Exploring retiring in Costa Rica

@UJH

Your plan sounds good. There are plenty of expats your age here... many of them just don't use this site as they are already happily settled and doing their Tico thing.    But you will get some good responses here... I guarantee you.

1. as for Reliable wifi, cable, electricity.... dont worry.  If you don't live in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere... you will be fine... really, not much different than the states.
2. Medical.  Central Valley has nearly 50% of all the hospitals in CR.   Even if you go further north or west or east... as long as you are in a 'populated' area... there will be a hospital and other healthcare, dentist, etc.  (San Ramon, Cartago, etc.).  You can always google the word Hospital with the name of a town or city to find out what and if a hospital is there.. Remember...  they can call a 4 room building in a tiny town a 'hospital' if a doctor works there.   Do your due diligence.
3. Public Transport.  Busses are king... most towns have at least one bus station or more.. getting to and from places such as SJ, Airport, San Ramon, La Fortuna, Quesada, Cartago, etc... is easy and multiple busses per day if not by the hour.  Taxis exist where they 'would not' in the USA... so that helps a lot.  UBER is here but is illegal... not a big deal if you are willing to ride up front.  I have been here six years with no car and I'm good. I walk; ride a scooter, LOVE the buses, and even use the pirate' taxis when I need to.
4. Safety...  if it looks Sketchy... then it probably is. Use your good, well-traveled, Common Sense.  If you stick out, make your house look like it belongs in 'Charlotte Monthly' or act like an American tourist that made a wrong turn... then ou will be a target.  Do as the neighbors do; respect the Ticos... and make them your friends before joining the gringo pickle Ball clique.

Guest houses and even guest 'quarters' exist all over; it will take some hunting. But you are smart to try that. Even a small, no-frills, hotel (generally called hospedajes) will have a nice staff and they will help you get what you need.  They tend to be in town centers where there is plenty to eat, taxis, banks, bus stations, etc.  I stayed in one during my initial stay and the owners are still my friends to this day!!  I really liked it because I was able to 'taste' and explore CR by walking out the door... I was in the center of town and not in a parking lot on a highway next to an airport or a tourist trap that could have been ANYWHERE.

Very smart to start Spanish early!!!

Buena Suerte

As for the ". . . reliable communications grid . . ." that you're seeking, rest easy. First, all telephone service (landline and cellular) offers nationwide connectivity and, especially in the Central Valley, the coverage is almost universal.

For years, there have been great differences in the availability and quality of Internet access. Those days are over.

The Spacex company has installed over 6,000 communications satellites in low earth orbit to provide Internet connectivity through its StarLink system. And they're adding more, for better coverage, every day. Installation is simple and quick. The Starlink kit costs about c199,000 ($400+/-) and professional installation about $300. It really is a do-it-yourself project if you're handy.

We've had Starlink running for a couple of months and have terminated our previous ISP as of this month. On SpeedTest, we consistently get over 250mb download but sometimes we get as much as 335mb. Upload is slower. The monthly service cost is 23,000 (about $45) and there is no contract.

Aside from the fact that the Spacex company is owned by Elon Musk, there is no downside.

@daveandmarcia

That's a big big big downside, Dave.

We'll all stay tuned on that one... hopefully the war of the Egos will make him just 'go away'. 

Question... did you have to attach something to your roof???   or is it interior???   

@daveandmarcia

That's a big big big downside, Dave.

We'll all stay tuned on that one... hopefully the war of the Egos will make him just 'go away'. 

Question... did you have to attach something to your roof???   or is it interior???   

We elected to have the Starlink dish mounted on our roof. Then, there's a cable that runs into the house to connect to the power supply and router all of which come in the kit. The dish could have been mounted to a post in the yard. The only requirement is that it have a clear view of the sky to the north.

As for the Elon Musk connection, all I can say is that some such connections are unavoidable. In my lifetime, I've owned two Ford products, several record players, and countless incandescent light bulbs. Those, of course, are directly connected to Henry Ford and Thomas Edison both of whom were lifelong racial bigots, antisemites, and misogynists(sp?).

What're ya gonna do . . .

@daveandmarcia

Yep... seven degrees of separation and we're all 'cousins'.   Hard to swallow.

Good to know about Starlink though.   Maybe there will be some competition before I'm dead... could be 'soon' as I'm expecting the mosquitos to be extra busy this year... with this much rain there is standing water everywhere... thus, plenty of breeding grounds.  It only takes one little guy who already bit a Dengue carrier to find me... they say if you had it once, the second time could be fatal if not hospitalized pronto!  Glad I have a Will in both countries.   

I am using OFF religiously, and since my Dengue experience, I've added citronella plants around the perimeter of my house; and I leave the bright, LED outdoor lights on for the entire night... it is said that they hate bright light.  Fingers crossed.

Eagerly awaiting the dry season...I was told that there are, occasionally, years that have 'no' dry season in some areas...😳

Pura Vida

@rainagain

I heard that bright yellow lights are even better at keeping them away. We tried, not sure if it was a placebo affect, but think it works a bit.

@tjuckufarley

Hey man!!  Got snow yet???  Just rain here and LOTS of it.

I tried a 'yellow' light... the insects LOVED  it... and thus, the lizzards loved the insects, and thus, my Tica Cat, Edwina... went bizzerk.  She must have killed dozens of the little guys, and destroyed the screen on my window next to the light...  since I switched to the 'daylight' white light... FAR less insects and Edwina has moved on to stalking the Armadillos that come and dig holes in my yard nightly.  But they have no fear of her.  I hate them.  Only the coyotes will scare them off and the farmers took care of the coyotes 2 years ago because they were terrorizing chickens.  I'm too far from the edge of the forest for the big cats to come after the armadillos... so they only get 'taken out' if the get hit by a car... and then the vultures clean things up... and quickly.  They really are the garbage removers of nature. 

Welcome to the tropics.

@rainagain

Gracias por la repuesta y sugerencias. The information was very helpful. We researched the topic "independent/assisted living in a retirement residence". We are not ready for it, but it may have an impact on where we might want to finally locate. Having such a facility nearby when we need it might not be a bad idea.  Does anyone have some input/experience on this subject?

Where do we start hunting for guest quarters?? How can we research this subject?? We looked under Airbnb etc. and saw some reasonably priced accommodations.  Some we can find on our map some not. When we look under "hospedajes" all kinds of hotels listed under Booking.com pop up.

We like to do as you did. Stay in a small place where we can walk around and "feel" the culture and country.  Any recommendation for a hospedaje close to a retirement residence?

@rainagain

Sounds like a vicious cycle of life going on there. Just read that southern Ontario is expecting more snow than it's had in a few years, yeeehaaa.....

I do believe I would prefer rain than snow though 😜

@tjuckufarley

At least the snow is Pretty???  I don't miss the cold, but the snow was always nice to look at and a few months of NO YARD WORK would be very welcome right now...  I sat outside late last night and just listened to trees falling up in the mountains behind my house... the ground has turned to pudding;  even some of my banana and plantain plants have toppled in recent days... it's just too wet to support them. I have to relocate those two fruits; the ground gets tired and can't support them.

It Really Is That Wet.

Pura Vida.

@UJH

Honestly, I'm not aware of assisted living anywhere near me... nor have I seen a nursing home or comparable.  It would have to exist in an area where there is a Population with the financial resources to afford it.  That pretty much puts you in the Central Valley only. Perhaps somebody on this forum can lend a few words on that area; I don't live there.

Look.. the average household 'disposable' income in CR is $18k annually.  Middle class exists primarily in the Central Valley, and then... in bigger towns and small cities where the middle class makes up not more than 25% of the population... and sometimes far less.  I can count on one hand the number of 'middle class' people in my village who I would consider 'middle class' ... meaning, for here, that they have an education beyond HS, own a home that they didn't inherit; and have at least one car and a stable, salaried job or own a business of their own.  Working class, as you know it in the US... can mean making $80K a year working as a welder or plumber...  but working class here makes between $2 and $12/hour... usually with little to no benefits and 'maybe' a contribution to the Caja.   And 50% of working class jobs are not stable nor regular... especially for rural folk, which is EVERYWHERE except CV and the few cities and big towns that exist... and thus, those jobs are in construction or related; agricultural, or for the water company installing new pipes up in the mountains; and then 6 weeks of no work; etc.   Things like 'assisted living' are unheard of in most of CR.  Generally... living with family that look after their elderly parents and grandparents is assisted living, Tico style.

Hospedajes ARE hotels.  They just aren't anything to write home about.  some only have 5 or 6 rooms... others may have 10+.  It's a clean and dry room and a hot shower (hopefully) for $25-$30 a night.  But like I said, they are generally in the center of town... so they don't need to serve breakfast, provide a gym, or anything else except Wi-Fi.  The person staying there generally isn't there for a 'lux' tell-their-friends-about-it experience.  I liked them because I was not here to 'grade' or 'critique' hotels ... but to see the country and check things out.  I got good central locations and didn't blow the budget.  Some can be kind of 'seedy' depending on the size of the town, and may charge 'hourly' rates... if you understand what I mean.  But a sketchy area is your first red flag... no matter where you are.

I think, and don't get mad, that you may be telegraphing some 'North American' expectations onto CR... it is far far different here.  The difference between the Haves and the Have Nothings is lengthy.  Things that we take for granted in the States are sometimes Non-Existent here (like an ambulance with a 'medic' on board).

If you can't find things on a map... don't fret.  There is no real 'regular' mail system here and thus, 75% of Ticos live without an address; as do I and many others on this forum.  It will be hard to 'google' the: "yellow hotel 500 meters north of the highway exit left of the bus stop 2 km west of San Miguel"   Or, the town or village 'name' is duplicated numerous times in CR... I'm guessing there are 20 ?? different 'San Joses' scattered across CR and make that 100's scattered across Latin America. and many other typical Tico town names.  You may google it and end up looking at a map of Bolivia.   Welcome to the chaos that is Latin America. It has its 'attractions'.

I wish you luck, but you may be looking for a unicorn.. it's possible that you can find a 3-legged donkey that 'sort of' fits the bill.  Stay close to central Valley and your 'needs and wants' list will be easier to fulfill... but plan on spending more. 

Reasonable pricing exists in less populated areas... or in smaller cities and towns that aren't on the tourist circuit... generally speaking; go where Ticos go, to spend what Ticos spend.

My own homework only found a few options for nursing homes and assisted living/or 'retirement' enclaves... all in central valley except one near Atenas (big expat community there... considered by some to have the 'world's best climate'. Some are not assisted living, just a group of older folks living together, as neighbors, behind a gate.

1 Jose Pujol Marti Retirement Residences.  $1000/month unfurnished space; hiring full time nursing care' is extra

2.Pura Vida Life Care; $250K to join (house) and $1,650/month fees ?    (retirement community)

3.Ricovida Rio Grande; pre-construction costs are $250K to $350K; skilled healthcare costs extra. (retirement community)

4.Villa Alegria; a Nursing Home; $2.500 per month for a private room.

Dude... I could build 5 or more houses here for $350K... if I use Tico builders and stay the hell away from CV.  juss sayin..

Pura Vida

@rainagain

I hear ya, it's a matter of perspective right. Snow, beautiful to look at on the landscape, @#$!??! To drive in. Maybe we can can do a temporary swap for a short while......hint hint lol. First world problems 'eh! They sure get to us.