Quick Answer: With AB Group Shipping, consolidated cargo (LCL) to Costa Rica costs from $347 for 2 m³ / 500 kg port to port from Miami (October 2026 quote). Ocean transit runs 14-17 days depending on your gateway. Costa Rican import duties run 1-15% ad valorem plus 13% VAT on most imported goods.
- LCL is billed on chargeable volume: CBM = L × W × H in meters, and dense cargo may bill on weight instead of volume; check the minimum and weight rule on your quote.
- Port-to-port ocean transit to Costa Rica runs 14-17 days from the main US gateways: New Jersey 14, Houston 15, Los Angeles 16, Miami 17 days.
- Costa Rican duties range from 1% to 15% ad valorem and a 13% VAT applies to most imported goods, according to the US Country Commercial Guide for Costa Rica (June 2026).
- Above roughly 10-13 CBM, a 20' FCL usually beats consolidated cargo on cost per cubic meter — the calculator on this page shows both.
The calculadora carga consolidada costa rica on this page prices your exact origin city, not just Miami. Rates move every month, so the figures here carry their quote date and the live price table updates itself.
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Go to the calculator →Reference prices: consolidated cargo from the USA to Costa Rica
| Departure port | 2 m³ | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $347 | 14 days |
| Houstonleaves from Miami | $347 | 14 days |
| New Jerseyleaves from Miami | $347 | 14 days |
| Los Angelesleaves from Miami | $347 | 14 days |
Port to port to San Jose, in USD, quoted with our system on October 26, 2026. Includes freight and US export charges; excludes import taxes and destination charges. 2 m³ and 500 kg of general cargo; the price changes with the volume. 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. Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska ship through Houston; New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia ship through New York / New Jersey; California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii ship through Los Angeles / Long Beach; 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.
How much does consolidated cargo to Costa Rica cost from Miami?
Quick Answer: Consolidated cargo to Costa Rica is priced per cubic meter, with a one-CBM minimum. In October 2026 a 2 m³ / 500 kg shipment from Miami starts at $347 port to port. Your exact rate depends on volume, weight, gateway and sailing week — the price table below updates monthly.
That $347 figure is a real quote from our system, dated October 2026. It covers 2 cubic meters at 500 kilograms, port to port. Ocean rates reprice monthly, so always check the self-updating price table under the opening answer before you budget.
Port-to-port consolidated ocean freight to Costa Rica. The customer delivers the cargo to the departure port and collects it in San Jose. Destination charges and door delivery are quoted separately.
What "port to port" actually means on this lane
Port to port means the freight leg only. You bring your cargo to the departure port or our origin CFS warehouse. We move it to Costa Rica and you collect it in San Jose.
What it does not include: Costa Rican duties and VAT, deconsolidation, depósito fiscal storage, and trucking to your door. Those are destination charges, not ABGS freight, and they vary by warehouse and by week.
What actually moves the number up or down
- Total CBM — the per-cubic-meter rate drops as volume rises, because fixed origin handling spreads across more meters.
- Density — anything over 1,000 kg per cubic meter bills on weight, not volume. Tiles, auto parts and liquids get caught here.
- Gateway — Miami, Houston, New Jersey and Los Angeles each carry different base rates and transit times.
- Commodity — hazardous, temperature-sensitive and high-value goods carry surcharges or need a custom quote.
- Palletized or loose — loose cartons cost more to handle and measure worse than a tight pallet.
- Season — consolidation space tightens before Christmas and before the Chinese New Year rollover.
The rate per CBM is never linear. A 1 CBM shipment carries the same paperwork, the same CFS receipt and the same deconsolidation as a 6 CBM shipment. That fixed cost is why small loads look expensive per meter.
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Go to the calculator →What is consolidated cargo (LCL) and how is it different from FCL?
Quick Answer: Consolidated cargo, or LCL (Less than Container Load), means your pallets share one container with other shippers' freight. You pay only for the space you occupy, measured in cubic meters. FCL gives you a whole container; a courier locker (casillero) handles small parcels at a much higher cost per kilo.
In LCL, cargo from several shippers is consolidated into one container at a CFS warehouse at origin. At destination, the container is opened and the cargo is split back out. That split is called deconsolidación, and in Costa Rica it happens at a destination warehouse after the container is discharged.
How an LCL booking actually flows
- Book the shipment and receive the CFS address and the cut-off date for that sailing week.
- Deliver the palletized cargo to the origin CFS, several days before the cut-off.
- Measure and weigh — the CFS re-measures every piece. Their numbers rule, not yours.
- Load and sail — the container closes and moves to the vessel, typically one sailing per week.
- Deconsolidate at the Costa Rican bonded warehouse after arrival at Caldera or Moín.
- Clear and release — your agente aduanal files the DUA in TICA, taxes are paid, cargo is released.
Consolidated cargo (LCL)
Best for 1 to 10 cubic meters. You pay only for the space you use, with a 1 CBM minimum. Weekly sailings from the main US gateways. More handling touches means more risk of scuffs and more paperwork at destination. Works well for sample runs, restocking, e-commerce inventory and small machinery.
Full container (FCL)
Best above roughly 10 to 13 cubic meters. One flat rate for the box, sealed at origin and opened at destination. Fewer touches, faster release, no deconsolidation queue. Choose it earlier for fragile, high-value or time-critical cargo, even when the math still favors LCL on paper.
| Mode | Billing basis | Ideal volume | Transit (US → CR) | Handling risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCL consolidated | Per CBM / revenue ton (W/M) | 1–10 CBM | 14–17 days + cut-off + clearance | Higher — multiple touches |
| FCL 20' | Flat per container | 10–28 CBM | 14–17 days port to port | Low — sealed at origin |
| FCL 40' | Flat per container | 28–56 CBM | 14–17 days port to port | Low — sealed at origin |
| Air freight | Chargeable kg (volumetric) | Under 1 CBM, urgent | 1–5 days to SJO | Low, but handled often |
| Courier locker (casillero) | Per kilo, small parcels | Boxes, not pallets | 3–10 days | Low volume only |
For the full break-even analysis across the corridor, read USA-Latin America FCL vs LCL: The 10 CBM Breakpoint. The logic that applies to Cartagena and Callao applies to Caldera too.
How do you calculate cubic meters (CBM) for an LCL shipment?
Quick Answer: Multiply length × width × height in meters for each piece, then add the pieces together: CBM = L × W × H. Carriers bill the greater of volume or weight under the W/M rule, where 1 CBM equals 1,000 kg. Check your quote for the minimum billable volume on your lane.
Here is a real worked example. A standard pallet measures 1.20 m × 1.00 m × 1.45 m. That is 1.74 cubic meters. Four identical pallets give you 6.96 CBM billable.
The W/M rule: volume versus weight
Carriers compare your total volume against your total tonnage and bill the higher one. One cubic meter equals one revenue ton. One thousand kilograms also equals one revenue ton.
Dense cargo gets caught here constantly. Two cubic meters of auto parts weighing 2,400 kg bills as 2.4 revenue tons, not 2 CBM. The Calculadora de m³ y envíos explains the same volumetric logic for anyone wanting a second reference.
Chargeable units: volume vs weight (W/M)
See the data
| Cargo example | Volume (CBM) | Weight (kg) | Chargeable units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loose clothing, 1 pallet | 1.74 | 320 | 1.74 |
| Furniture, 4 pallets | 6.96 | 1,900 | 6.96 |
| Auto parts, dense | 2.00 | 2,400 | 2.40 |
| Small sample box | 0.40 | 60 | 1.00 (minimum) |
Source: standard W/M revenue-ton rule applied on LCL lanes to Costa Rica · October 2026
Pro Tip
Measure the outside of the pallet, including overhang, shrink wrap and the pallet height itself. CFS warehouses measure the footprint the cargo occupies in the container, not the carton dimensions on your packing list. A 5 cm overhang on each side can push a 1.74 CBM pallet to 1.90 CBM. No calculator without the manual fallback: (cm length × cm width × cm height) ÷ 1,000,000 = CBM per piece.
A practical walkthrough of the same calculation appears in this field explainer on cómo calcular metros cúbicos y unidades por m³ en importación, filmed by a working customs broker.
Free calculator: consolidated cargo to Costa Rica, price per cubic meter
Quick Answer: The calculator on this page prices consolidated cargo to Costa Rica in seconds. Enter your origin city, total cubic meters and gross weight, and it returns the port-to-port ocean freight for your lane, with the current month's rate. No signup, no email, no follow-up calls required.
The calculadora carga consolidada costa rica is pre-configured for this lane. It prices any origin in the USA, not only Miami.
How to use it in four steps
- Select your origin city — the tool routes it to the correct gateway automatically.
- Enter dimensions per piece, or your total CBM if you already measured.
- Add gross weight in kilograms, including pallets and packaging.
- Choose Costa Rica as destination and read the port-to-port rate for the current month.
What the number includes and what it does not
- Included: ocean freight, consolidation at the origin CFS, standard origin handling.
- Not included: Costa Rican duties and 13% VAT, deconsolidation at destination, depósito fiscal storage, DUA filing fees, inland trucking to the GAM.
- Not priced instantly: breakbulk, out-of-gauge pieces and dangerous goods — the embedded element becomes a custom-quote request instead.
Which gateway does your region use?
Your gateway sets both the price and the transit time. The calculator picks it for you, but here is the usual pattern:
- Florida → Miami (USMIA)
- Texas and the central states → Houston
- California and the Southwest → Los Angeles / Long Beach
- The Northeast → New York / New Jersey
- The Southeast → Savannah
- The Midwest → rail via Chicago to a coastal gateway
- The Pacific Northwest → Seattle
Rates shift month to month for real reasons: available consolidation space, the bunker adjustment factor (BAF), peak-season surcharges and how full the box is when it closes. A half-empty consolidation costs the carrier the same to sail, so the per-CBM rate rises.
Shipping to more than one Central or South American market? Our sister-lane breakdown, LCL Shipping to Colombia Calculator: Price per CBM 2026, uses the same per-CBM logic for Cartagena and Buenaventura.
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Go to the calculator →Which Costa Rican ports receive consolidated cargo?
Quick Answer: Consolidated cargo enters Costa Rica through Puerto Caldera (CRCAL) on the Pacific side and Puerto Limón / APM Terminals Moín (CRLIO) on the Caribbean side. Air freight arrives at SJO. Your gateway decides the routing: Gulf and East Coast loads normally route to Moín, West Coast loads to Caldera.
Per the Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico (INCOP), Puerto Caldera sits on the Pacific coast and Puerto Limón (CRLIO) is the country's Caribbean port. The two serve opposite trade directions.
UN/LOCODEs for your documents
Use the correct codes on the bill of lading and the packing list. According to UNECE UN/LOCODE records checked in October 2026: USMIA for Miami, CRCAL for Caldera, CRLIO for Limón. A wrong code is a routing error waiting to happen.
MiamiUSMIA
Costa RicaCRCAL / CRLIO
HoustonUSHOU
Costa RicaCRLIO
New JerseyUSNYC
Costa RicaCRLIO
| Origin gateway | Usual entry port | Ocean transit (port to port) |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey (USNYC) | Moín / Limón (CRLIO) | 14 days |
| Houston (USHOU) | Moín / Limón (CRLIO) | 15 days |
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | Caldera (CRCAL) | 16 days |
| Miami (USMIA) | Moín / Limón (CRLIO) | 17 days |
Pro Tip
After the port, your cargo still has an inland leg to the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) and the bonded warehouse near San Jose. That trucking and the warehouse handling are destination charges billed by local providers, not ABGS ocean freight. Ask your agente aduanal for those figures before the vessel arrives — storage clocks start without warning you. For regional overland moves, Peñas Blancas is the land crossing used for trucking from Nicaragua and the rest of Central America.
How long does consolidated cargo take from the USA to Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Port-to-port ocean transit to Costa Rica runs 14 to 17 days: New Jersey 14, Houston 15, Los Angeles 16 and Miami 17 days. Add consolidation cut-off days before sailing and customs clearance days after arrival. LCL always takes longer end to end than the sailing number alone.
Break the timeline into four blocks. Only one of them is the sailing.
- Cargo receipt and CFS cut-off — your freight must be at the warehouse days before the box closes.
- Loading and sailing — 14 to 17 days depending on gateway and entry port.
- Deconsolidation at the depósito fiscal after discharge at Caldera or Moín.
- DUA clearance and release — filed in TICA by your agente aduanal, taxes paid, cargo released.
Cut-off and ETD are not the same date
The vessel's ETD is when it sails. The CFS cut-off is when your cargo must already be inside the consolidation warehouse — usually several days earlier. Miss the cut-off and your cargo waits for the next consolidation. Book the drop-off appointment against the cut-off, never against the sailing date.
Asia lanes behave differently. Shipments from Shenzhen, Shanghai or Ningbo to Limón take far longer than US lanes and usually transship through Panama. Ask for the specific routing before you commit to a delivery promise.
For a regional comparison across every mode and transit band, see Shipping Times USA to El Salvador 2026: 1-25 Days. The Central American patterns are close neighbors to Costa Rica's.
What taxes do I pay importing consolidated cargo into Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: Costa Rican customs duties run from 1 to 15 percent ad valorem, and a 13 percent value-added tax applies to most goods, imported goods included. Excise taxes still apply to some products and some domestic appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, at 30 to 40 percent. Taxes are assessed on the declared value.
According to the US Country Commercial Guide for Costa Rica, "Import Tariffs" section updated June 2026, duties range from 1 to 15 percent ad valorem and a 13 percent value-added tax applies to most goods and services, imported goods included. The same source states that excise taxes still apply to some products and some domestic appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, at 30 to 40 percent.
An illustrative example, with the math shown
The exact taxable base (whether freight, insurance and the duty itself are included) is set by the declaration your agente aduanal files, so confirm it before you budget. Here is an illustrative example only — not a quote, and not a tax ruling. It assumes a base of goods plus freight plus insurance.
- Goods value: $5,000
- Ocean freight: $400 · Insurance: $60 → example base = $5,460
- Duty at an example 10% ad valorem: $5,460 × 0.10 = $546
- VAT at 13% applies on top; your agente aduanal confirms the base it is calculated on
Your actual duty rate depends on the tariff heading of your product. Confirm it with a licensed agente aduanal before you buy, not after the box lands.
Never quote one blended percentage
No official source publishes a single effective rate for a mixed shipment. State the duty range and the 13% VAT separately. Under CAFTA-DR, US-originating consumer and industrial goods have entered Costa Rica duty free since 1 January 2015 — but origin must be certified to customs, and the agreement does not remove VAT or selective consumption tax. Per DGA Política MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001, section 7 e, taxes are worked out from the importer's sworn detailed list with its estimated values. Under-declaring is the fastest route to a hold.
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Go to the calculator →Do I need a customs broker to clear cargo in Costa Rica?
Quick Answer: In Costa Rica, imports are declared on the DUA in the TICA system, where customs brokers file the declarations. Most importers work through a licensed agente aduanal to file it. Confirm the value threshold and your specific requirements with a licensed customs agent before you ship.
The DUA is the customs declaration. TICA is the Dirección General de Aduanas system where it is accepted. Your agent files the DUA in TICA and tells you what must be paid before your cargo is released.
Documents your agent will ask for
- Factura comercial — the commercial invoice, with itemized values
- Packing list — pieces, weights and dimensions per carton or pallet
- Bill of lading (B/L) — issued once the consolidation sails
- Certificate of origin — required to claim CAFTA-DR duty-free treatment
- Importer's tax ID — the registered identification for the consignee
Three compliance rules that cost people money
Animal products need SENASA. Animals and products, by-products and derivatives of animal origin need an import permit from SENASA, per SENASA's own "Preguntas frecuentes" page. Vehicles never ride in an LCL consolidation. Per DGA Política MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001 (2020), a vehicle is imported separately from household goods with its own DUA declaration. Declare every item. Anything left off the paperwork can cause problems at clearance; confirm with your agente aduanal what the consequences are before you ship.
AB Group Shipping is a freight forwarder, not legal counsel. Duty classification by HS code, product permits and eligibility questions belong with a licensed agente aduanal or an international tax attorney. Ask us for the freight; ask them for the ruling.
When is a full container cheaper than consolidated cargo?
Quick Answer: A 20' FCL usually beats consolidated cargo somewhere between 10 and 13 cubic meters. Below that, LCL wins on cost per cubic meter because you pay only for your space. Above it, the flat container rate spreads across up to 28-33 usable CBM and the per-CBM cost drops sharply.
The math is simple. Divide the 20' FCL rate by your actual CBM. Compare that against the LCL per-CBM rate. Then add the destination handling difference, because LCL carries deconsolidation charges that FCL does not.
| Container | Usable volume | Typical max payload | Break-even vs LCL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20' standard | Varies by carrier and equipment | Varies by carrier and equipment | From 10–13 CBM |
| 40' standard | Varies by carrier and equipment | Varies by carrier and equipment | From ~25 CBM |
| 40' high cube | Varies by carrier and equipment | Varies by carrier and equipment | From ~28 CBM |
Reasons to go FCL early
Fragile goods survive better in a sealed box. High-value cargo faces fewer handling touches. Release is faster, because there is no deconsolidation queue at the depósito fiscal. And you avoid shared General Average exposure — a vessel casualty can trigger a contribution claim against your cargo even if your pallets were never damaged. Carry all-risk cargo insurance either way.
Mistakes that inflate an LCL quote
Loose cartons instead of pallets. Overhang beyond the pallet footprint. Understated weight that the CFS corrects upward at measurement. Missing HS codes that stall the DUA filing. And booking after the CFS cut-off, which pushes you a full week to the next consolidation and sometimes to a higher rate band.
Running the numbers for another Central American market? LCL Shipping USA to Guatemala 2026: Instant Quotes shows the same per-CBM structure on a neighboring lane. Moving a household rather than commercial freight? Start with Moving Abroad From the USA: Complete Guide.
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Go to the calculator →Price your Costa Rica shipment right now
Quick Answer: Use the calculator on this page to price consolidated cargo to Costa Rica from any US origin. Enter your cubic meters and gross weight, and it returns the current month's port-to-port ocean rate for your gateway. Compare LCL against a 20' FCL in the same screen, with no email required.
With thousands of shipments processed across the USA–Latin America corridor, we price this lane every week. The calculadora carga consolidada costa rica on this page reflects what our system quotes today, not a stale rate sheet.
Measure your pallets, add the gross weight, pick your origin city, and read the number. If your cargo is breakbulk, out-of-gauge or classified as dangerous goods, the same element takes your request and a specialist quotes it. Either way, you get a real answer without a sales call.
Multiply length × width × height in meters for each piece and add the results: CBM = L × W × H. Measure the outside of the pallet including overhang and the pallet itself. Carriers bill the greater of your total CBM or your total tonnage, under the weight/measure rule and minimum shown on your quote.
Costa Rican customs duties range from 1 to 15 percent ad valorem, and a 13 percent value-added tax applies to most goods, imported goods included, according to the US Country Commercial Guide for Costa Rica. Excise taxes still apply to some products and some domestic appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, at 30 to 40 percent. Confirm your product's rate with a licensed agente aduanal.
Port-to-port ocean transit runs 14 to 17 days: 14 days from New Jersey, 15 from Houston, 16 from Los Angeles and 17 from Miami. Add consolidation cut-off days before the vessel sails and customs clearance days after arrival at the bonded warehouse.
In practice, yes. Imports into Costa Rica are declared on the DUA in the TICA system, where customs brokers file the declarations. Most importers file through a licensed agente aduanal; confirm your specific case with one before shipping.
A 20' full container normally becomes cheaper per cubic meter somewhere between 10 and 13 CBM. Below that threshold, consolidated cargo wins because you pay only for the space you use. Fragile or high-value cargo can justify FCL earlier, since there are fewer handling touches and no shared General Average exposure.
Sources
We checked the rules and figures in this guide against these sources on November 10, 2026.
- Ministerio de Hacienda – Dirección General de Aduanas: Política General para la Importación en la modalidad de "Menaje de Casa" (MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001) · 2020-09-01
- UNECE: UN/LOCODE (CR) Costa Rica
- Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico (INCOP): INCOP recibe dos ofertas para la modernización de Puerto Caldera · 2025-11-07
- COMEX Portal de Comercio / Dirección General de Aduanas: Lineamientos por el inicio de obras en el Puesto Fronterizo Peñas Blancas · 2023-04-05
- US Country Commercial Guide Costa Rica, 2026-06-22 and 2026-06-23
- US Country Commercial Guide Costa Rica, 'Import Tariffs', 2026-06-23
- DGA, Política MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001, section 7 a; US Country Commercial Guide Costa Rica, 2026-06-22
- DGA, Política MH-DGA-PRO01-POL-001, section 7 e
- SENASA, 'Preguntas frecuentes'
✓ Fact-checked by AB Group Shipping on November 10, 2026. Prices come from our own rate system. How we check our guides · Spotted an error? [email protected]
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