. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $380 - $450 and takes 4 days 16h.
Santa Monica to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, arrive at Managua station.
Costa Rica is 1h ahead of Santa Monica. It is currently 3:21 PM in Santa Monica and 4:21 PM 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 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Wilshire / Lincoln to Terminal NicaBus via Wilshire / Alvarado, Westlake Ave & Wilshire Blvd, Union Ave & James M Wood Blvd, Los Angeles, and Managua in around 4d 16h.
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–750
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–750
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $410–1,700
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $350–1,500
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 41m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,400
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,500
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 36m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,400
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $420–1,700
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
- Website
- vivaaerobus.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 20m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $170–550
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston Hobby Apt
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,500
- 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 1970
- 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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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Monica to Costa Rica is 5355 km. It takes approximately 2 days 18h to drive from Santa Monica to Costa Rica.
There are 743+ hotels available in Costa Rica.






