Postal Service (Correos)
One thing expats worry about in settling in another country is the quality of the postal service (Correos). These days when email is already around, this isn’t such a big problem as it used to before, but it is still a concern because these expats may need to send or receive packages from anyone outside the country.
Fortunately, mail service isn’t really a problem in Costa Rica.
For the public postal service, you’ll find a postal service center in almost every city and town in Costa Rica. San Jose is the main hub where most of the packages from abroad get directly sent. As the capital, the airport stands here so it is already expected that the farther you are from San Jose, the longer the waiting time, although delivery from areas within the Central Valley take roughly the same time.
Is it safe to send packages through the public mailing system? Yes, it is. By adding a small fee, you can also require the receiver to sign a document upon pickup, giving you the assurance that the package has already been sent.
You can also use Fedex or DHL if the package is that important. At least through these services, you’ll be assured that everything is sent safely.
Costa Rica’s Postal Code System Explained.
Postal codes in Costa Rica are 5 digits and here is how it works.
The first digit denotes one of the seven provinces, the 2nd and 3rd refer to the 81 cantons (towns or municipalities) and the 4th and 5th to one of the 473 districts.
To determine your postal code. Click here.
The complete table of postal codes is provided by Correos at: http://www.correos.go.cr/codigo_postal/Lista_Cod_Total.php
