Potential retirement spots in Central America

Costa Rica is not inexpensive, but having said that we spend considerably less than we did in Canada.  That was ten years ago. My wife still goes back to Canada, usually once a year, and the prices she checks out while there dictate that Costa Rica now looks even more beneficial.  We started planning early and spent five years looking at Mexico and another year looking in Belize.  We chose Costa Rica and are very pleased with our decision.  A visit to Panama was nice but reinforced our decision to choose Costa Rica.  Belize would have been the less expensive option, but it was not for us.  You will need to choose what fits best for you!

Enjoy your quest!

Hello everyone,

Just to inform you that this new thread has been created on the Costa Rica forum so that you may better share infos.

All the best

Bhavna

It's true that there are cheaper retirement destinations than Costa Rica. Among them, Haiti is probably first on the list, but consider what you might be getting into.

We looked only at Costa Rica in 2005 because it is the only stable democracy, where the rule of law prevails,  in the Western Hemisphere south of Canada.

@daveandmarcia

you are so right... glad you drew the line at the Canadian border!!!   SCOTUS has proven over the past few days that rule of law is no longer a 'thing' in the USA.

@RootBeer-GMT

Hello.  I'll try to be brief (will probably fail though...)

I can speak of 4 places, with, of course, Costa Rica being the one I know the most about as I live here (5.5 years strong).

1)  El Salvador: I met a woman in Nicaragua when I was living there (short time) who had been living in ES.  She loved it there but the fear of gang violence had penetrated the entire country... even the tiny surf town she was living in for over 6 years.  She said she was literally 'frozen' in place because of the fear of going anywhere for anything outside of her village.  That meant healthcare, shopping, etc.    Good reason to cross it off the list unless you want a gated community with rich El Salvadorans as neighbors.  My guess is they are rich because they are steeped in corruption.

2) Nicaragua.  I lived there for 6 months in 2018; city of Granada on the shore of Lake Nicaragua with all of its tiny islands, fresh water sharks, and of course the big island of Ometepe with its cute towns and twin volcanos.  I loved Nicaragua.  It was, yes, rather poor; but expected.  The people were great and prices were cheap.  I was in the process of narrowing down property searches before the Chaos of April/May 2018 when the paranoid Ortega gov't and his crazy wife (vice president no less!) staged violent and deadly attacks, via para-militaries, on peaceful protests by students, farmers, etc.  They even attacked a mother's day march!!   I had to leave at 3 in the morning; on the back of a motorcycle; and it took over seven hours to get to the Managua airport which was usually a 60-minute ride.  I was beaten up three times, and I had to leave behind everything.  Really thought I would die and be consumed by bugs.  But possessions don't mean much.   

LSS... I would go back if the Ortega family was banished or executed.   $30K for two acres with concrete house and mature fruit and exotic hardwood trees within bike distance from good sized town... probably cheaper now.  It's sad.  It had been placed on the list of safest places in Central America for many years and lots of expats were living there.  All down the drain in a  matter of months.

3) Guatemala. I have friends who have a house near lake Atitlan.  They can see the lake, and multiple volcanos.  It's truly lovely and there were expats from all over the world.  But, and maybe it was the location, every single 'local' I ran into wanted something from me.  As if 'gringos' are ATM's.  That is not my experience here in CR... but I don't live in a 'choice' local .... just a rural area with farms and small towns.  Nobody near me really cares where I'm from and they , for the most part, leave me alone.  Occasionally somebody comes by with their 'hand held out'... but they probably did it before I was ever here.  The roads in Guatemala were not great... and at times, there are 'hoards' of tourists there all trying to see and do the same few things.  It just didn't click for me... the place was either 'ALL' or 'NOTHING with very little in-between.  Great place for a visit or vacation.  I'm guessing that much of the country is missed by a majority of the tourists.  I think it should be on your list before Belize.   All Belize has is beaches and snorkeling... Guatemala has mountains, rainforests, etc.  And an ancient culture that is worth learning about.

4)  Costa Rica. This was my 'escape' from Nicaragua.  I fell in love, immediately, with the landscapes here... one breathtaking vista after another.  Two oceans; mountains; waterfalls and rivers galore, and a somewhat 'modernized' culture, if you can call it that, blended with farm country and endless national parks and reserves.  It's nothing here to see a Mercedes speeding past an ox-cart being driven by a 6'5" older 'Spanish' farmer who can probably trace his roots back to the exact village in Galencia, Spain where his ancestors hailed from.  And the people here are rather nice, but not pushy.  I've said this before... but the Ticos seem to actually 'like' each other.  I guess a smaller place can be like that... there are no 'others' here... except for some expats, like us, scattered here and there.  They do tend to look down their noses at Nicaraguans who are here to 'stay alive'...  but even they are becoming baked into the culture here... as they have been 'admitted' since the earthquake back in the 1970's and then Hurricane Mitch; and now, of course, the Ortega Dictatorship.

Is CR perfect?... Hell no!!!  But compared to many many other places... it's hard to think of good solid reasons to leave unless you just weren't cut out for living in central america to begin with.  Some people tend to overestimate themselves... and then hit a wall when it comes to climate, bugs, or something as simple as a new Language... imagine if all the people flooding into the States were 'shocked' fo find out they needed to learn some English???   Duh.

There are many different living options here depending on who you are, what kind of life you want; or need.   You can live real cheap (I am very comfortable on less than a $1000 per month... but I own my house, so rent isn't part of that number)  I spent $54K on a small concrete house on 1500 square meter lot... put another $35k into it because it wasn't livable... and over time... probably another $10K to get some decent landscaping accomplished.  All in... $100K.

I love my neighbors and new friends and everything else that gets served up here.

Look... It's work to make this big of a change... and hard work sometimes. 

Of course... there are hick-ups and 'stuff' ... but life isn't perfect anywhere except maybe ????

Want some costs???  (note:  I am single, 1 dog, 2 cats, tiny village, no car, no pool, no nearby malls or Nascar or Opera Houses or anything like 'that'... biggest town is 30+ minute car ride.  I do my own gardening and grass cutting; and I'm 'handy'... which I guess, makes things more economical.) 

Prices were probably cheaper in Nicaragua.

Water:  I get municipal water... it is directly from the mountains behind our village and is better than Evian water;  less than $10 per month (US). I drink a lot of it.

Electric:  I don't have AC, just ceiling fans and 'breezes'... and the only hot water is from an insta-hot Shower head.  No clothes dryer either.  Usually around $18/month.

Wifi: I don't have a powerful plan; but it seems OK thus far; same provider as electric.  price:  currently around $28/month... it has gone down due to competition.

Cable:   currently no.  just use computer.

Property taxes:  around $225/year.  With the fluctuation of the dollar... that changes.  Dollar sucks now.  valued around 520 colones = $1 dollar.  It has been as low as 498, and as high as 688 !! (right after Covid).  We were all millionaires back then!! 

Gas prices:  have dropped.  I only use it for my scooter and my guarañar machine (to cut the grass).  I think around 2,000 colones per gallon?   never really pay attention.

Caja.  (pronounced Kaw-Haw)  I am a resident and thus, required to join and pay into the Nat'l healthcare system; called the Caja.  I pay around $250/month.  It's not bad, but it certainly isn't great and you should never compare it to north American healthcare.  It is what it is... hospital stays are fully covered; as well as most prescriptions; you can go to private doctors and clinics if you don't mind paying more... but the Caja is mandatory for Residency.  Those without residency do bi-annual Border Runs... you have to leave the country every 180 days, and then return for a new 180 day visa.  Could get 'old' after awhile.  ?? But if you don't care... then you won't have to join the public health system.  Private systems cost more... but are still considered 'reasonable' compared to the US.   No residency means no Costa Rican ID... which comes in very handy and gives you discounts at national parks and such.  I like NOT having to carry around my passport; which isn't easy to replace; even in an emergency.

Food... who knows??  depends on the person/place/etc.  Sometimes my garden and my neighbors' gardens are brimming with bananas, plantains, melons, tropical root veggies (yucca, tiquisque, nampi); avocados, pineapple, mangos, cas, tomatoes, limones, herbs, etc.  I eat and share with my neighbors... and they share with me as well... there is always too much.  Who knew that one Banana plant (not a tree!!) would yield up to 150 bananas???  all of which will ripen over the course of around 10 days... that's a lot of banans dude.  But easy to grow.  just add water.

Groceries tend to be about the same price as they are in the states... some things are more expensive or even Way More Expensive... because they are less common/available/ or popular; and of course... imported.  Most of what you see on the store shelves is imported.  Stick to local produce, eggs, meat and dairy... you'll be fine.  I think I spend around $500 a month... that includes pet food and some beer.  I don't keep track anymore.

Surprise costs:   So weird, but shoes fall apart here... maybe I'm walking more and they get 'wet' a lot more often due to the rain... but I've found that the $16 black rubber boots that all of CR wears (buy at grocery, vet, hardware, etc.) are the best things ever invented!!!   And hats.. I think I own 25 hats now... who am I???   The sun must not be taken lightly (no pun there)... protect your head.

You have to come and look around... there are so many areas that are completely different from each other... but know this.. many expats 'think' they'll be on a beach... but ultimately end up on a mountain (to stay cool) with a 'distant' view of the beach, or they live inland, and the beach is a vacation destination just a few hours drive away. 

if you do visit... don't run towards the expats and to find out things... that is just stupid.  Observe the locals.  Talk to the Ticos.  Get friendly with hotel staff, taxi drivers, etc.  Not me.   They will help you 'see' the real costa rica, and maybe help you find a house that isn't 'gringo' priced; or a good secret swimming hole that isn't on U-Tube.  priceless

I knew I'd fail...  Sorry for such a long one...

Pura Vida

I take no exception to what rainagain has written above, but I wish to especially emphasize what he wrote about the Costa Rican people. They are the single best part of this country.

In addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, Costa Rican schools teach social skills and attitudes. They teach patience, acceptance of others, teamwork, tolerance, etc. Never have we encountered as friendly and forgiving people as here. Our Spanish is introductory pidgin-level, but we never have a problem interacting with bureaucrats (public or private), or the man on the street.

The most frustrating part of interacting with Costa Ricans is that they cannot give good directions. Because they rarely say, "No", you'll always get an answer when you ask for directions but heaven only know where you'll end up.

@daveandmarcia

LOL...   so true.  Even in construction... no matter what the job... they all say yes even though they've never held a hammer.  Gotta love it; they try hard and aren't afraid to fail; but they never say no.   Positive outlooks, no doubt.   Man-o-man could some north Americans learn from these people...

@rainagain

Never saying no is not to anyone's advantage. It may be a politeness thing in Costa Rica but it doesn't help you or me to have somebody say they can do something when they can't. It is often because they are desperate not to let any bit of business get away from them because life is hard there financially for many of the natives. I went to a roadside stand that only accepted colons but we didn't have any because almost everybody just took American dollars and gave us a good exchange rate, and they didn't take credit cards but they figured it out. They got out their calculator and worked it all out because they were not letting us get away and we ended up spending quite a bit of money there. And then there is politeness as well because we've been given bad directions for the reasons described by Dave and Marcia.

@dappleswhat04.....Imagine the foreigners who do not know about this dark hole of the culture.....Having to get vehicles or whatever fixed over and over, by trades people saying "they can".......Costa Rica is not the place to come on a budget, to learn the hard way that there is 'no consumer protection nor disclosure laws'....

@dappleswhat04

Well... I never said it was Advantageous' to anybody.  It's just a fact about the culture here. 

Pura Vida... if that's OK.

@edwinemora

why do you think there are laws like that in the United States? The United States is no different trust me. There is no protection for most consumers unless you live in California everywhere else anybody can screw anybody anytime they want and there is no protection -- why do you think we are all leaving this country? You have no idea what you are talking about. The smart ones come over here with contacts already established who can point them to well established businesses that know what they're doing. That's half the point of this forum. If you think Costa Rica is so terrible you should leave. Perhaps you would like to live in a fascist dictatorship in the United States? Doesn't that sound like fun?

@dappleswhat04......This is what I am talking about when I refer to the 'psych ward with no walls'that you Americans become part of, even before you get here to Costa Rica.....First of all you are a typical tourist telling a Costarricense to get out of his own country because he just gave you a warning and a heads-up..........So,your remedy is to flee the U.S. for more of the same and to come in with the handicap of not speaking the language and giving all your power to so called contacts..... If this isn't the classic formula for disaster,then it is material for a 2 part novel......

edwinsamoron, there are actually numerous expats (from many different countries) who have, in fact, made successful transitions to life in Costa Rica. That you are resentful of those successes only serves to demonstrate that it is you who have never successfully adjusted to life here. You're an unhappy little man who only wishes to spread his unhappiness as far and wide as possible.

My father often said that, "misery loves company". You are the living proof of that sentiment. When encountering what you write here (I dare not use the term "contribute".) wise participants will always consider the source.

@daveandmarcia,thou doth protesteth too much by trying to pinneth all the things that you are,on to me......In regard to adapting to life in Costa Rica after 20 years,you still can't speak Spanish,at least I was born here.....I understand your father was a PHD in philosophy to come up with that most authentic pea brain saying.....

Ignore

@daveandmarcia

I absolutely love the Costa Rican people and their culture. It is such a contrast with the United States which has gotten to a place where everybody is nasty and mean no matter what's going on

@RootBeer-GMT

We are planning to move here soon. Maybe we can exchange new insights. We have visited, love it passionately, but it is disappointingly more expensive than we had hoped due to a semi-recent raise in VAT (I think they cal it CAJA, but that seems to mean many things). Our attraction is the excellent medical system and the fact that there are a great many Canadian and American ex-pats which is a good support system to have. None of the ex-pats are poor in any sense of the word but we probably have less than most, having only had the opportunity to start gathering our retirement funds in the last few years. But we have every intention of moving here. The big attraction is the people are amazingly kind and wonderful, the food is amazingly healthy so you will lose 20 pounds if you want to or not, and their medical system is very sophisticated. They are really a second world country catching up fast to the first world but they are determined to keep their perfect ecosystem in a state of balanced perfection as opposed to allowing capitalism to destroy the country, and that attracts me more than anything else. People who protect and care about the environment are the people I want to live around.

@daveandmarcia

We were frustrated trying to find an open air market we had heard about from another ex-pat the day before we were due to leave and somebody very politely gave us directions to the middle of nowhere and then I walked into the local supermarket where we had been doing all our shopping walked up to three teenage boys sitting around at the cash register doing nothing, gave them a big smile and said "who speaks the best English here?" And they universally turned me over to the guy standing at the bagging area whose English was absolutely perfect and he was 16 years old. He was able to give me detailed directions to the place I wanted to go and he didn't need me to translate into Spanish any single thing I said to him. (I had a good translation app for that). He was slightly offended that I thought he might need it lol so find yourself a young person their English is going to be good for the most part. Even this one girl who told us she didn't speak any English at all -- it turned out she had a lot of English, she just wasn't confident. And I have a great Spanish vocabulary, I just can't develop good sentences yet, so between my Spanish nouns and verbs and their English nouns and verbs we could always get by. And they are the nicest people in the whole world. That's what's driving me away from the United States — the Fascism that we don't even want to talk about. It's so lovely to find a country full of lovely people.

@rainagain

Great speech! My philosophy after having visited there in speaking to people who lived there for years and are American or Canadian as well as Costa Ricans, is that you will not find a nicer group of people no matter how hard you look lol. I might make an exception for Guatemala because I've known a lot of Guatemalan immigrants in the US and they were lovely folks as well. In general most people in Costa Rica are just lovely and amazing. And despite Panama/Belize being cheaper, don't kid yourself about needing medical care. Anyone can get sick at any time no matter what the age. You can break a leg. You want a modern medical system. And there is a huge cultural respect for mother Earth and that's what I care about. You may not care about that. But to me it's all important. There's a reason cancer is the number one killer of people and dogs in the United States. That would not be true in Costa Rica. Many people moving here find themselves losing weight only because the food is freaking healthy for once. If you don't get a plate full of carbs you get a plate full of meat and vegetables with a small amount of carbs and that makes all the difference in your weight and your health.

@daveandmarcia

I hadn't thought about the rule of law thing. Hopefully that's true :-) it definitely feels much safer than anywhere else I've had any reason to encounter.

If you follow the news, you will be appalled by what's going on in Nicaragua. Much of the same has happened in many or most Latin American countries in the past. Historically (since World War II, at least) Costa Rica is about the only country that has been free of property seizures, forced deportations, etc. For sure, Costa Rica isn't the cheapest place to live these days, but money isn't the only criterion I would look at.

@rainagain thank tou for your detailed response 

it was very helpful

@rainagain  Thank you very much for your detailed response.  We have pondered El Salvador, Belize and Costa Rica as well as Panama.  The problem is, we presently do not have much of an opportunity for travel, so trying to sort out locations that meet primary criteria is a bit difficult.   Ideally, we would be looking to purchase at least a 2/2.  Beach locations would be great, but there are some "country" or rural settings in various places that seem pretty enticing.  I have spoke to some folks who have been to these places, but some will tell you everything is "so cheap" while others say pretty much the opposite.  El Salvador really got our attention with all the recent positive buzz, but the property prices there seem to have gotten way ahead of themselves--or maybe I am just a super cheap skate---but the desirable locations seem to be priced much like Florida, which doesn't help.

@dappleswhat04  You make good points.  I tend to believe the best days of America are long behind it.  And the reality is, the cost of living is not going to get any cheaper from what I can see.  A reduction in cost of living would be amongst our primary motivations.  And, taxes of course.  I don't think the average American is remotely aware of how much of their income is consumed by confiscatory taxation.  Income tax, property tax, sales tax.....the list is endless.

@dappleswhat04  Thank you for writing.  I would be happy to hear about any experiences you have had or will have in this regard.  Frankly, the idea of buying real estate outside the US is a bit scary on account of the fact that I have never done it.  I feel confident that we could acclimate, but I just don't want to get wiped out or screwed by a bad/ignorant decision. 

@RootBeer-GMT

Hey... don't sweat the 'availability' issue unless you think you're going to magically find Prime Ocean front (or ocean view) properties down here for a steal.  I don't think you think that !!   it's almost 2025... those days are long since passed.  But yes... some are saying real estate can be dirt cheap because you can find places that are !!!... but they aren't 'dreamy' or scream U-Tube video... they're just not on the tourist 'circuit'.  But it doesn't mean that they are unsafe or in a swamp or on a dirt/mud road or 2 hours from 'civilization'.

Put together a list of 'needs'... like, the kinds of things that make life 'livable' so that you can enjoy retirement and cut costs.  Then the 'wants' list.  That list may require some compromising once you decide where you want to live.  Saying 'bye bye' to wanting a nearby country club or scuba diving facilities shouldn't be a game changer... just a taste of reality.

Examples from my 'needs list:

1)  Paved Road... even though I don't drive, I didn't want to live where I need to wear boots just to walk my damn dog. It's just cleaner, quieter, and less to worry about.

2) Close to Public Transportation... again, I don't drive nor want to have a car here (for me... a car can be a Day Wrecker) ...  somebody else can drive [me]and deal with car woes.  I made sure that I 'saw' properties that were within a 10-minute walk to a bus stop; and that there were taxis (normal or the 'pirate' version) readily available in the area.  Sure... having a car would make things easier and I could 'explore' more... but I've adjusted and doing quite well. 

3) a location that was less than 45 minutes (30 is probably better) from a Hospital/emergency care. So... none of us are getting younger.  An ambulance here has to travel TO YOU first.. find you (we don't have addresses, usually) and then take you back to the hospital.  You should be aware that most ambulances do NOT have a 'medic' on board.  And... CR only has 63 'real' hospitals... half of which are in San Jose area.  The rest are spread out... there are also numerous clinics... but they aren't 24 hour, nor urgent care.  CR has just under 5 million people.  West Virginia has under 2 million people... with almost double the number of hospitals.  You don't want a minor emergency to become a tragedy.   I found a location that was a 40-minute car ride to the nearest 'city' hospital; the time has since been cut to 30 minutes due to a new highway and exit... and if you tell a pirate taxi to go faster... he will!!  I've made it to that city, just for shopping, in 20 minutes.

4) Rural, Quiet, some interesting 'nature and geography' but not remote. Again... I am a 30-minute car ride to a good-sized city (Quesada) that has everything.  All shopping, Hospital, banks, Migration office, vet, hardware, bakeries, shoe repair, etc... and a big Bus Terminal with 30-40 daily buses to San Jose that stop at the airport as well as buses to all north central CR points.  I am also surrounded by other small towns that have various amenities that my village (only 150 people) does not have.  Some are a 1/2 hour walk, or a quick bike or scooter ride.  We have a minisuper mrkt...  that carries the basics; and weekly vendors come to my door... eggs, chicken, pastries, produce, even Rice Pudding (arroz con leche)...  Plus, the relationships that small village people have are amazing to me... we rely on each other for a 'ride' or to 'pick-up' something, somewhere; etc. 

5) Big enough property to 'grow' things... I am a city boy and I wanted to try 'growing' a green thumb.  so far so good.  Feels really good to eat what I grow.  When I have too much, I share with friends and neighbors; and they do the same.  Win Win

6)  Concrete House. I wanted my property to have a concrete house... which is cooler and requires less maintenance. Makes sense for my age and the climate here.  Most Tico residences are all concrete, or concrete + wood... or all wood.  My house was old and needed help...but it was solid.  I made lots of changes and added on... including extra and larger 'outdoor' living areas/covered porches.  I do everything outside... I probably have used my 'living' room 3x in over 5 years. I opted for high ceilings and optimizing the breezes; thus, no AC.

I paid $54k for the property (3 lots + house)... around 1500 sq. meters.  I did renov. plus addition and landscaping (retaining walls and garden 'scapes')... add another $45k... All in... just a hair under $100k.

I saw many properties... but this one checked the boxes that meant the most... and is surrounded by mountains on the edge of a big valley.  I can catch daily buses to Quesada, San Ramon, and La Fortuna.  Low traffic road... it is a dead-end.  Howler monkeys echo down from the mountains every morning... and don't even try to count the different birds... it is amazing.

During my search 'trip...  I paid a Tico to drive... and to do the 'talking'... my property originally had an $85K price tag... he called to request a walk-thru and did the haggling without the sellers even knowing a 'gringo' was the interested buyer.  They agreed to $40k and I then asked for the vacant lot immediately behind the house... added it for another $14K.  Glad he was there to help.  We traveled together for 11 days and went from south (Panamanian border) to north because I knew nothing about CR.  Yes... i saw other areas that I loved (Nicoya, or Osa !!)... but either too hot, too remote, too expensive for what it was; or just not authentic... like... some of the beach towns could have been anywhere in Central America or even South America or Mexico.  When all the signs and menus were in English... even the 'for sale' signs.. I knew that the pricing would be Gringo Pricing.   Anyway... that was me.  Everybody is different.

Buying Property here is really, ridiculously EASY.  You only need a passport and money.  You do not need to be a resident... you can be from the moon.

My property had a realtor... she provided me with 'proof' that the titles were clear before I made a deposit... and we closed in less than a few months.  She picked me up at the airport when I came back down for the closing; and we all went to lunch after ... one of the sellers has property near me and helped me to get the utilities put in my name and upgraded before construction... he even rented me an apt. for the first year... just 150 yards from my house.

So... don't run away from 'expensive'... run TO reasonable and affordable... it exists.  Just try dealing with Ticos and not American or Canadian sellers, developers, builders, etc... you are here; not 'up' there.   I used 'local' guys for all my construction, and it was an 'experience' but was also Fun... we laughed a lot (he put meon the crew) and I learned all the best and dirtiest Spanish.  Being on 'site' is really important here... things can go south quickly... so be present... which isn't much to ask.... considering that this is going to be your new life, and new home.

Life here is peaceful, interesting, and for the most part... less expensive.  Utilities are cheap (I am on municipal water... less than $10/month), property taxes are laughable ($225/year... includes trash pick-up 2x a week), and my elec. bill has never been over $20/month.  Groceries... especially those which are on the 'shelves'; are almost always imported and thus.. cost more... but you should EXPECT that in a tiny country that is pinned between 2 oceans and has a very tropical climate.  But local produce, eggs, dairy, and beef, pork, and chicken are reasonable and domestic.  The Ticos know nothing different... so don't listen to some hysterical Gringo about things being unreasonable... they just aren't cut out for life here to begin with.

Start learning Spanish if you haven't yet started... it will exponentially change your experience here.  Duolingo is an on-line tutorial that is FREE.

Good Luck

@rainagain

I would disagree with this on several points. Most people will want to have a car. Public transportation is only if you want to go to town and back again, or decide to use up a whole day to go somewhere a little more distant. A lot of people are afraid to drive there because it's very windy and narrow, but any confident driver is perfectly comfortable, and being a badly skilled frightened driver is the main reason not to have a car. In addition to the extra expense of buying one there -- but nonetheless, it's crazy to rely on public transportation. This is not New York City, with public transportation coming by every 20 minutes or 10 minutes or whatever. People sit at those bus stop for hours in many areas of CR. From what I've read, schedules don't mean a whole lot. Most of us want to be able to move around easily and efficiently on our own schedule. Not to mention that shopping becomes a huge burden if you're dragging bags on the bus. Secondly in this narrative but number one to me is prioritizing a location high in the mountains. I don't know where this person lives, but unless you're at 6000 feet you're gonna fry to death because the old Costa Rica Weather is gone and we're into global warming, with highs in the 90s many days outside the rainy season. Being high up in the mountains is the only way you're gonna stay cool without air-conditioning unless you're very elderly and don't produce a lot of your own heat, in which case you might be comfortable anywhere. Air-conditioning is very pricey of course, and I'm not expecting to use it because after a couple of days it's perfectly comfortable as you get used to it, as long as you are very lightly dressed and don't go out in the middle of the day to lower elevations in the hot sun.

@RootBeer-GMT

Sorry, we haven't purchased anything yet lol. Have visited a couple of times and have done a lot of research . My husband is retiring in a month or two and he's going to go down and figure that out for us but we do plan to buy land and build. It's my understanding that it's perfectly easy -- the one thing is you can't get a mortgage directly but evidently there are other ways to borrow money if you need to for building. luckily my husband has spent his entire life working in residential and commercial construction as a foreman so he could build the house himself if he needed to but we have a friend there who knows all the local contractors in the area where we want to settle and she built a whole freaking two-story house for $35,000 because she knows who the local contractors are who don't charge a fortune. And since my husband can manage the construction and the contractors, it would stay "at cost" for us. We wouldn't have to buy it from somebody else. Just the land.

@dappleswhat04

I am not crazy for relying on Public Transportation.  Just because you don't 'think' you would like it (did you ever try it??  are you speaking from experience or just an old farty opinion??) doesn't mean that it's crazy.  What an asinine thing to say.  Many Many Many Many Many Ticos don't have cars, a-hole... are you calling them 'crazy'???   Same goes for a few billion other people across the planet...  did you think of that????   Do you actually know any Ticos???  You don't and have never even lived here yet.. right???  Maybe shut up until you have a real-life testimonial that somebody can actually benefit from???    Be careful what you write... you may come off as stupid as a puddle of mud.  I use Taxis too... is THAT CRAZY??????????   I even rent a car from time to time... I guess I must be bipolar.

Your opinion about having a car is fine... but telling somebody who has a different opinion that they are crazy is just a Clear and Revealing sign that you are a very unhappy and lonely person.  If you don't like the personal choices that others make that DO NOT AFFECT YOU... then just let it go...  it really won't cure your sadness about who you are to bad-mouth the actual experiences of others who actually live here... happily.   That must burn a hole in your empty soul to know that people are happy... right???

BTW... if everybody that lives below your assumed 6000 feet is frying... then the country will be pretty much empty when your lonely pathetic arse gets down here... because we'll all be dead.  Now I can say... factually... that that truly is CRAZY.  Why bother moving here if 90% of the place will be 'death valley'???  You won't need a car if you can't get off your 'mountain' without perishing in the ash pit below... which, by the way, is a rain forest but you wouldn't know that because you're off our meds and are speaking rubbish.

Ugh... please don't come here.

Sorry Root Beer... but that 'dapples she-man person' had no 'place' going at my testimonial when I tried to 'calm' some of your woes about buying property here.  It was simply, my experience and none of it is or was crazy.  I think they will be better off moving to the 'mountains' somewhere where tey don't have a preconceived opinion that the majority of the population of a place they have never lived in is doing everything 'wrong'... 

No doubt... they'll run into all kinds of 'issues' when they come here to build and we'll hear about it on this forum as if they were right, again!! and everybody else is wrong.

Why do people like that want to come to a nice place like this???  They just dirty it up.

Karma will drive them out.. hopefully; or a mudslide on their 'cool' mountain.

Peace.

For anyone who's considering owning a home in Costa Rica, I have two brief thoughts . . .

First, we've always been in favor or building the house we wished to live in rather than living in a house that meets someone else's idea of what they might get us to buy. That was true in the States, too. There, builders all wish to sell you a formal living room, a formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen, a family room, three or more bedrooms, two or more full baths, a finished basement, and (often) a three-car garage. That's a lot for two adults to clean and to pay for. Here, we've been perfectly comfortable in first one and then a second one bedroom home with room for the (very) rare guest. Hilda and the kids will not be trooping down here as often as you think.

The second thing I have to share is that construction mortgages ARE available here although loans generally are more expensive than in the States. Rather than tramping around from one bank to another, trying to negotiate a foreign system in a foreign language, we Googled "Costa Rican mortgage brokers", engaged first one and then another,  and avoided all that misery. We didn't borrow enough to totally finish the project and so ended up with a second mortgage arranged by a different mortgage broker. Yes, there will be a cost, but we felt it worth paying.

I should add that we've built two homes here and both were tolerable processes that came out well.

I agree 'dave'... !!!   I dont miss my 3bed/2bath row house in Philly one bit!!   

I have a nice bedroom in my house here for me... and a teeny tiny guest 'space' with a built-in platform that accommodates a twin mattress for the occasional guest... who is usually 'me' napping.  There are hotels for guests if and when they come... and many are memorable or whimsical and guests will love them!

I noticed during my first trips here that I ate 'outside' everywhere... so I made sure that that was how I would live in my house here... there is a breakfast 'bar' in my kitchen that basically has become a desk.... but all meals are had outside... either in front, or in the backporch.  Same for relaxing... almost always outside... so the 'biggest' and most important living space is...outside.  My 'living' room will most likely become some sort of 'art' space... with a few chairs for 'hanging out'.... life here is just different and I guess... for You and for Me... having a different life means a different house as well.

Pura Vida

@GuestPoster379

For anybody new to this thread... GuestPoster379 is the same as the old 'dappleswhat04' who WOW !!  so strange!!! changed their forum 'handle' overnight... ??  Something's fishy in Denmark and it isn't the fish... ???

Whatever... I'm still not finished with your ill-thought and bizarro post.

1)  Did you actually spend " hours and hours " watching those poor people waiting in the bus stop Here??  That sounds boring... maybe read a book?  do some volunteer work??  If it was a friend who did it... maybe reconsider that relationship ??   They can't be much fun. 

Some 'news' for you and your other half about Bus Stops in Costa Rica... since you don't live here and OBVIOUSLY know little to nothing about them...

Bus Stops in much of CR, especially outside the urban areas, are more than just for "waiting for the bus"...  can you believe it ????

a)  people use them as a place to 'meet' and chat if their village doesn't have a park or common area to do such a thing... especially the older gentlemen... but not uncommon to see a full bus stop where NOBODY is actually waiting for a bus.  You probably won't experience that over 6,000 feet up where less than 1% of CR lives...  busses won't go there so you can erase that 'fear' from your list...

b)  many times, the person 'waiting' in the bus stop... isn't waiting for a 'bus' to take them anywhere... they may be waiting for somebody that is traveling TO THEM... and they don't know when the person will arrive... who may be coming on a bus or in another type of vehicle.  Sometimes it is hard to know when a bus will arrive... the bus schedules only show the time the bus departs from point 'A'.  The person they are waiting for may need extra help to carry things... buses have cargo holds and sometimes people travel with a lot of things.  And with bad phone signals... the person in the stop doesn't know when that person is going to arrive...a person has to wait.  Not everybody can 'afford' a car... but you don't know that about CR.

c)  Not everybody at the bus stop is waiting for a bus or a visitor... but for a package drop off.  The busses here can and are used as a sort of courier service.  It's common for the bus driver to hand off a parcel, or even for the person in the bus stop to give a parcel to the driver... from car parts to medications or even the bus driver's lunch.  People are smart here.   ???

d)  People use the bus stop to wait for a friend that is picking them up; so that the friend doesn't have to drive up a dirt or mud, or rocky country road.  Nice gesture, isn't it.  People are nice here... and considerate!!  You may not like it.

I'm not done...

2)  Since relying on Public Transportation is out of the question or even "Crazy" for you... I'm guessing that you'll be Driving all the way down here from the States because:

The Airlines are Public Transportation  !!!   Right!!!?!?!?!   OMG!  You certainly wouldn't want to wait for "hours and hours" in some 'public transport'  airport because your flight got delayed or has a mechanical issue that needs to be addressed before hurdling you through the air... right??   That could take a lot longer than a slow bus... like overnight... ???  Everybody would be looking at you thinking what "poor people" you look like... sitting there for hours...  Ugh!!!   "Why didn't they bring their own plane????"

Anyway... good luck on that road trip.  Mexico is a lot bigger than most gringos would know... and then you have to get through Guatemala and Honduras, and Nicaragua... good luck on that!!!  In Honduras they'll cut off your fingers to steal your rings.. and in Nicaragua they'll slice your throats to steal all those tools you're bringing down; and the Police there don't care about 'you'.  But at least you won't be a hypocrite for using Public Transportation.   That's what counts.

Anyway...  good that you'll eventually be living over 6000 feet up... so few people live up there in CR that only a 'handful' will be exposed to your know-it-all 'ness'.  And those tiny villages up there, well, they probably don't have Wi-Fi yet... and good luck calling an Ambulance!!!  They'll get there after the funeral.  Maybe '6000' was a TYPO????  I'm running with it !!!

Buenas tardes... pura vida... 'dapples'

@GuestPoster379

VAT is 'value added tax' ....   not even close to what Caja means.   The 'caja' is the National Healthcare System.   

I hope you know that people drive on the LEFT down here as well. 

@rainagain

Wow.. your information was a great eye opener and makes so much sense.  I like your list of "musts"

We would add water flow or lake of some kind on or near the lot. 

I am 70+ US Army vet and own my own business.  Dry Beans, which is big in CR.  I would look into

extending my 30+ years experience in that market, and consider importing these beans.  I have access to all types of Legumes grown in North America.  Any thoughts on a link to open CR bean doors ?

How did you hook up with a local that took you around all of these locations.  I am looking at the

geography from Lake Arenal West.  I thought about ABnB homes to stay at for a 2 week visit nx Jan.

but need to know the route to take to recon the location.. any thoughts ?

I grew up in Iowa and would like the garden and enjoy meeting and working with the local community.

Anything that comes to mind from you is appreciated.

Thank you,

Mike

@slausonbeanco

We can discuss your inquiry off the forum's public space:  I 'believe' I sent you an email...

@rainagain great answer and I agree wirh all after 24 years in CR

@rainagain Please let me know who the email is coming from.  I may have deleted it. 

@dthaut

I'm sorry... I don't understand your question.  I apologize.