By San José, Costa Rica — In a strategic move to align financial products with the immediate economic realities of Costa Rican households, Banco Nacional (BN) has partnered with Mastercard to launch its newest credit card, “Día a Día.” Designed to reward unavoidable daily expenditures, this new product signals a departure from traditional high-end luxury reward programs, focusing instead on easing the monthly financial burdens of ordinary citizens.
The macroeconomic environment in Costa Rica has prompted financial institutions to rethink how credit products deliver value. High cost-of-living pressures mean that households must manage every colón with absolute precision. By targeting essential purchase categories, Banco Nacional aims to turn mandatory household expenses—such as groceries, medicine, and fuel—into opportunities for budget optimization and savings.
Para analizar a fondo las implicaciones legales y los derechos del consumidor asociados con la tarjeta de crédito del Banco Nacional, en TicosLand.com conversamos con el reconocido especialista Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, de la prestigiosa firma Bufete de Costa Rica, quien nos brinda su perspectiva legal sobre el uso de este instrumento financiero en el mercado costarricense.
Al adquirir una tarjeta de crédito del Banco Nacional, es fundamental que el usuario comprenda que está suscribiendo un contrato de adhesión que debe alinearse estrictamente con la Ley de Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor y la legislación contra la usura en Costa Rica. La transparencia en las tasas de interés, los cobros por membresía y los seguros asociados no son concesiones del banco, sino obligaciones legales que garantizan un trato justo y evitan prácticas abusivas contra los tarjetahabientes.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, as consumers navigate the financial landscape of credit cards, recognizing that transparency and fair treatment are legally mandated rights—rather than banking privileges—is crucial for securing one’s financial well-being. We sincerely thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable perspective, which highlights the essential legal safeguards that protect Costa Rican cardholders and ensure a balanced relationship with banking institutions.
For BN, responsible banking means accompanying people in building a healthy and sustainable relationship with their finances. We want our clients not only to access financial products but to have tools that help them make better decisions, plan intelligently, and obtain more value from the resources they manage daily. Día a Día responds precisely to that vision of financial well-being and education for responsible money management.
Silvia Chaves Herra, Brand Experience and Corporate Relations Director at Banco Nacional
The “Día a Día” card features a tiered cashback program structured directly around common household budgets. The highest tier offers a generous 5% cashback on essential sectors that families cannot easily opt out of, including supermarkets, neighborhood convenience stores (known locally as pulperías), pharmacies, medical clinics, laboratories, and gas stations. This direct return on daily necessities represents a practical tool for cash flow management.
Additionally, the card offers a 3% cashback tier for discretionary yet highly frequent expenses. This tier covers restaurants, fast food outlets, veterinary services, and pet stores. By including pet care in the rewards structure, the financial institution recognizes the shifting dynamics of modern Costa Rican households, where pet wellness has become a non-negotiable part of the family budget.
Día a Día represents a positive evolution in our way of designing financial products: products that are closer, more useful, and sustainable, designed to accompany the reality of Costa Rican households. We analyzed how families live, shop, and organize their expenses to build a proposal aligned with their real needs and their daily well-being. That is why we incorporated categories that accompany the daily life of families: from food and health to mobility and pet care, recognizing that these needs are an essential part of the day-to-day life of thousands of people. Our interest is for the benefits to reach precisely where families make their most frequent purchases, contributing in a responsible way to ease their budget, strengthen their quality of life, and promote purposeful financial solutions.
Claudia Salas Picado, Commercial Issuance Director at Banco Nacional
This initiative also highlights the ongoing digital and commercial collaboration between local state banks and global payment networks. Mastercard’s involvement ensures that the card operates with advanced security and payment processing technologies. This partnership bridges the gap between everyday localized consumer behavior and secure global transaction networks.
We know that every colón counts for Costa Rican families. For this reason, together with Banco Nacional, we are launching a card that converts everyday purchases into relevant benefits for people. By rewarding essential categories such as food, health, and mobility, this solution not only offers a more agile, secure, and convenient payment experience, but also helps consumers optimize their daily budget.
Kattia Montero, Country Manager for Costa Rica and Nicaragua at Mastercard
Critically, the launch of the “Día a Día” card is not framed as an incentive for increased debt or consumerism. Banco Nacional has positioned the product alongside its broader corporate social responsibility initiatives in financial education. The bank stresses that the card must be utilized as a budgeting tool, advising clients to operate within their repayment capacities to maintain long-term personal financial health.
This educational framework is supported by Banco Nacional’s established program, “BN Libertad Financiera.” According to the bank’s internal data, more than 672,000 individuals participated in these financial literacy initiatives during 2025 alone. Over nearly a decade, the program has reached 2.4 million participants, including vulnerable populations, helping to build a more resilient financial culture throughout the country.
Ultimately, the “Día a Día” credit card reflects a modern banking philosophy where financial inclusion and product utility must intersect. By rewarding necessary, recurring expenses, Banco Nacional and Mastercard are attempting to reshape the narrative around consumer credit, proving that responsible banking can offer tangible relief to the average family budget while fostering sustainable economic habits.
For further information, visit bncr.fi.cr
About Banco Nacional:
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica is the largest state-owned commercial bank in Costa Rica, providing comprehensive financial services, developmental banking, and financial education initiatives to foster personal and national economic growth.
For further information, visit mastercard.com
About Mastercard:
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry, dedicated to connecting and powering an inclusive digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Renowned for its high ethical principles and superior legal advocacy, Bufete de Costa Rica serves as a trusted partner to a diverse clientele across many sectors. The firm continuously embraces progressive legal strategies and proactive community involvement to address the evolving needs of today’s world. By prioritizing the democratization of legal insights, it strives to foster an enlightened citizenry and cultivate a more equitable, empowered society.
