天美麻豆

Ginger Firestone wrote:

I have lived here for 7, almost 8 years now.聽 Personally, I wouldn't want to live at the beach聽 with young kids, especially not unless you like sweeping up sand all the time.聽 Also when it storms you will get hit hardest and it's hotter at the beach.

I live up in the mountains, but don't recommend that for you either since in these remote areas there is not much to do and not many people speak English.聽 There are several American communities.聽 I also admit that I am retired so I don't have to earn a living.聽 Your children will be fluent in 2 languages (or more).聽 Just ask before renting or buying if the area is a known drug area because drugs are as bad here as they are in the states.聽 You will also want to check out the crime rate and the schools.

If you are not fluent in Spanish, I would suggest you start taking lessons and to know that Costa Rican Spanish is not what they teach in schools; but, if you know the basics, you can figure it out and adapt.聽 I have found that the people are rather friendly here (but I don't live in a city).聽 I am not fluent, but can make do sort of without help.聽 However, when it comes to doctors and lawyers, I prefer to deal with professionals who speak English fluently,

You will find some things better here and some things worse.聽 They change the laws frequently.聽 On the bright side, I don't find government as invasive as in the states now.聽 I lived in Northern Nevada and I miss the snow and winters, but it's also nice to have flowers and food growing year round.

Electronics are much higher here so bring what you need or want.聽 Housing is somewhat smaller here so only take what furniture you really want and if you end up needing more, you can buy here (but they are not good if you want nice stuffed upholstered couches and chairs)

One last idea - if it's in your budget.聽 Try to make a intro visit here to tour around different areas and get an idea of what is here and where you might want to live.聽 Talk to people on the street or in the shops - preferably Americans because others may not be used to living like you do.聽 Statistics show that most Americans return home after a year.聽 I did not and I love living here - but, I also have family visits that come with my "good will" list for things I can't get here.聽 聽 Very family oriented here and personally I have two families that have sort of adopted me and we do things together.聽 I do live alone and feel quite safe doing so.聽 Until the pandemic, I didn't even bother locking my doors most of the time.

Good luck.

I am building a house in Osa, north of Puerto Jimenez and plan to arrive there in October coming from Canada with my dog. The environment is very natural, ocean is one mile away and my CR experience is limited to 2 weeks spent here last year. I've taken early retirement, would be living alone without much communications with the English speaking world. Yes, Spanish is critical, so I am learning it myself now, reading books. At least something. I have lowered my expectations to avoid serious cultural shock. I guess you never know till you try.

@FincaMiraVida....Everything is tainted legally, especially land...Hospital Tony Facio Castro that handles that region is one of the worst in all Costa Rica..Poor kids..

@brogan6

Since the end of COVID, it changed to every 180 days (SIX MONTHS) for "stamping out" on a tourist bisa.

@samramon

People in the beach communities on the Pacific coast can pay upwards of $4,00.00 USD monthly, plus up to $450.00--$500.00 USD for utilities, especially if blasting A/C.

Consider living in some of the lovely hill communities in ALAJUELA or HEREDIA PROVINCES, where rents are much more affordable and sometimes utilities are included in the rent.

Some landlords will take rent in USD (the exchange rate has dropped from 711:1 to 452:1 in the past three years, a "killer" for many expats.

It's a matter of dispute among posters on this site, but some prominent BLOGGERS with video sites claim that as many as 80% of expats leave within two years for various reasons: access to health care; missing family; noxious street crime (e.g., one USC expat complainewd that she left after two years following eight (8!) "smash-and-grabs" in their cars to steal phones, cameras, or wallets, while parked at the beach.

BANKIG is very difficultr for many expats.

Due to a foolish move by CAPITAL ONE Ban when it acquired DINER'S BLUS and the KOHL's credit card division and dumped MASTER CARD for DINER's CLUB, the DEBIT CARD cannot be used at ANY ATM/Caha Automatica in C.R.

The transition will be complicated, especially if one or more of you cannot handle Spanish well.

It's a great pace, but no longer a panacea.

@cratedivision

CONSIDER joining MEDISMART and get the monthly pay-as-you-go private medical, dental, and vision coverage.

I pay $17.00USD/month for care, including a cancer care option. Excellent private doctors, inckuding many multi-lingual. First World Medicine in a Third World country. They also gave a variety of hospitals and affiliations with some clinics. THE HOSPITAL METROPOLITANO in Sanda Ana, LINDORA is GREAT.

@JBuonopane12

MAKE SURE that the AMEX 30-DAY insurance (used to be 41 DAY) covers Costa Rica and adjoining countries, and PRINT OUT a copy of the coverage to present at the rental coverage.

Watch some of the S---- E------ videos for her partner's suggestions about rentals, since the larger compnainies tend to overchage grossly.

If traveling to places like the Pacific Beaches and LA FORTUNA, get a four wheel drive vehicle or one with an elevated undercarriage.

The infrastructure of the highways and back roads tends to be terrible, especially during the rainy season (late April tioll late November; somemtimes lionger).

@ciudadcolonapts

You may also have trouble with wi-fi/internet/cell phone and might want to invest in STARLINK.

@edwinemora

Lots of corruption with TRAFFIC COPS, IMMIGRATION "fixers," and gang activity and murders near PUERTO LEON. I would not be incined to live there.

@edwinemora

Real estate transactions are fraught with corruption and "Payola."

Try to make friends with a TICO and have them accompany you to the bank or to the lawyer's office.

Often, the locals are NOT looking after your best interests and will try to rip you off.

CAVEAT EMPTOR.

Let the buyer beware.

@Gerald Twomey

MEDISMART will give a 20% discount for pre-paying for six months of coverage.

They have excellent English-speaking staff on their phone lines (dedicated to English-speakers, by pressing *9).

They have many hundreds of excellent doctors, dentists, and ophthalmologists in their "stable," including several pharmacy options.

They are affiliated with Drs. MAX and Drs. DENT (ophthalmology and dental offices), along with labs.

They will deliver meds via motorcycle courier through the central office in SAN JOSE, but ones best off using FARMA VALUE, with senior discounts for expats of 20% on TUESDAYS and WEDNESDAYS.

The big box stores like WALMART and the buyers' club, PRICE SMART, also have good pharmacies, and PRICE SMART has a senior discount and rewards program.

If you're thinking of staying in Costa Rica long-term, your best approach will be to apply for temporary legal residency, then permanent legal residency when you qualify. To be sure, there are some administrative/legal humps to jump, but in the long run it will be simpler and there is no mandatory trip outside the country to renew your tourist visa.

Think about reversing the project. Rather than coming here to look around, which would take longer than you're planning, first make two lists: first, your needs; second, your wants. As a young couple with two small children, your needs and wants will surely be different from the things we retirees might list. Decide what's important to you and then seek out the best match.

We have had Starlink for more that two years and are very satisfied. Just this morning, using Speedtest I got over 330mgs download.

@daveandmarcia

As usual, sage advice, but time-consuming and costly if you end up NOT STSAYING. E.g., you muat get APOSTILLES of documentation such as a birth certificate, issued within SIX MONTHS, from your USA STATE SEWCRETARY OF STATE, and an FBI bacckground check to certify that you are FREE OF FELONIES. SOME FIRMS will so this for you, but it is PRICEY.

I use the tourist visa, go home every six months, shop for hard-to-fin items which do not exist or are VERY PRICEHG in C.R., visit family and friends, and attend to medical appointments with good US insurance.

SPEAKING of insurance, make sure to get and retain TRAVEL INSURANCE.

A good firm exists in So Fla. that caters to Ticos and South Americans.

For six months coverage, they offer a 50% discount, and are a small fractiono f the firms in the UK, Belgium, or the USA.

Or, book it on the cheap from your airline. I got eight months' coverage recently for $20.00 USD, plus a $4.00 USD administration fee. DON'T get caught without travel insurance on the ground here, with covers things like EMERGENCY hospitalization up to the limit of coverage (mine was $50K USD); repatriation of remains; ambulance transportation; transportation of next-of-kin to C.R. for hospital visit; etc.

PERMANENT RESIDENCE allows you to be part of the CaJA, or national health care system, but like CANADA, expect a long wait for elective surgery. It's BROKEN and overaxed. A nieghbor had a broken knee, was discharged from the ER, and had to wait for three WEEKS for emergency surgery in the HOSPITAL in the provincial capital. Also, if you become a permanent resident, the GOVERNMENT in C.R. will attach a portion of your pension, I believe (@ 10%). To quote e.e. cummings, "NO THONX.:

@daveandmarcia

STARLINK is a bit pricey in C.R., but if you are a DIGITAL NOMAD and rely on WiFI for phone service on a MOBILE/CELL phone or a hard-line MAGIC JACK phone, expect service disruptions/outages that will knock out your phone service, email, and streaming capabilities with some frequency. Very annoying and inconvenient.

If you can afford STARLINK, it's a great option, as people in the Canadian Rockies and Iran know.

@Gerald Twomey

re.: This Latin-American-oriented travel insurance company in So. Fla., I paid $60.00/month for six months upfront, which I considered to be an excellent buy for fine coverage.

They cater to TICO senior citizens traveling outside the country; HS exchange students; travelers to the theme parks in Orlando, and undergraduate and graduate students studying abroad.

I cannot give the name of the company according to the FORUM CODE OF CONDUCT, but if you GOOGLE it with enough information, you will find it.

They are SLOW TO RESPOND, but once you connect with them telephonically, very knowledgeable and helpful.

I never had to use their insurance, but had ample reason to use the one connected with my US AIR CARRIER, which is based in the UK with an American HQ in Richmond, VA.

This well-known carrier tried to cheat me out of $8K US in charges for a hospitalization, but I prevailed, won, and paid not one cent for an excellent experience in a TICO hospital (perhaps my best ever, anywhere).

Sounds like you are giving advice to 'make friends with Ticos' to clean you out

Sounds like you are a jaded cynic. Why not add something constructive to the dialogue?

Sounds like you are a jaded cynic. Why not add something constructive to the dialogue? - @Gerald Twomey

Helps to use the "Reply" or the "Quote" function so members will know who you are addressing.

@Gerald Twomey

Sounds like you are a jaded cynic. Why not try adding something constructive to the dialogue?

@Gerald Twomey

Couple of things . . .

First, if you become a temporary legal resident or a permanent legal resident you are REQUIRED to join and pay for the national health system - the CAJA. It's not optional.

Second, the Costa Rican government DOES NOT tax foreign source pensions, U.S. Social Security, or incoming fund transfers from outside Costa Rica. Our monthly U.S. Social Security pensions have been deposited to our accounts at Banco Nacional on the third of every month since 2007. It costs $6.00 for that service. Some other banks also accept U.S. Social Security payments.

It's worth mentioning that U.S. citizens are subject to the U.S. IRS Code which mandates that we pay federal income tax on all our incomes regardless of source. If you maintain a legal residence in the States, your state, and your locality may tax your income as they would any legal resident.

Thank you for the helpful, constructive comments/qualifications.

1. As an intentional non-temporary or legal resident, I refuse to pay into the CaJA, which is a broken system whose downside I shall not articulate here. A waste of money for expats. Buy your own meds and use a pay-to-play system such as MEDISMART, and get very good travel insurance from a USA-, UK-, Belgium-, or Latin-American-based travel insurance company. VITAL for many reasons, too numerous to be enumerated here. "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT."
2. Thank you for clarifying that the C.R. government will not attempt to attach/tax an expat pension, such as US Social Security, a Keogh Plan, or an IRA [401(k)]. I have read otherwise elsewhere.
3. Those whose income level requires them to file US taxes must comply with all applicable IRS rules and regulations or face fines and penalties, such as making estimated quarterly payments and filing electronically on time, and making digital payments where necessary (or receiving direct deposit refunds).
4. The same would apply for the 44 states, territories, and commonwealths that require both IRS filing and, where applicable, STATE and CITY taxes (e.g., New York, Chisago...).

Follow the bouncing links:

Canadian travelers planning a trip to Costa Rica are not being told to stay away, but the advisory urges them to stay alert. The warning points to crime risks in busy tourist areas, transport hubs, beaches, restaurants, hotel lobbies, downtown San Jos茅, and popular destinations on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

A rise in violence and theft in downtown Cartago is changing the way merchants do business, with some closing earlier, reinforcing storefronts and watching customer traffic fade in the afternoon and evening.

The concerns are centered in Cartago鈥檚 historic commercial district, near the Mercado Central, the Ruins, the old barracks area and the streets surrounding the city鈥檚 traditional shopping corridors. Merchants say robberies, armed incidents and the visible presence of unhoused people have altered routines in a city long viewed as quieter than San Jos茅.

The tension grew sharply after an armed attack on January 11 left two people dead near the Convento de los Padres Capuchinos, close to the city center. Police reports said the incident involved occupants of two vehicles and ended in gunfire and a fatal crash. The victims were identified by their surnames as Aguilar, 22, and Camacho, 21.