Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, a 20' container to Costa Rica costs from $1,512 port-to-port (October 2026 quote) and a 40 HC from $1,814, depending on your origin port. Ocean transit runs 14 days from New Jersey to 17 days from Miami, to either Moín or Puerto Caldera.
- The 40' HC holds significantly more volume than the 20'; the breakeven point versus LCL is around 12–14 cubic meters.
- 2026 reference rates from Miami, Houston, New Jersey, and Los Angeles are in the pricing table below the Quick Answer and update automatically.
- Import duties are not freight: in Costa Rica the DAI ranges from 1% to 15% ad valorem and VAT is 13% on most imported goods.
- Under CAFTA-DR, goods originating in the USA enter duty-free since January 1, 2015, but origin must be certified and VAT still applies.
Costa Rica receives cargo through two separate gateways: Moín (CRLIO) on the Caribbean and Puerto Caldera (CRCAL) on the Pacific. Choosing the wrong port can cost more in inland drayage than the difference in freight between two carriers.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →Reference prices: container shipping from the USA to Costa Rica
| Port | 20 ft | 40 HC | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| MiamiPort Everglades | $1,674 | $2,160 | 17 days |
| Houston | $1,577 | $1,814 | 15 days |
| New JerseyPhiladelphia | $1,674 | $2,160 | 14 days |
| Los AngelesCheapest | $1,512 | $2,160 | 16 days |
Port to port to Moin or Puerto Caldera Costa Rica, in USD, quoted with our system on October 26, 2026. Includes freight and US export charges; excludes import taxes and destination charges. General cargo. The calculator on this page gives your exact price, with pickup and delivery.
Shipping from another state? Which port to read
Each port in the table is the one that cargo from these states usually leaves through. Miami: Florida. Houston: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. New Jersey: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia. Los Angeles: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii. Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama ship through Savannah; Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota ship through Chicago (rail); Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska ship through Seattle / Tacoma: those ports are not in the table yet. We pick up in every state, and the calculator finds the best port from your city.
What is a container calculator and what data does it need to quote Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: A container calculator is a tool that converts four data points—origin, container size, destination port, and cargo type—into a real ocean freight rate. For Costa Rica you need to specify whether you're discharging at Moín (Caribbean) or Puerto Caldera (Pacific), because the route and inland drayage to San José change.
A container calculator Costa Rica doesn't guess. It reads the current carrier tariff for that port pair and returns a number. The more exact data you enter, the closer the quote lands to your final price.
Minimum input data
- City or port of origin in the USA — Miami, Houston, New Jersey, or Los Angeles are our primary gateways to Central America.
- Container size — 20', standard 40', or 40 HC (High Cube), the most common on this route.
- Estimated cargo weight in kilograms, because payload limits hit before volume on dense cargo.
- Discharge port — Moín or Puerto Caldera, depending on where your warehouse is located.
What the calculator returns
The output is a port-to-port freight rate in USD, ocean transit days, and surcharges the carrier includes in the tariff. That covers BAF (bunker adjustment factor), ISPS, and origin THC per the carrier's tariff.
What the calculator does not include is as important as what it does. It excludes DAI, the 13% VAT, your customs broker's fees, storage in a bonded warehouse, or inland drayage to San José or Alajuela. Those are destination costs charged by a third party, not the carrier.
Operations tip
If you don't know which port your cargo leaves from, the calculator assigns by region: Florida → Miami, Texas and the central states → Houston, California and the Southwest → Los Angeles, the Northeast → New Jersey. A supplier in Atlanta typically prices near Miami rates. One in Dallas, near Houston rates.
The same logic applies to other cargo types. If you're moving a vehicle instead of general cargo, check how the car shipping calculator to Colombia works: the fields change, but the principle is identical.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →How much does it cost to ship a container to Costa Rica in 2026?
Quick Answer: In October 2026, AB Group Shipping quotes a 20' container to Costa Rica from $1,512 port-to-port and a 40 HC from $1,814, depending on your origin port. Price shifts monthly, so the table below the Quick Answer is your live reference.
The price of a container to Costa Rica depends mainly on your origin port. The same container costs differently from Houston than from Miami, because they're different carrier services and vessel rotations.
Port-to-port freight to Costa Rica by origin · general cargo
See the data
| Origin port | 20' general cargo | 40 HC general cargo | Ocean transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | from $1,512 | from $2,160 | 16 days |
| Houston | from $1,577 | from $1,814 | 15 days |
| Miami | from $1,674 | from $2,160 | 17 days |
| New Jersey | from $1,674 | from $2,160 | 14 days |
Source: AB Group Shipping quote system, port-to-port, destination Costa Rica · October 2026
Houston is the most competitive origin for 40 HC by a clear margin. On 20', Los Angeles and Houston compete closely, and the spread between highest and lowest is just $162.
Between Houston and the other origins listed, there's a $346 spread on the 40 HC in October 2026. If your supplier has a warehouse in Texas or can dispatch there, that savings is real.
What "port-to-port" means
Port-to-port means you deliver cargo at the origin port and pick it up at Moín or Caldera. It does not include door delivery or pickup from your supplier's warehouse.
If you need us to pick up at the factory or deliver to your San José warehouse, that's quoted separately. Those are land transport services, not ocean freight.
HoustonUSHOU
CalderaCRCAL
MiamiUSMIA
MoínCRLIO
Los AngelesUSLAX
CalderaCRCAL
Peak season surcharges and BAF move month to month. That's why we never publish a fixed price in the title or FAQs: it would be outdated in 30 days. Your freight forwarder provides the contracted rate.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →How many cubic meters fit in a 40-foot container?
Quick Answer: The 40 HC holds the most volume, followed by the standard 40' and the 20'. Exact capacity depends on the model and carrier, so request the technical sheet; in practice you never use the full volume due to stowage factor.
The theoretical volume on the spec sheet never materializes in practice. Boxes aren't modular, pallets leave gaps, and the last row is almost always half-full.
Interior dimensions, volume, and payload vary by manufacturer and carrier: request the technical sheet for the exact container before you cube your cargo.
Cubing formula step by step
- Measure each package in meters: length × width × height.
- Multiply the three values to get the cubic meters of one package.
- Multiply that result by the quantity of identical packages.
- Add all groups and round up, never down.
Real example: 40 boxes of 0.60 × 0.40 × 0.50 m yield 0.12 m³ each. Total is 4.8 m³, clearly LCL volume, not a full container.
The weight-or-volume rule
On LCL to Central America you pay whichever is greater: cubic meters or metric tons. The weight-to-volume equivalence is set by each consolidator in their tariff: if your pallet is small but very heavy, you pay by weight, not volume.
When weight wins
With dense cargo—ceramics, metal parts, liquids, fasteners—the 20' fills by weight before volume. It can sit half-empty and already hit payload limits. Never buy a 40 HC in that case: you'd pay for air.
When volume wins
With furniture, plastics, packaging, or textiles the opposite happens. The 40 HC fills by volume first and rarely approaches its payload limit. Here the extra 30 centimeters of High Cube height pays for itself.
Cubing also determines discharge time at destination. A 40 HC full of loose packages takes far longer on the dock than a palletized one: see How long to unload a 40-foot container: guide before you schedule the crew.
Is LCL or a full container better for importing to Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Below 12–14 cubic meters LCL usually costs less; above that threshold a 20' full container makes sense. RoRo applies only to rolling units. FCL also avoids deconsolidation at the CFS, which adds days and handling risk at destination.
| Mode | Ideal volume | Billing method | Extra time at destination | Damage risk | Typical cargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCL 20'/40 HC | Over 12–14 m³ | Flat rate per box | Minimal: goes straight to yard | Low (your seal) | Palletized goods, equipment, inventory |
| LCL consolidated | 1 to 12 m³ | Per m³ or ton, whichever is greater | +3 to 7 days for deconsolidation | Medium-high (handling) | Samples, small orders, parts |
| RoRo | Rolling units | Per unit and footage | Depends on vehicle inspection | Low if self-propelled | Cars, rolling machinery, trailers |
Why LCL stops making sense at 13 m³
LCL charges per cubic meter and also adds deconsolidation fees at the bonded warehouse. Those fees are fixed: you pay the same with 3 m³ as with 13 m³.
With 18 m³ of cargo, a 20' container almost always wins. It wins on cost per cubic meter and wins on control: you seal it and no one else opens it until customs inspection.
Choose LCL if…
Your order doesn't exceed 10–12 m³, you buy from multiple suppliers on different dates, or you're testing a new product in the Costa Rican market. LCL lets you import small and rotate inventory without tying up capital.
Choose FCL if…
You exceed 14 m³, your cargo is fragile or high-value, or you need a predictable arrival date. FCL skips the deconsolidation table and cuts the number of places where a package gets lost or damaged.
Vehicles and oversized cargo
General cargo rates do not quote vehicles: a car is quoted on the vehicle line with its own handling. RVs, motorhomes, truck cabs, heavy machinery, and aircraft don't fit in a container. They go on flat rack or RoRo vessel, and a specialist quotes them after the calculator receives your request.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →How long does a container take from Miami or Houston to Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Ocean transit port-to-port is 14 days from New Jersey, 15 from Houston, 16 from Los Angeles, and 17 from Miami to Costa Rica. From Asia the voyage is much longer and almost always includes a transshipment in Panama before reaching Moín or Caldera.
| Origin | Ocean transit | Typical discharge port | Transshipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey (USNYC) | 14 days | Moín (CRLIO) | Direct or via Caribbean |
| Houston (USHOU) | 15 days | Moín (CRLIO) | Direct or via Caribbean |
| Los Angeles (USLAX) | 16 days | Caldera (CRCAL) | Via Pacific |
| Miami (USMIA) | 17 days | Moín (CRLIO) | Direct or via Caribbean |
Port cut-off is not vessel ETD
This is the mistake that leaves the most containers on the dock. Port cut-off happens days before the vessel sails, depending on the carrier and terminal.
If the vessel sails Friday, your container must be gate-in before the cut-off date the carrier specifies. Arriving after means rolling to the next sailing and losing a full week.
Never count transshipment as direct transit
Cargo from China or Europe reaches Costa Rica with a transshipment, usually in Panama or a Caribbean hub. Connection days add to ocean transit: they're not included in the number the carrier gives for the main leg. Plan with buffer and confirm the exact service before you commit a date to your customer.
Moín or Caldera: which suits you
Puerto Limón–Moín (CRLIO) is the country's Caribbean port and Puerto Caldera (CRCAL) is on the Pacific, operated by the Costa Rican Pacific Port Institute, per INCOP (2024). Caldera's UN/LOCODE is CRCAL and Limón's is CRLIO, per UNECE.
East Coast and Gulf origins normally discharge at Moín. Those from the Pacific and Asia typically enter via Caldera. Distance to San José and inland drayage cost differ between the two, so compare before you lock in your booking.
And to ocean transit you add customs clearance. Costa Rica requires that the DUA be accepted in TICA and duties paid before cargo release, per the Customs Procedures Manual of the General Customs Directorate (2021).
How do I calculate import duties on a container in Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Customs determines the dutiable base from your declaration; confirm which costs are included with a licensed customs broker. In Costa Rica tariff duties range from 1% to 15% ad valorem and VAT is 13% on most imported goods, per the US Country Commercial Guide Costa Rica (June 2026).
Duties and VAT apply to a dutiable base that customs sets. Which costs enter that base—freight and insurance included—confirm with your licensed customs broker before shipment.
Worked example
Assume a dutiable base of $20,000 for DAI.
- Apply the DAI per tariff line. At 10% duty: 20,000 × 10% = $2,000.
- Add the 13% VAT, which applies to most imported goods. Your customs broker confirms the exact base.
That 10% is a teaching example only. The actual tariff depends on your product's tariff line and ranges from 1% to 15% ad valorem, per the US Country Commercial Guide Costa Rica (June 23, 2026).
No single combined rate exists
No official source publishes one percentage that sums duties plus VAT plus selective tax. Always cite the duty range (1% to 15%) and the 13% VAT separately. Also, some products and appliances—like household refrigerators—pay selective taxes of 30% to 40%, per the same US Country Commercial Guide (2026). Confirm your tariff line with a licensed customs broker before you buy.
CAFTA-DR: duty-free, not tax-free
Under CAFTA-DR, all consumer and industrial goods originating in the USA enter duty-free since January 1, 2015. The condition is that origin be certified to customs.
But the agreement does not eliminate the 13% VAT or the selective consumption tax. In the example above, with US origin certified, the DAI drops to zero, but the 13% VAT still applies.
Duties are determined by the authority based on the importer's detailed sworn declaration and estimated values, per DGA Policy MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001. Undervaluing is not a strategy: it's a compliance risk.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →Which Incoterm 2020 should I choose and what does the quote really include?
Quick Answer: FOB leaves international freight to the Costa Rican importer; CIF includes it in the supplier's price. EXW shifts everything to the buyer from the seller's warehouse. DAP and DDP move responsibility to the seller, and DDP also exposes the seller to Costa Rican import duties.
| Incoterm 2020 | Seller pays in USA | Importer pays in Costa Rica | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Packing only | Pickup, export, freight, destination, duties | Buyer has no control at origin |
| FOB | Drayage to port, origin THC, export clearance | Ocean freight, insurance, destination, duties | Balanced; most common |
| CIF | Everything FOB plus freight and insurance | Destination charges, customs entry, duties | Hidden surcharges at destination |
| DAP | Everything to the agreed place in Costa Rica | Duties, VAT, clearance | Seller assumes transit risk |
| DDP | Everything, including duties and VAT | Nothing in theory | Seller exposed to TICA |
The CIF trap from your supplier
A CIF that looks cheap on the invoice almost always has a tail. The supplier contracts with a carrier that recovers margin at destination via DTHC, B/L release, and document fees.
Those charges appear when you can't switch carriers anymore. Always ask for an itemized list of destination charges before you accept a CIF.
Buy FOB and contract your own freight
With FOB you enter your USA origin port in the calculator and compare against the supplier's CIF. In practice, buying FOB lowers your per-container cost and keeps the Bill of Lading under your control. It also lets you choose whether to discharge at Moín or Caldera, a decision the supplier would make for their own convenience.
DDP looks convenient but rarely makes sense. The seller is exposed to TICA's assessment and a customs broker they don't control. If anything delays, the Costa Rican importer loses complete visibility over their own cargo.
What documents do I need to clear a container in Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Clearance is formalized with a DUA accepted in the TICA system and duties paid before cargo release, per the Customs Procedures Manual of the General Customs Directorate. Per the US Department of Commerce Country Commercial Guide, the National Customs Service requires a commercial invoice and the Bill of Lading (or air waybill), plus origin certification when CAFTA-DR applies.
- Commercial Invoice with detailed description, unit values, and agreed Incoterm.
- Bill of Lading original or express release, with the correct consignee from day one.
- Packing list — not required by customs, but helps match packages, weights, and dimensions to the invoice.
- Origin certification when you want to claim CAFTA-DR preferential treatment.
Cases handled separately
A vehicle is imported separately from household goods, with its own DUA declaration, per DGA Policy MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001 (2020). Don't bundle it with general merchandise.
Animals and animal products, byproducts, and derivatives require an import permit from SENASA, the National Animal Health Service.
What cannot be declared as household goods
Per DGA Policy MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001, these cannot be declared as household goods: construction materials, electrical material, professional and technical equipment, transport material, cars, motorcycles, yachts, machinery and machine tools. Also laboratory, factory, or workshop instruments, apparatus and accessories; professional furniture; prefabricated buildings and office fixtures. Any product permit or technical note must be confirmed with your licensed customs broker before you buy or ship.
If you're moving household goods and not commercial inventory, the calculation is different. See how it's structured in the Household relocation calculator Dominican Republic 2026, which follows the same volume and clearance logic.
How do I avoid demurrage, detention, and bonded storage that wreck the math?
Quick Answer: The costliest overrun on a Costa Rica import is almost never the freight: it's demurrage, detention, and bonded warehouse storage. Avoid them by preparing the DUA before the vessel arrives, releasing the B/L on time, and coordinating inland drayage the same day you clear cargo.
Demurrage is the charge that runs while the container stays in the port after free days expire. Detention starts when the container leaves the terminal and you don't return it empty on time. They're two separate clocks and both run against you.
Pre-arrival checklist
- B/L released — freight paid and telex release issued or original delivered.
- Origin certificate signed if you're claiming CAFTA-DR; without it, you pay full DAI.
- Tariff line validated with your customs broker, not improvised on arrival day.
- Funds available for duties: cargo won't release without payment in TICA.
- Inland carrier scheduled to pick up the same day you clear.
Compare apples to apples
The most common mistake is comparing an "all-in" quote against an itemized one. One might look $300 more expensive and end up cheaper. Before you decide, ask in writing for: DTHC, document release, bonded warehouse storage, and inland drayage to San José. Terminal storage, free days, and port charges are private to terminals, carriers, and bonded warehouses: confirm before you ship, never after.
Discharge day at your warehouse counts too. If the truck arrives and the crew isn't ready, detention keeps running. Plan with the guide on how long to unload a 40-foot container and staff with buffer.
With thousands of shipments processed on the USA–Latin America corridor, we see the same pattern every year: the importer who prepares the DUA before the vessel arrives doesn't pay storage fees. The one who waits for the ship to dock, does.
Get an instant quote
Compare FCL, LCL, air, and courier rates in seconds — no email required.
Go to calculator →Quote your Costa Rica container today
Choosing between 20' and 40 HC comes down to two numbers: your cubic meters and your weight. Past 12–14 m³, the full container wins. Past 26 m³, the 40 HC wins over two 20's.
The rest—origin port, transit days, discharge port—the calculator solves in seconds. Enter your origin city, container size, and Costa Rica destination. If you're moving vehicles instead of cargo, the same logic applies in the car shipping calculator to Mexico or the car shipping calculator to Ecuador.
Use the calculator on this page to see your exact price to Moín or Puerto Caldera — no email, no follow-up calls, freight and transit days on the same screen.
Cost depends on your origin port in the USA, container size (20', 40', or 40 HC), cargo type, and current fuel and peak-season surcharges. Rates change monthly, which is why the pricing table below the Quick Answer updates automatically. Use the calculator on this page to see your exact price in seconds.
Exact volume on a 20' depends on the model and carrier, so request the technical sheet. In practice you never use the full theoretical volume due to stowage factor, and the 40 HC offers significantly more space. If your cargo exceeds 12–14 m³, a full container usually beats LCL.
Ocean transit port-to-port is 14 days from New Jersey, 15 from Houston, 16 from Los Angeles, and 17 from Miami. Add customs clearance time, which only advances once the DUA is accepted in TICA and duties are paid, per the Customs Procedures Manual of the General Customs Directorate.
Tariff duties in Costa Rica range from 1% to 15% ad valorem and VAT is 13% on most goods, including imports. Some products and appliances like household refrigerators pay selective taxes of 30% to 40%. No single combined rate is published: confirm your tariff line with a licensed customs broker.
Not entirely. Under CAFTA-DR, consumer and industrial goods originating in the USA enter duty-free since January 1, 2015, but origin must be certified to customs. The agreement does not eliminate the 13% VAT or selective consumption tax.
Guides for shipping to Costa Rica
- Car Shipping to Costa Rica Calculator: 2026 Rates · Car shipping calculator
- Moving to Costa Rica Calculator: Instant Quotes (2026) · Household move page (calculator + guide)
- LCL Costa Rica Calculator: Price per CBM 2026 · Consolidated cargo (LCL) calculator
- Air Freight USA to Costa Rica: 4-8 Days Door-to-Door 2026