Network & carriers
Costa Rica's telecom market is regulated by SUTEL, with Kolbi (state-owned ICE), Claro, and Movistar as the major carriers.
+506 · CR · UTC-6
Costa Rica
Country Code & Virtual Numbers
Costa Rica's +506 code covers a Central American market known for high mobile penetration and telecom stability. Capital: San José · Business hours: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM EST.
// The Basics
What is the +506 country code?
Numbering format
Costa Rican numbers are 8 digits, dialed the same way domestically and internationally beyond the country code.
Calling culture
Costa Rican business culture ('Pura Vida') values warmth, patience, and relationship-building — a relaxed, friendly tone is typical even in business settings.
Did you know
Costa Rica's state-owned ICE, operating as Kolbi, has historically held a central role in the country's telecom infrastructure since well before market liberalization.
// Quick Facts
A quick read on Costa Rica numbers.
Costa Rican numbers are a flat 8 digits, dialed the same way domestically and internationally beyond the country code.
Best time to call Costa Rica from the US
Costa Rica is on UTC-6 · Business hours = – EST · Mon–Fri
// Why a Virtual Number
Why get a Costa Rica virtual number?
A +506 virtual number gives your business instant local presence in Costa Rica — without the overhead.
Local caller ID in Costa Rica
When you call from your virtual Costa Rica number, contacts see a local +506 number — dramatically improving answer rates.
No office needed
Establish a local presence in Costa Rica without renting space, hiring locally, or installing any hardware.
Instant credibility
A recognizable local number helps build trust with Costa Rican consumers, who value a warm and familiar approach to business.
Routes to any device
Calls to your Costa Rica number ring your team on mobile, desktop, or desk phone — wherever they work.
Free tools
Look up a number from Costa Rica
Phone number checkerCheck the country and format of a number from Costa Rica instantly.Phone number validatorValidate a number against its country's formatting rules (E.164).Carrier lookupCheck a number's country and format for free; live carrier data comes with the Lookup API.All country codesDialing codes, time zones and calling guides for every country.
Frequently Asked
Costa Rica questions answered.
Answers about Costa Rica's SUTEL-regulated carriers, relaxed business culture, and getting a local +506 virtual number.
Dial 011 (the US exit code), then 506, then the national number, leaving out any domestic trunk prefix (such as a leading 0).
Start calling Costa Rica, not tomorrow.
Get a virtual Costa Rica number or make direct international calls to +506 — active in under ten minutes.