Spend Less on Gas

Spend Less on Gas© 2011 - Creative Commons

Pavones & Zancudo residents lower their cost of living expenses by filling their cars and trucks at the Panamanian border instead of paying Costa Rican gas prices.

Gasoline prices in rural areas such as Pavones, Punta Banco and nearby Zancudo can be $1.00 more per gallon than the average price, primarily because of high transportation costs.

This week's report by CCHAC confirms what we all know: Costa Rica's gas prices are the highest in Central America, and Panama's are the lowest. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.44 in Costa Rica, compared to an average of $3.33 in Panama. (So you might pay $5.50 a gallon!) Generally, Costa Rica's import taxes for petroleum and automobiles are high to supply money for building and repairing the country's infrastructure.

Traveling to "La Bomba" on the border to fill up the gas tank is worth the one and one-half hour drive when the trip can be combined with other errands (new shocks for the truck, anyone?). La Bomba on "La Frontera" (The border) sells empty plastic tanks for approx. $6.00, so it pays to buy an extra tank, fill it up, and put it in the back of the SUV. If you can't travel all the way to La Frontera, then average Costa Rica prices can be found in Laurel or Golfito.

3/16/2011 Update: With rising oil prices, the Costa Rica authority that determines retail gas prices announced that prices will increase c54/liter (roughly 220 colones per gallon, 50 cents) in April; this will be the third price increase in 2011.

Read more Insider Traveler Tips at Good Morning Pavones.com

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