jwboozeriii
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum posts
42
About me
American
Registration: 21 May 2021
Questions for retirement scouting visit in March by bpwald
Hi, my husband and I live in the Washington DC area and are considering retirement locations. We're looking at not-too-hot and humid places like the central valley in CR. Anyone with suggestions of towns to consider, places to go during our visit, ...
If you have TriCare coverage, one or more of the private sector hospitals here will honor it. - @daveandmarciaJust to clarify, if you have TriCare you can use any medical doctor, clinic or hospital in Costa Rica. If they don鈥檛 accept Tricare ... Read More
Joining In the Fray by Richtl
Hi Folks, I've been browsing this forum for awhile, and guess it's time to join in. My wife and I are in the process of moving from the Northeast US to Costa Rica. We've both lived in many places, and are entering this with few illusions. Also, I'm ...
鈥漷ry joining a MAGA website.鈥� totally uncalled for - makes you no better than Edwin. Read More
Cost of living in Costa Rica in 2025 by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Every year, we invite you to share your experiences with the cost of living in in Costa Rica, especially in the region or city you live in. Your insights will greatly help members planning their move to Costa Rica or already ...
@gst1212, Great summary ! I have been using MediSmart for about 8 -10 years (as long as it has been available). I am totally sold on it ! While I have Tricare (retired military) I sometimes just use MediSmart for simple, inexpensive things so I ... Read More
Relocating to Costa Rica by kbtracy
Hi, our names are Kevin and Bonnie Tracy. We currently live in Mesa AZ. We are both retired military. We are considering relocated to Costa Rica. We will be visiting Costa Rica in August and will need some help with getting around and also ...
Hi, our names are Kevin and Bonnie Tracy. We currently live in Mesa AZ. We are both retired military. We are considering relocated to Costa Rica. We will be visiting Costa Rica in August and will need some help with getting around and also looking ... Read More
Relocating to Costa Rica by kbtracy
Hi, our names are Kevin and Bonnie Tracy. We currently live in Mesa AZ. We are both retired military. We are considering relocated to Costa Rica. We will be visiting Costa Rica in August and will need some help with getting around and also ...
Hi, our names are Kevin and Bonnie Tracy. We currently live in Mesa AZ. We are both retired military. We are considering relocated to Costa Rica. We will be visiting Costa Rica in August and will need some help with getting around and also looking ... Read More
San Jos茅: walkable areas to live by zencorgi
We have been researching various countries to move to for some time and Costa Rica is near the top of the list. The San Jos茅 area is attractive because of the availability of health care and we are planning a trip there in the early summer to ...
To follow-up on what others have said especially about traffic - I totally agree in general terms. If you want to be where the action is then part of the action is traffic. As you get away from the action (as some have mentioned) then traffic and ... Read More
San Jos茅: walkable areas to live by zencorgi
We have been researching various countries to move to for some time and Costa Rica is near the top of the list. The San Jos茅 area is attractive because of the availability of health care and we are planning a trip there in the early summer to ...
@zencorgiHola,You mentioned Escazu and a walkable area. My suggestion for those 2 is Trejos Montealegre in Escazu.It is basically at the entrance to Escazu from the 27 highway (on the north side). It is an upscale neighborhood that is pretty flat ... Read More
Caja payment by Schempf
Is there a way to lower caja payment. I pay $350 a month.I am told to get a dentist appointment is just a waiting experience. I don't trust the hospital I'm told I have to go to. Went there once with stenosis of the aorta( didn't know yhrn what was ...
rainagain, above, you wrote, "Surgeries are typically not included." Actually, at least in some instances that's not correct. We have friends who have had a gall bladder removal and a breast biopsy, both done under the auspices of MediSmart. The ... Read More
Caja payment by Schempf
Is there a way to lower caja payment. I pay $350 a month.I am told to get a dentist appointment is just a waiting experience. I don't trust the hospital I'm told I have to go to. Went there once with stenosis of the aorta( didn't know yhrn what was ...
@rainagain Con mucho gusto - thanks for your note! Read More
Caja payment by Schempf
Is there a way to lower caja payment. I pay $350 a month.I am told to get a dentist appointment is just a waiting experience. I don't trust the hospital I'm told I have to go to. Went there once with stenosis of the aorta( didn't know yhrn what was ...
Is there a way to lower caja payment. I pay $350 a month. I am told to get a dentist appointment is just a waiting experience. I don't trust the hospital I'm told I have to go to. Went there once with stenosis of the aorta( didn't know yhrn what ... Read More
Reactivation of CAJA payments after return? by AJGrandmaa
Hola, my husband and I suspended our caja payments in February knowing we would be away for 10 months. We understood (possibly incorrectly) that we go into office to have the payments start again upon return. To day we were told we must start again ...
I was told to never get into a battle of wits with an unarmed person so I will leave you to your mindless dribble. A, MF ! Read More
Reactivation of CAJA payments after return? by AJGrandmaa
Hola, my husband and I suspended our caja payments in February knowing we would be away for 10 months. We understood (possibly incorrectly) that we go into office to have the payments start again upon return. To day we were told we must start again ...
It would be great if you kept your 鈥減olitical opinion鈥� to yourself. Because that is what they are 鈥渙pinions鈥� and not helpful here. Read More
Veterans considering Costa Rica for a move
@Bhavna - I totally agree and have discontinued any discussions with Edwinemora. Read More
Veterans considering Costa Rica for a move[B]Irrelevant by edwinemora
@jwboozeriii.....Learn Spanish,then you can read our press and be well apprised,my good foolio......I already gave the name of the financial institution in my first reply to you.....Look it up ! ****
@edwinemora - ****鈥� ? Wow - very professional and educated and, for the record, I do speak Spanish. I learned a long time ago not to get into a battle of wits with an unarmed man - so I will simply leave you to your narcissistic rants and ... Read More
Veterans considering Costa Rica for a move by F_VC
Hey Everyone!My wife and I are thinking about moving out of the country in a few years. We want to let our oldest finish high school and we have a newborn as well!We're both veterans and have 100% VA disability. My wife owns two montessori schools ...
@edwinemora - Eddie, facts, mae - you offer no facts - just general opinions and statements - absolutely no facts. Maybe you can enlighten us about which banks 鈥渃leaned out a bunch of gringos鈥� (more specifics and more details, please) - ... Read More
Temporary Residency for a Retiree process by gmmcwhirter
I'm a new member. Doing my due diligence for the past ? years. We haven't visited yet but that's coming up soon. I'm trying to figure out just how to navigate the forum site, like where to find certain posts/strings by certain members? Is it even ...
@gmmcwhirter Welcome to the forum! Good for you for doing your 鈥滵D鈥� - get as many questions answered before you come. A few suggestions follow 鈥�. do an exploratory trip (maybe 1-3 months). Use AirBnB鈥檚 to scope out different ... Read More
Veterans considering Costa Rica for a move by F_VC
Hey Everyone!My wife and I are thinking about moving out of the country in a few years. We want to let our oldest finish high school and we have a newborn as well!We're both veterans and have 100% VA disability. My wife owns two montessori schools ...
@F_VC Don鈥檛 worry about Edwin鈥檚 comments - he is 鈥淢r Negativity鈥� here on the forum. His condescending comments generally are not helpful at all but we put up with him for laughs !If you are retired vets and have Tricare ... Read More
Moving to Costa Rica with an adult child by Frankenbillie
Hi, I鈥檓 a retired woman with a 30 year old daughter with whom I am planning on living with in Costa Rica for a year. Can she be my dependent for that time and connected to my income as a pensioner?
@daveandmarcia - You are correct about the length of time one must remain outside of CR to renew the visa - in and out the same day. The confusion has been regarding the 3 days (72 hours) that you hear mentioned. As I understand it, the 3 days (72 ... Read More
Recommendation for a Relocation Agent by ChrisJohan
Hello,I'm a French living in Sweden for the past 20 years, with my husband (Swedish) and we are looking for a new country to live.The Costa Rica seems very interesting and we are planning to spend one month on place beginning of next year.The ...
@rainagain - Hi, yes, I totally agree with you - there is no perfect 鈥漚nything鈥�. I was simply giving my personal experience so one can weight that against other possibly positive comments and make an informed decision. For my initial ... Read More
Recommendation for a Relocation Agent by ChrisJohan
Hello,I'm a French living in Sweden for the past 20 years, with my husband (Swedish) and we are looking for a new country to live.The Costa Rica seems very interesting and we are planning to spend one month on place beginning of next year.The ...
@ChrisJohan I've seen this Residency Service mentioned a number of times; and I read the testimonials on her site... Of course, everything must be taken with an ounce or two of caution... but she seemed to 'deliver' for her clients; some of whom had ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
聽 聽 Good morning , does anyone know how much you pay la caja once you have your residency?聽 i hear a high number, can聽 you get the payments down by negotiating??thanks 聽 聽 聽 聽 -@miriamsoriano -聽 the ... Read More
Hair stylist job by antoinettecoetzee19
I'm a qualified hair stylist with 30 years experience in the industry and would like to relocate to Costa Rica. Any advice on job opportunities will be welcomed
@edwinemoraWow, Edwin, that鈥檚 pretty harsh !What does her financial situation (good or bad) have to do with her offering advice to someone about working in CR as a hair stylist ? Absolutely nothing, in my opinion.Cheers 鈥�.John Read More
Hair stylist job by antoinettecoetzee19
I'm a qualified hair stylist with 30 years experience in the industry and would like to relocate to Costa Rica. Any advice on job opportunities will be welcomed
@edwinemoraEdwin, It seems to me that you are saying that is a negative - things here are not the same as where one is from.Actually I look at that as a very positive thing. Things in CR are not like they are in the USA - Thank God !I moved here 13 ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
@jwboozeriii I got my last information in July when I paid caja for 4 missing months in order to get my 2 year dimex. I paid both portions, as they charged me. I am not paying now but I do have a bad sensation that when i renew my residence (if i ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
John, thank you for your clarification (above) about MediSmart's published prices, discounts, etc. Honestly, I hadn't looked for that information in quite a while. So, I stand corrected. And I continue to think that MediSmart can be a very good ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
Izzy,Good luck and please keep us posted. I'm sure there are others in the same situation.Iqualmente !John Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
@daveandmarciaDave and Marcia,Glad your friend is on the mend! I had a friend that was at Blanco Cervantes (old folks part of San Juan de Dios hospital) for over 30 days and walked out with no bill or charges. I visited him several times and he was ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
@inivin57Izzy, I totally agree with you and I鈥檓 sure that is one of the reasons the requirement for one to pay into the pension portion was apparently discontinued. Have you contacted CAJA or an attorney to see if you can stop paying that ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
@Henrych,Regarding your comment, "ticos say that caja is a joke" is a bit misleading, in my opinion. I have lived here 13 years and every Tico that I can remember talking with says that the CAJA health system is excellent for emergency care. In ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
Izzy,I'm alway happy to help. I try to only use my own personal experience rather than the "Coconut Wireless" (rumor mill).Regarding how long one must wait before applying for permanent residency 鈥�. Everything I have read says one can apply ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
Henrych,You could be right - what is your source ?According to my immigration attorney, payment into the retirement portion was only initially intended for new pensionado applicants - not those that already have pensionado or permanent residency ... Read More
CCSS payment by inivin57
Hi, I'm a Temp Dimex and have been here for 1 yr now just renewed my card. My CCSS is extremely high and I just couldn't afford it this month. Does anyone know what will happen if I don't pay this month? I don't want my residency canceled but had a ...
My 2 colones as a 13 year resident of CR both as a pensionado and permanent resident. I think there is some confusion here regarding the CAJA. First there are 2 parts to the CAJA (one is the health insurance side and the other is the retirement ... Read More
Where to start housing and paperwork to become resident by oooriginals
I'm traveling to Costa Rica in three weeks, and I am wondering where to start. I want to check out spots where I can live but not be too far away from neighbors. I will be living on a pension, I'm 74 and Female. I'm not handicapped in any way and ...
Hola Olivia,My suggestion is for you to attend one of the seminars that ARCR (Association of Residents of Costa Rica) offers. Their offices are in Mall San Pedro (3rd floor, I think) but the seminars are elsewhere is San Jose. They have monthly ... Read More
Money & ATMs & extra charges etc by Michael Trainor
If I plan to visit CR for 90 days then leave for a week and do that 3 or 4 times in order to make a decision on whether to apply for pensionado visa, can I just use my Bank debit card for everyday living at ATMs or at stores etc like I do in the US ...
PJ is correct - get a card with no foreign transaction fees. Also get a card like Schwab debit that reimburses your ATM fees at the end of the month. You are still charged the bank ATM fee but the card (like Schwab) deposits the ATM fees back into ... Read More
Money & ATMs & extra charges etc by Michael Trainor
If I plan to visit CR for 90 days then leave for a week and do that 3 or 4 times in order to make a decision on whether to apply for pensionado visa, can I just use my Bank debit card for everyday living at ATMs or at stores etc like I do in the US ...
RE: freeze/unfreeze options for debit cards 鈥�.. I have 3 debit cards and all 3 allow me to 鈥渓ock/unlock鈥� them via their online app (or on their website if at a computer). I typically keep them locked and then unlock them when they ... Read More
Money & ATMs & extra charges etc by Michael Trainor
If I plan to visit CR for 90 days then leave for a week and do that 3 or 4 times in order to make a decision on whether to apply for pensionado visa, can I just use my Bank debit card for everyday living at ATMs or at stores etc like I do in the US ...
Yes, you can use bank debit cards most everywhere - stores, restaurants and etc. However you may need cash from time to time for example .. taxis, local small stores and local restaurants. You can also use an ATM with a USA debit card. The ATM fees ... Read More
International health insurance by Ziminar
This may be posted already but I couldn't find it. I'm looking at getting health insurance to hopefully help with my prescriptions white I'm going thru the visa process. If you have any recommendations I'd appreciate hearing about them. Feel free to ...
Hola Ziminar,It is my understanding that one can鈥檛 get private insurance in CR until they have residency. I use INS but other private insurers may have other options.One thing that I highly recommend is MediSmart with Hospital Metropolitano ... Read More
Cost of living in Costa Rica in 2022 by Cheryl
Hi everyone, Two years after the start of the pandemic, it is time to take stock of the evolution of the cost of living in Costa Rica or more specifically, in the region where you live. The idea is to help people get ready for their expatriation ...
Background: I am a single US retiree living in Escazu. I have lived here for 12 years. I live in an upscale condo unit with many amenities (pool, meeting rooms, yoga room, media room, party areas and etc). There are about 7 restaurants in the ... Read More
Receiving salaries or monies from USA by Teri Sanders
聽Im living in Costa Rica and would like to work remotely from here for an American company. I dont want to get my salary via PayPal. I'm wondering how others in this situation get their pay?
Hi Teri,You questions begs a lot of questions like 鈥�. Where do you live, what is your status in CR, do you have a bank account, how much money are you talking about ( kinda more or less) ? I don鈥檛 think Zelle works outside the USA but ... Read More
Simple banking by Henrych
Simple but important question: If I open an account at the bank branch (e.g. BCR) in one city will I be able to do banking at any location and any branch of this bank? How is their online banking? What we take as a norm in the US or Canada can be ...
Simple but important question: If I open an account at the bank branch (e.g. BCR) in one city will I be able to do banking at any location and any branch of this bank? How is their online banking? What we take as a norm in the US or Canada can be ... Read More
Credit card vs debit card by antitruster50
I used my debit card in CR to withdraw from ATMs and the fee was $5 each time. I recently opened a Charles Schwab account because they say they have no international ATM fees. Is anyone familiar with this, is it real? Also, is it better and cheaper ...
I used my debit card in CR to withdraw from ATMs and the fee was $5 each time. I recently opened a Charles Schwab account because they say they have no international ATM fees. Is anyone familiar with this, is it real? Also, is it better and cheaper ... Read More
Simple banking by Henrych
Simple but important question: If I open an account at the bank branch (e.g. BCR) in one city will I be able to do banking at any location and any branch of this bank? How is their online banking? What we take as a norm in the US or Canada can be ...
Simple but important question: If I open an account at the bank branch (e.g. BCR) in one city will I be able to do banking at any location and any branch of this bank? How is their online banking? What we take as a norm in the US or Canada can be ... Read More