USD is good in Panama and Nicaragua, in Costa Rica with Colones the prices are a bit better than with USD. 

If you’re traveling from Europe leave the euros at home. It’s hard to find a place to change euros to local currencies or to USD if you travel outside of bigger cities. And then the money exchange companies like globalexchange.co.cr will hustle your euros if you let them. Also the rates are ridiculous – at Bocas Del Toro the rate was EUR/USD=0.85 so no way for buying dollars with euros.

I took US Dollars and Colones with me but for some reason I took also 520€ with me for just in case. Then I tried to change them to USD at the airport of San José, Costa Rica. First I went to Global Exchange’s desk and asked the cashier for the change and at the same time handed in the 520€. But then I got an answer that first euros must be change into Costa Rican Colones and only then to US Dollars 💵. A bit weird. Then I asked how many dollars I would get then. Answer: $440 (don’t remember the exact amount but around 440). Me: give me my money back please, I’ll find out how many US Dollars I can buy with 520€ from BAC (a real bank) which was close to Global Exchange at the airport. Then the cashier tried the scam and said to me with my euros in hand that they do the change just like us. Yeah right! Got my euros back and headed to BAC and checked out $539. Almost fell into a corporation scam so I had to get back to the Global’s cashier for some feedback. BTW this Global Ex-f*%#ing-change is third biggest exchange company globally – well done ✅ 

520€ -> $539