Costa Rica Aguinaldo Calculator
The Costa Rica aguinaldo (Christmas bonus) is a mandatory benefit that every employer pays between December 1 and 20, equal to one twelfth of the ordinary and extraordinary wages earned between December 1 of the previous year and November 30. This calculator estimates your bonus in colones from your monthly salary, months worked, and other period earnings — useful both for workers checking their payment and employers budgeting payroll.
With a salary of ₡650,000 per month and 12 months worked in the period:
- Total earnings in the period: ₡7,800,000
- Estimated aguinaldo: ₡650,000 (one twelfth)
- Monthly accrual equivalent: ₡54,166.67
The math is simple: period total ÷ 12. If you worked fewer months, the result is prorated.
Formula
Aguinaldo = (Monthly salary × months worked + other period earnings) ÷ 12
Period total = (monthly salary × months worked) + overtime, commissions, and other earnings
The base is the sum of all ordinary and extraordinary wages earned in the 12-month period running from December 1 to November 30. The Ministry of Labor (MTSS) computes it on what was actually earned, not the current salary.
Step-by-step example (default values)
- Monthly salary = ₡650,000 and months worked = 12
- Period total = 650,000 × 12 = ₡7,800,000
- Aguinaldo = 7,800,000 ÷ 12 = ₡650,000
- If you worked only 6 months: total = ₡3,900,000 → aguinaldo = ₡325,000
Scenario table (same engine logic)
| Monthly salary | Months worked | Other earnings | Period total | Aguinaldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₡650,000 | 12 | ₡0 | ₡7,800,000 | ₡650,000 |
| ₡650,000 | 6 | ₡0 | ₡3,900,000 | ₡325,000 |
| ₡500,000 | 12 | ₡0 | ₡6,000,000 | ₡500,000 |
| ₡800,000 | 12 | ₡120,000 | ₡9,720,000 | ₡810,000 |
Reading the result
The Costa Rican aguinaldo is not a discretionary bonus: it is a labor right regulated by the Labor Code and supervised by the Ministry of Labor (MTSS). The key to a correct amount is the base: if you had raises, overtime, or commissions, they must be added to the period. Many workers only check their November salary and are surprised when the real bonus is higher or lower.
If you changed employers mid-year, each employer pays the proportional share of the time you worked for them; your right is not lost, it is just split. Employers use the same logic to provision 1/12 every month and avoid a cash crunch in December.
This tool estimates the gross amount based on the data you enter. It does not include possible withholdings, collective-agreement adjustments, or special MTSS criteria. For a specific case (mid-year departure, dismissal, or variable base), confirm the calculation with your payroll or the MTSS. Figures are educational references, not an official settlement.
FAQ
Add the ordinary and extraordinary wages earned between December 1 and November 30 and divide the total by 12. At ₡650,000 for 12 months: 7,800,000 ÷ 12 = ₡650,000.
The aguinaldo is prorated. At ₡650,000 for 6 months: ₡3,900,000 ÷ 12 = ₡325,000. If you changed companies, each employer pays its share.
All ordinary and extraordinary wages earned in the period: base salary, overtime, commissions, and other earned payments. Add them under "other earnings" in the calculator.
The calculator shows the estimated gross amount. The final treatment depends on your payroll and current rules; validate it with your employer or the MTSS.
Between December 1 and 20. If you are dismissed before then, the proportional aguinaldo is included in your settlement — use the Costa Rica settlement calculator to estimate the total.
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