Free Spanish Lesson #9 – Bargaining for Taxis in Latin America

Important Note from Scott – This is helpful for learning Spanish but, this will not apply to official taxis in Costa Rica which work on a fixed, metered fare.

One of the aspects of Latin America that I love most is that you can bargain for anything — even taxis. After getting used to this cultural difference in Latin America, I returned to the U.S., took a taxi, and tried to bargain but it didn’t work; I got stuck with a hefty bill.

Bargaining for a taxi ride in Latin America is expected. In heavy tourist areas, the rates may go up substantially, but you can still bargain to get a lower price. The first step is to bargain for a rate before you get into the taxi. I’ll give you an example of how this works. It is similar to our “bargaining” lesson a few weeks ago.

Let’s you are trying to get to the “Garcia Museum”. First I would start out by saying, “¿Cuánto para Museo Garcia?” [quan-toe pa-raw moo-say-oh Garcia?] (How much for Garcia Museum?)

Sometimes, just because you’re a gringo (foreigner) they will give you some ridiculously high price. If they do, just say “¡Soy gringo, pero no soy tonto!” [Soy green-go peh-row no soy tone-toe] (I’m a gringo but I’m not a fool).

This may sound very harsh but its all part of the culture of bargaining. Many taxi drivers will be impressed that you, a foreigner, actually know this phrase. From my experience, taxi drivers like bargaining as much as I do. They enjoy going back and forth bargaining for the best price.

Next, you can ask, ¿Cuánto cuesta de verdad? [quan-toe qwes-taw de bear-thath?] (How much does it really cost?). They will then give you a lower price, and you can say the following line and start to walk away, “Mejor voy a tomar otro taxi.” [may-hore boy a toe-mar oh-troe taxi] (It will be better if I take another taxi).

As you start to walk away they will begin to get desperate, give you a lower price which you can accept, and you are on your way.

Now for a couple of quick tips and ideas for getting around in Latin America:

• Traffic is crazy and taxi drivers can be even crazier. Once you get in, hold on for an exciting ride. Taxis are usually very safe but exciting.
• If you are thinking about driving your own car, I highly discourage it. In most places, laws don’t protect your car if you get in an accident. If someone hits you, they usually take off and you are left with a nice dent in your car. (This is NOT applicable in Costa Rica where all cars involved must stop exactly where they are and NOT move when there is an accident.
• Renting a car can be a good option. Just make sure you are ready to drive with your horn and also that the car has insurance — “seguro” [seh-goo-row] or “aseguranza” [ah-seh-goo-rawn-saw]. There are different words for insurance according to the region.

Moral of the Story: Learning some Spanish before your trip not only helps you get around and enjoy the local culture, it will also can save you money!

¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)

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Written by Dave Clark with Try a Free Spanish Lessons

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.