🇨🇷
Payroll in Costa Rica
Payroll in Costa Rica runs in CRC on a bi-weekly / monthly cycle, with statutory employer contributions and aguinaldo — 13th salary (mandatory, dec). Gracemark operates it end-to-end — humans, not tickets.
Currency
CRC — Costa Rican colón
Payroll cycle
Bi-weekly / Monthly
Working week
48 hrs
Minimum wage
Occupation-set (~₡358,000+/mo)
13th-month
Aguinaldo — 13th salary (mandatory, Dec)
Employer cost
~26.17% (CCSS social charges)
Probation
3 months
Notice period
Severance-based (cesantía)
Two ways to run payroll in Costa Rica
Own-entity payroll
For long-term presence in Costa Rica. Gracemark manages statutory filings, pay runs, and year-end reporting under your entity — with a named operator on Central America time.
EOR-run payroll
No entity in Costa Rica? Employ and pay talent under Gracemark's local infrastructure via EOR — onboard in 2–3 weeks (eor), no local incorporation.
Compliance essentials in Costa Rica
- Aguinaldo (13th salary) is mandatory and paid in December
- Occupation-based minimum wages are set by decree, not a single floor
- Cesantía severance and preaviso (notice) accrue on most terminations
- High employer CCSS social charges (~26%) define the cost picture
- Premier, English-strong shared-services and engineering hub
Get a payroll quote for Costa Rica
Send your headcount and salary band. We reply with employer burden, net-to-gross, and setup timeline — no sales scripts.
Deeper guide
Hiring guide: Costa Rica →
Employ without entity
EOR services →
All countries
Global payroll overview →