If you’ve spent hours roaming the sun-scorched Sicilian countryside in Mafia: The Old Country, you know some side objectives feel intentionally tricky to pull off without alerting every guard in a 5-mile radius. The mafia the old country kill costa mission is one of those objectives that trips up new and returning players alike, even if you’ve nailed every other hit job in the game up to that point. I struggled with this mission three times before I figured out the small, easy-to-miss details that make the difference between a clean, quiet kill and a full-on police chase that ends with you tossed in jail before you can collect your payout. This guide breaks down everything I learned through trial and error, plus tricks I picked up from other top players in the community, to help you pull this off on your first try.
Key Pre-Mission Prep for the Mafia: The Old Country Kill Costa Objective
Before you even step foot near Costa’s compound, you need to take 10 minutes to get your loadout and escape plan sorted, or you’re setting yourself up for failure. First, pick up the farmhand outfit from the general store in the nearby town of Montecchio. It costs only $25, and it lets you walk around the perimeter of Costa’s property without being questioned by guards, as long as you stay out of restricted areas. Never bring a shotgun or assault rifle to this mission, even if you think you can fight your way out. The area around Costa’s compound is packed with civilian workers and passersby, and loud gunfire will trigger a 4-star wanted level instantly.
Your best weapon choice here is the silenced .22 pistol you unlock after completing the first three smuggling missions for the local don. Pick the silenced .22 pistol as your primary weapon for this hit – it has no recoil, and even if you miss a shot, the sound won’t carry past 10 feet. If you prefer close-quarters takedowns, the hidden switchblade you get from the barber shop in town works even better, as it makes zero noise at all. Always scout Costa’s patrol route for at least 3 full cycles before you make your move; his schedule changes slightly based on the time of day you start the mission, so you don’t want to rely on old walkthrough timings that might not match your playthrough.
Last, pre-place an escape car 200 yards west of the compound, hidden behind the cluster of olive trees off the main dirt road. Make sure the keys are in the ignition and the engine is off, so it doesn’t draw attention. If you skip this step, you’ll have to run through the grove on foot, and the mounted guards that patrol the outer perimeter will catch up to you in less than a minute if you’re spotted.
The 3 Best Spots to Take Out Costa Without Being Spotted
There are half a dozen spots you can use to take out Costa, but these three are the most reliable for players of all skill levels, with the lowest risk of being detected:
- The olive grove overlook: This spot sits on a small rise on the west side of the compound, behind a low stone wall. Costa stops here for 90 seconds every 4 minutes to smoke a cigarette, and he’s completely alone during this break, with no guards within 30 feet. You don’t even have to enter the compound to use this spot, which is why it’s ideal for new players who aren’t confident in their sneaking skills. Just make sure you stay crouched the whole time, or the guard patrolling the north wall will spot you.
- The kitchen back entrance: Costa stops here every afternoon between 2PM and 4PM to pick up fresh bread from the cook who works in his estate. The only person nearby is a single guard who stands by the door, facing away from the path that leads to the grove. You can take the guard out with a quick melee takedown, hide his body behind the stack of firewood next to the door, and wait 2-3 minutes for Costa to show up. This route gives you the fastest escape path if someone accidentally sees you, since the back gate leads straight to the dirt road where you parked your escape car.
- The waterfront dock: Costa visits this spot once a day at 7PM to meet a smuggling contact who brings him contraband from the mainland. Wait until the contact leaves the dock, then take Costa out with a single shot to the head. You can then drag his body and dump it in the Mediterranean, so no one will find it for at least 48 in-game hours. This spot gives you the lowest chance of leaving evidence, since there’s no body to link the hit to you, and the smuggling contact won’t talk to police to avoid getting arrested himself.
All three of these spots let you complete the hit without alerting anyone, as long as you time your shot or takedown correctly. I prefer the waterfront spot for my playthroughs, since it gives me the highest payout bonus from the don for a no-evidence hit, but the olive grove spot is the one I recommend for anyone trying this mission for the first time.
Common Mistakes That Will Blow Your Costa Hit Before You Even Fire
Most players fail this mission not because they have bad aim, but because they make small, avoidable mistakes that draw attention before they even make their move. The most common mistake I see is wearing your standard mafia leather jacket or gang colors to the compound. All of Costa’s guards have descriptions of local mafia members on file, so they’ll recognize you instantly and open fire before you even get close to the perimeter. The $25 farmhand outfit eliminates this risk entirely, so there’s no reason to skip it.
Another big mistake is forgetting to disable the 4 security cameras mounted on the corners of the compound walls. You can shoot each one out with your silenced pistol from a distance, and no one will hear the shot or notice the camera is down for at least an hour. If you leave them up, they’ll capture your face, and Costa’s family will put a $10,000 hit out on you that stays active for the rest of your playthrough. I made this mistake on my first run, and I had to hide out in my safe house for three in-game days just to avoid being shot by random bounty hunters.
Never kill Costa in front of civilian witnesses, no matter how easy the shot looks. He walks around the compound with his 12-year-old daughter every morning between 9AM and 10AM, and if you kill him in front of her or any other civilian, your honor stat will drop so low that even your own crew will refuse to work with you for 10 in-game days. You’ll also lose access to three high-paying side missions that unlock later in the game, so it’s not worth the shortcut of taking an easy shot when he’s surrounded by innocent people.
What to Do Immediately After You Complete the Kill
Once you take Costa out, your first instinct might be to loot his body for cash or rare items, but don’t do it. Even if he’s carrying a stack of $5000 on him, it’s not worth the risk of a guard rounding the corner and catching you standing over the body. Leave the area right away, using the same path you took to get to your chosen spot, and don’t stop for anything until you reach your escape car.
Once you’re in the car, drive straight to your safe house in the next town over, and don’t speed or run any red lights on the way. The police will be patrolling the area around the compound heavily for the first hour after the hit is reported, so any minor traffic infraction will get you pulled over and searched. As soon as you get to your safe house, dispose of your weapon by throwing it in the well behind the building, or dump it in the ocean on the way if you took the waterfront route. If police find the bullet casings near the body, they won’t be able to trace the gun back to you if you’ve already gotten rid of it.
You should also change out of your farmhand outfit as soon as you get to the safe house. Any witnesses who might have seen you near the compound will describe someone wearing work clothes, so if you switch back to your regular casual wear, police won’t stop you if you have to leave the safe house before the 24-hour patrol period ends. Once 24 in-game hours have passed, you can head back to the don’s office to collect your payout, which usually comes with a $2000 bonus if you completed the hit without leaving any evidence or alerting witnesses.
Pulling off the mafia the old country kill costa mission doesn’t require perfect aim or a maxed-out character level, it just requires a little planning and attention to small details that most players skip over. If you follow the steps we laid out, you’ll be able to get the job done cleanly, collect your payout, and move on to the next mission without any unwanted headaches. Don’t get discouraged if you mess up your first try either – I messed up three times before I got it right, and that’s part of the fun of exploring the game’s open world and figuring out what works for your playstyle. Next time you’re stuck on a tricky hit or mission, take a minute to slow down, scout the area, and look for the little shortcuts that make all the difference.
