Living in paradise

Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America, but the health care is good an inexpensive.

The private facilities and doctors offer good facilities and care, while the CAJA the socialized healthcare which is mandatory for legal residency, is not the choice of everyone, mainly for the time taken to see specialists and the wait time for surgery.
Over two weeks ago, a friend was taking down a tree and it landed on him, badly crushing his ankle. CAJA said there was no orthopedic surgeon  who could perform surgery for at least three weeks...so he is still waiting for surgery, but now will have to wait even longer, until after the Easter celebrations.
He is Tico and his family can't afford to pay for surgery at the private facilities.
So it important that you do have funds in reserve.

Dear Sir; perhaps you better define paradise in order to compare it with this place (Costa Rica)! If you are looking for a "cheap" place to live then maybe this place will do for you. However, along with the term "cheap" comes a load of crap that you will not expect. You must ask yourself WHY is it cheaper! Here is just one example: You go to your U.S.A. supermarket and you have a vast variety of products to chose from. You will most likely find everything you desire on the shelves. Now, when I go to my local supermarket (Costa Rica) I find everything a Tico would like to buy. If you haven't visited here then you have no idea what these people like to eat. Note: My local supermarket would easily fit inside a large 7-11 in the U.S. Think of what you can buy in a 7-11 there, and you will not be able to even find it here in this country. In some respects this country is still in the 1940's, 50's compared to what you have been enjoying your whole life. A very large change in your attitude, and your overall thinking must take place if you intend to live here. Its called Culture Shock. I will give you the best advice I am capable of giving to anyone intending to live here: Come here and take a tour first. At least visit to see what is here before you move yourself here. Live here for six months to a year and then decide your future. And the second best advice is: DO NOT buy a piece of property here on your first visit. Many gringos have done this and have regretted that decision. Loosing $30,000 dollars or more will definitely not make this a cheaper place to live. Also note that everyone here is after your dollars, including the tour operators. Included in EVERY tour is a bit about property available. They will take you to see what is "available", DON'T BUY it!! They will be showing you property that they own or are getting a piece of your dollar on every sale. I have now lived here over 10 years. I love it here, but I am not the average gringo. This is NOT paradise, but I like being here, everyday. I live in a town called Santiago de Puriscal. If you desire, I will be happy to correspond with you and help you gather more information. Pura Vida!! Good luck in your endeavors!

Attention vgutie - Costa Rica is not a cheap place to live, unless you can live in a Tico home and eat what the locals eat.  Also, electrical power here is more expensive than in North America, so don't use the AC.  More than half of the people who move here return to the states or Canada.  The cost of cars here is astronomical, and the used cars are in bad shape due to the  conditions of roads in Costa Rica.  I'd say rent down here for three months minimum, and educate yourself on everything.

It is not much cheaper here than the USA . In fact many items are more expensive . In some ways it evens out . For now property and rent are cheaper..   As is medication and medical..  But many things that are imported are twice as much as food..  Costa Rica is not paradise ..  So do your research.    It is the most expensive country in Central America and prices continue to climb ,

ok thank you. I was born in Colombia and I know it is cheaper there. I may consider Panama, Ecuador, etc. Thank you for your input.

A lot of people do not like Panama but I hear Ecuador is nice I was considering moving from Costa RIca to there but like Costa RIca Ecuador is growing fast....and prices are going up....Ecuador has a lot to offer and a lot of culture.

del12k wrote:

Dear Sir; perhaps you better define paradise in order to compare it with this place (Costa Rica)! If you are looking for a "cheap" place to live then maybe this place will do for you. However, along with the term "cheap" comes a load of crap that you will not expect. You must ask yourself WHY is it cheaper! Here is just one example: You go to your U.S.A. supermarket and you have a vast variety of products to chose from. You will most likely find everything you desire on the shelves. Now, when I go to my local supermarket (Costa Rica) I find everything a Tico would like to buy. If you haven't visited here then you have no idea what these people like to eat. Note: My local supermarket would easily fit inside a large 7-11 in the U.S. Think of what you can buy in a 7-11 there, and you will not be able to even find it here in this country. In some respects this country is still in the 1940's, 50's compared to what you have been enjoying your whole life. A very large change in your attitude, and your overall thinking must take place if you intend to live here. Its called Culture Shock. I will give you the best advice I am capable of giving to anyone intending to live here: Come here and take a tour first. At least visit to see what is here before you move yourself here. Live here for six months to a year and then decide your future. And the second best advice is: DO NOT buy a piece of property here on your first visit. Many gringos have done this and have regretted that decision. Loosing $30,000 dollars or more will definitely not make this a cheaper place to live. Also note that everyone here is after your dollars, including the tour operators. Included in EVERY tour is a bit about property available. They will take you to see what is "available", DON'T BUY it!! They will be showing you property that they own or are getting a piece of your dollar on every sale. I have now lived here over 10 years. I love it here, but I am not the average gringo. This is NOT paradise, but I like being here, everyday. I live in a town called Santiago de Puriscal. If you desire, I will be happy to correspond with you and help you gather more information. Pura Vida!! Good luck in your endeavors!

Del12k I agree with most everything you said here.
It's very important that people live in  Costa Rica as long as possible before buying and moving there.
And NO place on this Earth is "paradise", really.
Some places are better than others.
I happen to believe (and apparently you do too) that Costa Rica in spite of its problems is better than most other places.
The one thing I have a slight problem with is when you say " Included in EVERY tour is a bit about property available. They will take you to see what is "available", DON'T BUY it!! They will be showing you property that they own or are getting a piece of your dollar on every sale."
While as noted above I do agree no one should buy a property after only taking a tour and never having lived in  Costa Rica even for a couple months... I see no problem with buying from a tour operator once one has lived here and done their due diligence as described previously. A tour operator is really just serving as a realtor in this case, showing a property. If one loves it and wants to buy it, it is no different from buying from a realtor or anyone else. Most of the realtors are not really realtors anyway as - as I'm sure you know - there are few if any regulations re selling real estate in Costa Rica. There are some who are better than others though.

I do not represent nor have any interest in any tour operators. But I took a famous "retirement" tour after having lived in Costa Rica and found it worthwhile and had I wanted to buy one of the properties shown I would have and I know people who have and who are happy having done so.

But again let me point out that otherwise, I agree with 90% of your post. One must do one's due diligence before buying property and/or moving to Costa Rica. There is no paradise. That said, I prefer Costa Rica to the USA.