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Country dialing code · zone 5

Costa Rica +506

To call Costa Rica from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 506, then the local number. In full: +506 8312 3456.

CapitalSan Jose Dialing zone5 — Central & South America Local time22:50 UTC−6 Exit code from Costa Rica00
Quick answer

The country calling code for Costa Rica is +506. A number starting +506 or 00506 is a call to or from Costa Rica. From abroad: +506 8312 3456.

Country code+506
CapitalSan Jose
ContinentNorth America
Time zoneAmerica/Costa_Rica
LanguageSpanish
CurrencyColon
Emergency112 / 911
Exit code00
Trunk prefixnone
Population4,999,441

To call Costa Rica from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 506, then the local number as is. The +506 code identifies the country; the following digits identify the line (landline or mobile).

How to call Costa Rica from abroad

From the US / Canada011 506 8312 3456
From the UK & Europe00 506 8312 3456
From Australia0011 506 8312 3456
From any mobile+506 8312 3456

8312 3456 is a real-format Costa Rica mobile number (example from the ITU-T numbering plan): replace it with the number you were given, as is.

Costa Rica area codes

In Costa Rica, landlines usually include an area code after +506 (as is). Mobiles have no area code.

Number format

Landline, written locally2212 3456from abroad+506 2212 3456
Mobile, written locally8312 3456from abroad+506 8312 3456

Landline numbers in Costa Rica have 8 digits after the country code; mobile numbers have 8 digits. There is no national prefix to drop: dial the full local number after +506.

Calling abroad from Costa Rica

To call another country from Costa Rica, dial the exit code 00 (or + on a mobile), then the country code, then the number. From Costa Rica to the United States, for example: 00 1 201 555 0123.

A Costa Rica number in international format is written +506 …. The + stands for the exit prefix (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).

Cheapest ways to call Costa Rica

With internet on both ends, apps like WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call Costa Rica for free. To reach a number without an app, VoIP services are usually cheaper than your operator’s international rate.

Frequently asked questions

What country has the code +506?

Costa Rica has the country calling code +506.

How do I call Costa Rica from the United States?

Dial 011, then 506, then the local number as is — for example 011 8312 3456.

What does +506 mean?

It is the international dialing code for Costa Rica. The + stands for your exit code (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).

Is +506 mobile or landline?

The +506 code identifies the country, not the line type; Costa Rica landlines and mobiles share it.

A country code covers a whole nation; the full number depends on the city and operator.

Mobile networks in Costa Rica

3 mobile network operators run their own networks in Costa Rica. The largest is Kölbi, with about 4.33 million subscribers. Pick the one with the best coverage where you will spend most of your time.

Kölbi4G3G2G
4.33 M subscribers

Owned by Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad

Liberty4G3G2G
1.42 M subscribers

Owned by Liberty Latin America

Claro4G3G2G
1.13 M subscribers

Owned by América Móvil

Before you travel
  • 4G/5G frequency bands used in Costa Rica: LTE 1800, LTE 2600. Most recent smartphones cover them; older or regional models may miss some.

Also available: virtual operators (MVNOs) that rent capacity on these networks — Fullmóvil, Tuyo Móvil.

Operators, subscriber counts, network codes and switch-off dates: Wikipedia (lists of mobile network operators, mobile network codes, 2G/3G phase-out, mobile number portability), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Figures come from each operator or regulator at the date shown.

Staying connected in Costa Rica

Mobile subscriptions136 per 100 people2024
Internet users87 % of population2024
Fixed lines11.9 per 100 people2024

With 136 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, almost everyone in Costa Rica has a mobile — a WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call is usually the easiest way in. Internet use is high (87 %), so app-to-app calls over Wi-Fi are a safe bet.

Source: World Bank / ITU World Telecommunication indicators (IT.CEL.SETS.P2, IT.NET.USER.ZS, IT.MLT.MAIN.P2), latest available year.

Free and premium numbers in Costa Rica

Toll-free+506 800-123-4567

Free from inside Costa Rica (numbers starting with 800). From abroad these numbers are often unreachable or charged at the international rate.

Premium rate+506 900-123-4567

Surcharged services — ranges starting with 900 / 905 / 909. Do not call back an unknown missed call from such a range: the cost is far above a normal call.

Number ranges: ITU-T national numbering plan for Costa Rica via Google libphonenumber.

Neighbouring countries

All countries in zone 5 — Central & South America