How to Call and Text Costa Rica: Guide to +506 Country Code

If you’re looking to connect with someone in Costa Rica, the first thing you need is the +506 area code. This is the international dialing code assigned to the country by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It simply ensures that your call connects directly to Costa Rica from any other country in the world.But what comes next? Dialing internationally can be overwhelming, with you having to input your country’s exit code, Costa Rica calling code, and the correct local number format and take note of time differences.

Not to worry, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know on how to call or send an SMS to Costa Rica successfully and affordably, every single time.

What is a Country Code?

A country code is a short numeric identifier for a country or region (like the +506 for Costa Rica, +44 for the UK, or +1 for the USA). These short number prefixes are used to dial a phone number in another country. They are like the country name in a mailing address that tells the global telephone network where to start routing a message.

Country codes are critical for ensuring your messages don’t get lost. They provide a standardized, global “address system” that informs telecommunication networks about the correct country or region that the message is meant for. Without them, network operators would struggle to route calls and messages accurately across the complex global telecommunication networks.

The Step-by-Step Guide: How to Dial +506 Correctly

The telephone country code for Costa Rica can be used to call both mobile phones and landlines. Here is how:

1. The Universal Method (for Mobile Phones)

This is a step-by-step guide for calling Costa Rica from any country in the world using your mobile phone.

• Enter the + Sign on Your Mobile Phone: Doing this replaces the need to enter your country’s exit code.
• Input the 506 Area Code: This informs the global telecommunication networks that you are calling Costa Rica
• Enter the Local Phone Number: Costa Rican phone numbers typically consist of 8 digits. No more, no less.

So, if you are in search of how to call Costa Rica from America or any other country using your mobile phone, simply dial + 506-(8-digit local Phone Number). For example, +506-1234-8765.

2. The Traditional Method (for Landlines)

Follow these steps if you want to call Costa Rica through a landline.

• Dial Your Country’s Exit Code: This is the code that you dial to get an international line. Every country has an exit code.
• Dial the Costa Rica Area Code (+506) 
• Enter the Local 8-Digits Phone Number

By following these steps, your dialing format should look like this: 

[Your Country’s Exit Code]-506-[8-Digit Local Phone Number]

Following this format, this is how to dial Costa Rica from the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, and some other countries in Europe.

Country	Country Code	Dialing Format
USA & Canada	011	011 506 8888 8888
Australia	0011	0011 506 8888 8888
UK & most of Europe	00	00 506 8888 8888

Learn about Costa Rican Phone Numbers

1. Mobile Numbers

Mobile phone numbers in Costa Rica are usually 8-digits long. They often begin with the digits 5, 6, 7, and 8, depending on the service provider. Each of these providers may assign any of the digits between 5-8 as their starting digit. The most common mobile service providers in Costa Rica are Kolbi, Claro, & Liberty. 

Examples of Costa Rican mobile phone numbers are; 6023 0435, 7100 1243, and 8800 5867.

2. Landline Numbers

Landline numbers in Costa Rica are also 8 digits long but they typically start with the digit 2 or 4. The starting digit may vary between 2 and 4 depending on the region or service provider. Landline numbers in specific provinces like San Jose, Heredia, or Alajuela, often start with 2. While numbers for certain rural areas or the ones used by VolP services often start with 4. The second digit in the number precisely indicates the region e.g., landline numbers belonging to San Jose, Alajuela, & Heredia regions start with 22, 23, & 24 respectively.

Sending an SMS to a landline is generally impossible. So, to avoid frustration when sending texts to Costa Rica, simply make use of a mobile number.

Practical Tips for Contacting Costa Rica

Take note of the following whenever you want to use the +506 code to call Costa Rica.

1. Saving Money on International Calls & Texts

The following tips will help you save money when calling or texting Costa Rica.

• Check Your Carrier: Ensure that you check your mobile service plan for international packages or add-ons so you can avoid high call rates or per-message fees.
• Use Wi-Fi Based Apps: Instead of using your local phone number to call or text a Costa Rican number, make use of popular communication apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal. They are free alternatives for messaging if both you and the person in Costa Rica have the app & an internet connection.
• VoIP Services: You can use Skype, Google Voice, AVOXL, and other Voice Over Internet Protocol (VolP) services to make cheap international calls to Costa Rica over an internet connection instead of traditional phone lines.

2. Navigating Time Zones

Understanding Costa Rica’s time zone will also help you to send texts or call the person at the appropriate time.

• Costa Rica’s Time Zone: Costa Rica is in the Central Standard Time (CST) zone, which is UTC-6. The country does not observe daylight saving time like the US, instead, it stays the same.
• Best Time to Connect: You are advised to respect local hours to ensure your message is received at a convenient time. For example, messages pertaining to business are best sent between 9 AM – 6 PM.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (Troubleshooting)

• Forgetting the Exit Code (on a landline): Always dial your country’s exit code first.
• Using the Wrong Country Code: Ensure that you dial the +506 area code before inputting the 8-digit local number.
• Adding Extra Digits: The local number is only 8 digits. Don’t add a ‘0’ or ‘1’ before it.
• Trying to Text a Landline: Double-check if the number starts with a 2 or 4 before you text. Don’t forget, you cannot text a landline number.
• Ignoring the Time Difference: Be cautious of the time difference between your country and Costa Rica. A midnight text in Costa Rica is never welcome!

An Alternative for Specific Needs: Privacy and Bulk Messaging

The methods discussed above are perfect for having casual conversations with friends and family who reside in Costa Rica. However, certain conversations or situations, like business marketing, planning & sending event notifications, or simply wanting to protect your personal number, require a special tool.

Online SMS platforms are the ideal tool for having these conversations or sending these messages. With these tools, you can send messages directly to Costa Rica from any device (mobile phone or computer) without using your real phone number. A good example of such tools is Anonsms, which is specially designed for these scenarios.

It allows you to send one-way anonymous texts or bulk messages to multiple +506 numbers at the same time, and you can send these messages in the country’s official language—Spanish, or any other language of your choice. Taking time difference into consideration, Anonsms allows you to schedule the sending of your text message so that it gets delivered at the perfect time. 

Steps

• Visit the Anonsms website

• Choose your preferred Sender ID

• Enter the Costa Rican phone number. Click on the + sign to add multiple numbers. 

• Type your message and click Send SMS.

NOTE: You can use Anonsms to send text messages to any country of your choice. It is not limited to Costa Rica.

Summary

Calling & texting your friends, family, colleagues, or business partners in Costa Rica is very simple once you understand the correct dialing format. All you have to do is to input your country’s exit code (for landlines) or plus sign (for mobile numbers), enter the +506 area code, and dial the correct 8-digits local number.

However certain scenarios or conversations require special tools like Anonsms which allows you to communicate anonymously with your Costa Rican contact.