Free tool
Costa Rica VAT calculator
Add VAT to a price, or take it out of one that already includes it — with the rates used in Costa Rica. Nothing is stored: the calculation runs in your own browser.
Taxable base₡100,000.00
VAT (13%)₡13,000.00
Total₡113,000.00
This calculator does the arithmetic, it does not decide the rate.
Which rate applies to what you sell is determined by your
CABYS code, and that is not a calculation: it is
a classification. If you are unsure, it is a question for your accountant.
How to work VAT out by hand
To add it: multiply the price without VAT by 1.13 (at the standard rate).
To take it out: divide the price with VAT by 1.13. You do not subtract
13 %: that gives a different and smaller number than the right one.
| If you want to… | The operation | Example at 13% |
|---|---|---|
| Add the VAT | price × (1 + rate) | ₡100,000 × 1.13 = ₡113,000 |
| Take the VAT out | price ÷ (1 + rate) | ₡113,000 ÷ 1.13 = ₡100,000 |
| Know how much the VAT is | total − base | ₡113,000 − ₡100,000 = ₡13,000 |
The classic error: subtracting 13 % from a price that already includes it.
₡113,000 less 13 % is ₡98,310, and the correct base is ₡100,000. The difference is ₡1,690
for every ₡113,000 invoiced, which over a year of trading is not nothing.
From Ticuenta
On an invoice, this should not be your arithmetic
The rate comes from the product's CABYS code, and the document is built with the base, the tax and the total already balanced — checked before it is issued.
See how it worksVerified as of 24 September 2026. The rates are those of the VAT Act. Which rate applies to what.