Costa Rica Expat Living Archives - Page 12 of 13

Paying for Your Costa Rica Expat Life in Dollars

June 3, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 1 Comment

Many expats live in Costa Rica, but earn, or collect, the money they live on in a foreign currency, the U.S. dollar. For instance, you could be running an online business by which customers pay you in dollars, or collecting a pension in dollars, or renting out a vacation home on VRBO and getting paid in dollars. You could easily be in the situation where you’re paying for your Costa Rica expat life in dollars.

So, the historical and expected future relationship between the U.S. greenback and the more colorful colón can be a very important consideration. How has that relationship fared over the years?

Well, I remember way back when I first arrived in Costa Rica, in the early days of this 21st century, a dollar would fetch you around 350 colónes. Now I don’t remember what the exact rate was, but that’s close. I know it was below 400. Nowadays a dollar will buy you more than 500 colónes. Wow, that’s quite a “depreciation” of the colón, you might be enthusiastically thinking. Well, before getting too excited, let’s talk a little about Costa Rica exchange rate history.

The colón has had an unusual relationship with the U.S. dollar. Back in 2001 that relationship could best be described as a “crawling peg”; rather than being defined by a constant value to the dollar, the colón instead would grow progressively weaker at a fixed rate of about 3.294 colones per dollar per month. On October 16, 2006, however, that relationship was modified due to weakness in the U.S. dollar and the perception that the colón was thus undervalued.

Since 2006, the exchange rate has been allowed to float freely within a currency band referenced to the United States dollar. The floor of the band has been set at a fixed value, while the ceiling changes at a fixed rate. In practice the exchange rate has remained fixed at the lower value of the currency band. And for the past 10 years, the rate has fluctuated between 500 and 550, with one limited exception related to the 2008 world economic crisis, when the colón reached a “zenith” of around 580.

That means you’re likely not to suffer the wild currency rate gyrations that are routinely experienced in many other countries. And that’s a risk factor in the expat’s favor. Even though such gyrations may benefit the dollar, they could just as easily go in the opposite direction. And that instability gives rise to risk.

The Costa Rica economy has become more and more “dollarized” over the years. Gone are the days when a store clerk would give you a disgusting, or confused, look if you handed him or her a “jackson” (or, soon to be, “tubman”). Also gone are the days when you’d be routinely ripped off if you tried to do so. Most cash registers in Costa Rica can now easily do the math to give you your correct change in local currency.

Paying for your Costa Rica expat life in dollars has become a convenient and relatively stable reality in Costa Rica. You can have your bank account in dollars. You can get dollars out of most ATM’s. You can practically transact all of your day-to-day business in dollars, if you’d prefer…and many do.

The bottom line is that the U.S. dollar carries a lot of weight in Costa Rica. And for us expats that can be a very good thing.

Diversify Your Portfolio with Costa Rica

May 31, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Investment gurus will tell you it takes about 30 different stocks to fully diversify a portfolio.

But what does that mean?

Well, it means that the inherent risk in any one stock is completely wiped away when that stock is combined in a portfolio of 29 other stocks. That is, all you’re left with at that level of diversification is “market” risk, or the risk inherent in the overall market, as opposed to any individual stock.

Investment gurus will also tell you, however, that you should go a step further. You should also diversify in terms of types of stocks, such as large and small cap, domestic and foreign, and so on. They will also tell you to go a step further and diversify in terms of the types of investments. That you should include other investments in addition to stocks and bonds, such as real estate. And the principles of diversification with respect to real assets apply with equal measure. Meaning you should diversify in terms of types of real estate, residential and commercial, domestic and foreign, and so on.

The point is that it can make very good sense, in terms of eliminating risk, to consider foreign real estate as part of a fully diversified investment portfolio. And we believe that to diversify your portfolio with Costa Rica real estate is a wise decision. Here’s why…

There are many types of risk to be concerned about with any investment, such as country risk, political risk, monetary (or inflation) risk, etc., etc. Having all your eggs in one basket, even a basket as seemingly “risk free” as the U.S., can be a dangerous proposition. We all learned that in 2008!

Consider the political situation going on in the U.S. right now. It’s fraught with risk. Wouldn’t you agree?

And these days another type of risk has entered into the lexicon…climate change risk. It could indeed be possible one day soon to own, as the song says, “ocean front property in Arizona.” But all kidding aside, the penchant in the U.S. to develop as close to the high tide mark as possible could mean that many coastal investments will soon be “under water.”

So, how does Costa Rica stack up with regard to all these types of risk. Well, it’s certainly not insulated from them. Costa Rica has its own political and fiscal problems, that’s to be sure. The country is not immune from climate change risks, although perhaps less susceptible than the U.S. Costa Rica’s shores generally do not have the proverbial target painted on them each year when hurricane season comes around. In Costa Rica, building on the shoreline is usually not permitted. Most properties are located far enough and high enough away from the high tide mark to be insulated from rising ocean levels.

Costa Rica is a relatively stable and growing economy. The government has long placed a priority on social spending as opposed to military. In fact, Costa Rica doesn’t even have a military. Now, you might be thinking, well that certainly imposes a risk. Perhaps, but it’s doubtful any of Costa Rica’s neighbors would try anything too aggressive with Costa Rica being perhaps the strongest ally of the U.S. in Latin America.

Costa Rica is a shining example of democracy in a region where that form of government has had its detractors. Peaceful transitions of power are always the norm. Costa Rica’s laws are very friendly toward foreign investment. In fact, with only a couple very limited exceptions, foreigners can hold fee-simple title to real estate with all the rights of a Costa Rican citizen.

Costa Rica has grown into a world-wide tourism juggernaut. This has given rise to strong interest among the foreign investing community in Costa Rica real estate and for good reason. Costa Rica real estate is perhaps some of the most beautiful on planet earth. Costa Rica’s continued growth in tourism and in attracting foreign investment should lead to solid ongoing appreciation potential.

And one thing’s for sure, the effort to diversify your portfolio with Costa Rica real estate will certainly be an enjoyable experience.

Costa Rica Escape from the Rat Race

May 5, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 1 Comment

I have lived a relatively fast-pace life and now I live a slow one. I prefer the slow one.

A Costa Rica escape from the rat race may not have been the intended result on my first visit back in 2001, but ultimately it did become a “fringe benefit.”

In Costa Rica we have a name for the fact that time just kind of slows down, especially outside of San Jose (which has become increasingly infected with the North American minute-counting mindset).

We call it “tico time.”

Technically it means that being “on time” is to be obnoxiously early. Here 30 minutes late is considered “on time” and only if you are at least 30 minutes (to an hour) behind schedule are you officially “late.”

And it’s those nuances of punctuality here in Costa Rica that can really get us gringo expats steamed to the gills. But on a deeper level it means that ticos just refuse, on general principles, to be in a hurry.

Why be in a hurry? Are we actually trying to race time? The sad fact is that time will always win.

We liken this fast-pace style of living to a “rat race.”

Well, do we really want to be rats….in a race? And a race to where?

Where is this illusive destination that we all run to every day of our lives? And fly into rages when anyone gets in our way. I guess that’s where the concept of road rage originates, doesn’t it?

Hey, you cut me off…on my way to a very unnecessary meeting on customer service with a smile. So, BANG you’re dead!

Here in the southern zone of Costa Rica things are a bit different, to put it mildly. People here just amble about slowly, taking it all in. Heck, it took them about a 100 years to pave the 30 kilometer stretch of Costanera (coastal highway) from Quepos to Dominical.

I can’t imagine myself in a place like New York City, where my daughter lives. When I visit her “they” trample over me….the rats….on their race out of subways, cars, buses and trains, down the streets and escalators, up the elevators and down again, only to repeat the process over and over.

My god, my hands are moving faster and faster just writing about it!!! Holy shit…slow down! Breath deep. Relax…it will all be okay.

Well, I guess I should thank god that those people need a Costa Rica escape from the rat race every once in a while to maintain some semblance of sanity. So, they come to Costa Rica and for a brief moment in time, slow down and take it easy.

And some, like me…stay forever!

Do we really want the only time that we ever slow down and actually enjoy life to be when we’re “on vacation?”

Take the Costa Rica Expat Tour and experience what a Costa Rica escape from the rat race is all about.

Costa Rica Brings Out the Bohemian

April 29, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Costa Rica expat living will change you.

It will change your perspective on things. Well, I guess if you come here with a hard-wired attitude of American-style accumulation, the change might seep in more slowly. But, if you stick it out for awhile, oh it’ll seep in, eventually.

You see, Costa Rica brings out the bohemian in us expats.

What does that mean, you ask?

Let me put it this way, let’s say you opt to live anywhere along the coast…and many expats gravitate towards one of Costa Rica’s gorgeous coastlines. Take the Southern Pacific, for instance, in a popular beach community like Playa Dominical.

It won’t take you long to realize that to fit into the expat community there, you might need to change your appearance a bit…no matter your age. You might find yourself doing things you never would’ve even remotely considered back in the button-downed north…like get a tattoo, or two…visible ones…or grow your hair out into one of those middle-aged-man pony tails…or, god forbid, opt for a few piercings.

You’ll certainly want to attend Costa Rica’s version of “burning man”, called the Envision festival. There you might partake in a mind-altering/expanding drug and dance the night away around a bonfire, like some prehistoric savage.

You’ll probably decide to eat organic. You’ll donate time to save the beaches, or the whales, or the turtles, or the jungle, or something you would’ve considered a bleeding heart liberal waste of time as you struggled up north to grab for yourself as large a share of the “american dream” as you could muster.

You’ll get into yoga, meditate and chant your ohms. You’ll shun commercialism and take up some form of art using recycled materials. You’ll put solar panels on your roof and maybe even install wind or water power, because you now suddenly realize that global warming is real and you must take immediate action to save the planet.

If you continue voting and paying taxes in your country of origin, you’ll certainly do so driven by a more liberal ideology than the one you arrived with.

You’ll become multicultural, as you try to blend in with the locals. You’ll decided that the type of fútbol the rest of the world plays isn’t so strange after all.

You’ll struggle to learn Spanish, even though back home you might have muttered under your breath that those Mexicans should learn to speak American.

You’ll become one with nature and with the universe. You’ll firmly decide, consciously or subconsciously, that Ayn Rand is full of shit.

And how do I know all this?

Because it happened to me and I’ve witnessed the same phenomenon in many others.

Don’t be surprised when you go back home to visit that friends and family notice something strange about you.

Because, you are strange.

Like I said, Costa Rica brings out the bohemian…

and now you’re one of “us.”

Costa Rica is Accessible

April 25, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 4 Comments

The U.S.A. is a big country, covering a lot of extremely diverse territory from the shores of the East, the plains of the Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific coast.

One of the greatest freedoms enjoyed by citizens, or visitors, of the States is the freedom to jump in a car, or jet airplane, and go anywhere you want within this vast expanse of land. And you can do so without threat of harm.

In some ways Costa Rica is like a microcosm of the U.S. It’s as if the entire U.S.A. were squeezed together into a tight (albeit much more tropical) package.

After all, like the U.S., Costa Rica has two coasts, but only a day’s drive separates them.

Costa Rica has rugged mountains and flat-lands.

Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces, much like the individual States, with freedom of mobility between them.

What’s really cool is that Costa Rica is accessible.

Here, like in the States, one has that great freedom of mobility. You can jump in the car and take off to wherever you choose, granted that the ride might be a tad bumpier.

That’s not true in many other places in this region of the world. For instance, I love Colombia. Colombia is an incredible place with mountains, jungles, amazing biodiversity, the Amazon, etc., etc.

But in Colombia you cannot just go where you want to go. It can be dangerous, although less so these days. There’s still a civil war going on, there are guerrillas, criminal drug traffickers, etc., etc. You can get yourself in a world of hurt if you wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is also true in many other countries in Latin America, like Mexico, Honduras, or El Salvador.

But here in Costa Rica, if you want to visit some tiny little corner where there are no people, only monkeys, there’s nothing really stopping you.

I really love that aspect of living here, because there’s so much to see and do. I’ve been here for going on 16 years and there are still many things I’ve yet to see and do.

I love that on any given weekend I can throw a dart at a Costa Rica map and take off to parts unknown. It’s a refreshing aspect that’s a gift of the country’s democratic freedom and peace…not to mention the really nice people everywhere!

Costa Rica is accessible and that level of freedom of mobility has been a great boon to the country economically.

It indeed feels remarkably “free” to be able to just get up and go whenever you feel the itch!

The adventures never cease in Costa Rica.

Come and check it out for yourself…

on The Costa Rica Expat Tour, of course!

Costa Rica Lifestyle of Low Consumption

April 20, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy 2 Comments

I have written before about my view that “American-style” consumerism is at the root of many problems the world faces.

Often I have contrasted that high consumption lifestyle with what prevails here in Costa Rica. Comparatively speaking, Costa Rica lifestyle is marked by low consumption, although the influx of North Americans in the last decade threatens to change all that.

Fortunately, many of the expats who settle in Costa Rica do so to escape the high consumption “rat-race” that prevails up north.

Granted, low consumption isn’t for everybody. I understand that. But I could imagine that if enough people lived this way, the earth might be a better place, or at least we’d have a more sustainable planet that might remain an enjoyable place for foreseeable generations.

What exactly am I getting at with this idea of a Costa Rica lifestyle of low consumption?

Let me provide some examples. As always, there are exceptions! But exceptions don’t make the rules.

Costa Ricans don’t, for the most part, use appliances, such as dishwashers and clothes dryers, that consume inordinate amounts of electricity.

They often use “suicide showers”, which heat the water nicely at the shower head, rather than energy wasting hot water heaters. These can be frightening experiences for first-time users.

In the higher altitudes of Costa Rica, like the Central Valley, no one uses air condition, nor heat.

Down on the coast that may be a different story, at least for a/c. But not really if you live high enough to cool things down a bit with an ocean breeze, as well as a spectacular view. Yes, there are places where you can “have your cake and eat it too” in Costa Rica!

In Costa Rica, we grow our own fruit, or it could just be growing wild on its own, right in your backyard. We don’t need to buy our fruit and produce from industrialized farms that are depleting the soil and poisoning it, and us, with pesticides.

We often buy our veggies from local farmer’s markets, like the one pictured above in my hometown of San Isidro de El General. Again, food here is usually grown locally rather than by industrialized farms located far away, who then have to ship the food to a grocer near you. There has been a recent push for organic or hydroponic home gardening and many, including yours truly, are growing our own food in this manner.

In Costa Rica we get the vast majority of our energy from renewable sources, like wind, water and solar.

In Costa Rica we generally buy used cars and then drive them to the last kilometer. This is in large part due to the ridiculously high cost of new imports, but it helps keep our consumption rate low compared to other “more developed” societies where consumers buy new cars every few years. Being a mechanic is a very honorable and in-demand “profession” in Costa Rica as a result.

In Costa Rica we protect the environment because we realize it’s the main reason we get up every morning with a smile on our faces. Not to mention the dollars it brings from others who like to visit frequently and enjoy a similar experience.

I could go on, but you probably already catch my drift.

Now, mind you, those living in places like Duluth or Detroit can’t do some of these climate dependent low consumption things and probably wouldn’t even want to.

That’s fine, since part and parcel of a low-consumption, earth-friendly, attitude of life, is maintaining a non-judgmental mindset towards others.

But for those of you who are intrigued by this Costa Rica lifestyle of low consumption, come on down, the water is very very nice!

Take the Expat Tour and see for yourself.

Living in Costa Rica – How is it?

March 28, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Once folks from “up north” find out that I actually “live” in Costa Rica, they invariably ask me…so…

Living in Costa Rica – how is it?

Therefore, I thought I’d write a post on just that very topic.

The most succinct way I can think of to describe living in Costa Rica is in terms of one-word adjectives. So, that’s exactly the way I’ve organized my thoughts in this post…in random order…

Hot – Yes, living in Costa Rica is hot. You can escape some of the heat by moving up in altitude, but let’s face it, Costa Rica’s hot!

Slow – The pace of life here is slow, much slower than what you’re accustomed to. If you’re thinking about living in Costa Rica, get ready to slow down. Many gringos fight that…they refuse to slow down…until Costa Rica slows them down.

Friendly – Costa Rican’s are incredibly friendly…to the point of intimidation. It’s one of the special things that draws millions to this tiny country every year…some of whom never go home…wink!

Overwhelming – Sometimes when I’m driving along the scenic byways of this place, my senses get completely overwhelmed by its natural splendor. If you’re a photography buff, make sure to have your camera ready at all times!

Green – In keeping with the point made immediately above, Costa Rica is green. I once wrote a silly little post about it…but, really, the greenness is captivating and mesmerizing.

Frustrating – Much of this comes down to the cultural fact that folks here live by the maxim that there’s more time than life. They get things done, well, when they get done. Events themselves become much more important than the time they occupy. Timelines, deadlines, and the sort just don’t work well here. So don’t dare come here and try to live by them. That, admittedly, can be frustrating for us gringos.

Exotic – Defined as “originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country”, you’ll know right away that you’re not in Kansas anymore once you arrive in Costa Rica. The people are exotic, the land is exotic, the flora and fauna are exotic, and all of that creates an intoxicating mix that can become very addicting.

Adventurous – Depending on where you live, just going to the grocery store can be an adventurous experience here. If you’re the type that values adventure, then Costa Rica is probably your place!

Refreshing – There’s something about being in a place so steeped in natural beauty that’s refreshing. Also, there are the cultural aspects that make living in Costa Rica refreshing. People here call it the “pura vida” lifestyle and it can literally add years to your life!

Inspiring – If you want to get more creative with your life, Costa Rica can be a place that can greatly inspire improvement in that direction.

Authentic – Costa Rican’s live life without many of the luxuries that we take for granted up north. Life here takes on more of an authentic quality. It’s a bit like going back to a time when folks had to make do with what they had…and they did…you will too.

Rustic – Defined as being “constructed or made in a plain and simple fashion”…not only is the architecture here quite rustic, but life itself takes on rustic qualities. I don’t know about you, but I love all things rustic.

Natural/Organic – If you want to get healthy and eat a more natural organic diet, there’s no better place. Everything grows here and organic fruits and veggies abound. Living an unprocessed, vegan or vegetarian, lifestyle is much less challenging in Costa Rica than up north.

Romantic – Latin America as a whole is a romantic place…from the language, to the music and dance, to the outlaws and even to the regular folk…Costa Rica is no exception!

(potentially) Risky – We live very risk averse lives in the north. We prefer the dull and boring, but more secure, life over one that is full of adventure, potential danger and risk…don’t we? That’s just not the way life is generally lived in Costa Rica, where jumping off a huge rock into a pounding waterfall would be considered a very normal thing to do. Of course, there’s also the risk that once you come here…you may never leave!

There are certainly other words I could use to describe living in Costa Rica. However, the ones above came immediately to mind, so I went with them.

If you’re an expat in Costa Rica, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you want to try your hand at being an expat in Costa Rica, a good first step is to take my Costa Rica expat tour.

Come and adopt a few adjectives that describe for yourself the amazing reality that is expat living in Costa Rica.

Costa Rican Culture – Ten Things to Know

March 23, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Many hopeful Costa Rica expats are interested in knowing what the Costa Rican culture here is like. As with all Latin American countries, Costa Rica is rich in culture and tradition. Of course, the concept of “culture” cuts across all aspects of life.

Based on my observations after living here for some time, here are ten aspects of the Costa Rican culture that you might want to know about.

Note that I have written about many of these cultural aspects in previous blog posts and have included links, where such exist…

1. Ticos are a very peaceful people, except when driving automobiles (or motos, i.e., motorcycles). They are decidedly non-confrontational. Therefore, even if they don’t agree with you, there may be signals that they do. This can, at times, be a bit confusing for expats.

2. As far as Costa Rican food is concerned, the signature “dish” of Costa Rica is gallo pinto, which is a rice and beans mix that is served at breakfast. Also, the “típico” (or traditional) meal served at lunch is called a “casado” and is a “marriage” (hence the name casado, which means married in Spanish) of rice, beans, a meat of choice, platano maduro (or, ripe plantain), salad and potato or yuca, sometimes also served with a fried egg on top.

3. Ticos are very laid-back when it comes to time issues and punctuality. Hence the often heard phrase, “tico-time,” usually used by gringos to refer to the fact that ticos are routinely late.

4. Like all Latin countries, ticos have their own idiosyncratic and colloquial expressions. The two most noticeable are the use of the phrase “pura vida” and the repeated use of the word “mae” in informal conversations. Pura vida literally means “pure life” and is used most often in greetings…such as in the exchange…”como esta?”…response: “pura vida.” Mae is a slang expression, and is used to represent what in English would commonly be replaced with “man” or “dude,” as in “how’s it going, dude?”…”como esta, mae?”

5. Costa Ricans love their music and dance. The most típico (again, traditional) style of dance is the “swing-criollo” style of cumbia that ticos dance in a way that is very unique to their culture. If you ever get a chance to watch a couple who really know their stuff, it can be quite an amazing sight.

6. Ticos are very family-oriented. The country is small, so you are never too far away from extended family members. Family get-togethers are a frequent happening, especially on the weekends. Holidays are always family-centered events.

7. Tico men are not shy at all about expressing the fact that they believe a woman to be attractive. So if you happen to be the object of admiring glances, or “piropos” (flirtatious remarks), it is better to be flattered than offended.

8. A man can be fooled into believing that due to the sensuality and sexiness of the ticas (Costa Rican women) that their attitudes about sex in general are liberal. That can get you into trouble. The normal Costa Rican lady (note, that I am not talking about the ones found in the “Hotel Del Rey”) is quite conservative, even though not shy about dressing and carrying herself in a way that men find irresistible.

9. Ticos are extremely patient people for the most part. I believe they have had to learn that from enduring endless lines at banks and government run monopolies like ICE (the telephone company). They are also known to administer “lessons in patience” when confronted with examples of gringo impatience.

10. Tico culture is for the most part extremely polite and cordial. It pays to learn to hold one’s temper and learn to say please and thank you. A good example of tico politeness is their non-use of the informal form of the personal pronoun you, which in Spanish is “tú,” opting rather to use the more formal “usted.”

I could go on, but I believe the above list represents common aspects of the Costa Rican culture that can help you adapt and have a better experience as an expat in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Expat Living – the 4 C’s Framework

March 10, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

The decision to leave a “comfortable” life in your country of birth for a strange and exotic land is a daunting, perhaps even scary, one.

How exactly does one even go about making such a momentous life-changing decision?

Well, here’s a suggested framework. I’ll call it the 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living…

1. Climate

People who make the decision to become Costa Rica expats are often motivated by the idea of living in a warmer climate. Of course, you could just move to a southern, or southwestern, state and accomplish that. So, I hope there is more to your motivation than climate alone.

Nevertheless, climate does seem to play a significant role for most.

Costa Rica is a warm climate, no doubt about it. But it is also a land of diverse climates. And that is true despite the fact of little temperature change throughout the year.

There are only two seasons: winter and summer. Winter is around 7 months, from May through November. Summer is 5 months in duration, from December through April, with December actually being a somewhat volatile “transition month.”

The thing that separates one season from the other is not temperature, but precipitation…meaning rain. During the winter, in most parts of the country you will get rain and lots of it. Now, that doesn’t mean zero sunlight. Mornings can be delightful, as well as clear nights. But every day around 3:00 PM, or so, the clouds roll in, the thunder might boom, and down it comes.

That is just a fact of Costa Rica life and there’s really no escape from it.

Now, having said all that, here’s the cool thing…Costa Rica is a land of “micro-climates.” And the reason for that is simple…altitude. The Costa Rica landscape is an extremely mountainous one.

If you are near sea level in Costa Rica, it’s going to be hot. All beach areas of Costa Rica are hot…in fact, the hottest of the hot. If you like the idea of being in a warmer climate, but perhaps simmering heat doesn’t really have that much appeal, I have good news. You can easily escape the heat by simply moving up the mountain a few hundred meters.

The higher altitudes of Costa Rica offer almost perfect weather. And what’s great is that you can live in the mountains and still not be very far from the beach. I live at the foot of the tallest mountains in Costa Rica, but still less than an hour from the gorgeous southern Pacific coast.

Yes, climate is an important and somewhat complicated factor in deciding where you want to live in Costa Rica.

2. Culture

The Costa Ricans are known as “ticos.” As an aside, the reason for the name is because in their day-to-day speech, they tend towards the diminutive by using the spanish suffix, tito, or tico. For instance, my name is Scott, but my wife, a tica, often refers to me as “Scottito”…or, little Scott.

The tico culture is a delightful one. There are, however, aspects of it that drive hard-driving gringos, who come from a culture enslaved to the time-clock (since time is money, right?), nuts. The tico culture is one that is never, ever, in a hurry to do anything!

For that and other reasons, gringo expats tend to congregate in enclaves. The closest beach to my home, Playa Dominical, is a great example. There seems to be more gringos down there than ticos. This creates what I refer to as a bubble culture. The gringos seem to occupy a culture of there own that’s somewhat separate and apart from Costa Rica.

For some, that’s a good thing. For others, not so much. It all depends on you and what you want. If you want to immerse yourself in real Costa Rican culture, then I would suggest not opting for a “gringo enclave.” On the other hand, if you’d prefer to be surrounded by people and a culture more familiar to the one you left, then perhaps a gringo enclave would be perfect for you.

Of course, language plays an important role in this decision. How motivated are you to learn the local language, spanish? If the answer is not much, you might be more comfortable surrounded by english speakers. On the other hand, if you really want to learn spanish and be able to communicate with ticos on their level, then immersing yourself in their culture is a very good way to accomplish that.

This can be an important element in making sure your new life in Costa Rica is as enjoyable as you might be envisioning.

3. Convenience

Costa Rica basically has one “huge” city and, apart from that, smaller towns. The huge city is the San Jose metropolitan area, also know as the Gran Area Metropolitana, or GAM. It’s actually the hub of 4 provinces. The main cities of each province are situated so close together that seems like it’s all one huge city in which almost half the entire population of the country lives. So, if you want to escape big city life, then you probably don’t want to live inside the GAM.

On the other hand, if the conveniences of a big city, such as huge shopping malls, American style big-box stores, excellent medical care, the best possible communications infrastructure, etc., are very important to you, then the GAM might be exactly where you need to be.

Like I said, outside of the GAM, you will find mostly small towns and tiny pueblos. There are a few secondary cities of notable size where you can find most conveniences of life in civilization. A couple noteworthy ones are Ciudad Quesada near the Arenal Volcano area and, in the southern Zone, San Isidro de El General.

San Isidro is where I live, so it’s somewhat near and dear to my heart. It is larger enough to have a lot of the conveniences that one would find in the GAM, even a mall with a cinema, but it still retains a small town feel. It’s also surrounded by incredible natural wonders, including Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest peak, and it is less than an hour’s drive to the coast.

In terms of convenience, you can opt for the GAM, you could go with one of Costa Rica’s secondary “cities”, such as San Isidro, or you can really live “out there.” Being out there means you better be prepared to live with inconvenience, meaning you need to be the kind of person who can be self-sustaining. Some are looking for exactly that style of expat life and that’s great.

But it’s best to know what you’re getting yourself into as you choose the optimum setting for your new life in Costa Rica.

4. Context

The word context means the circumstances that form the setting for an event. For purposes of this blog post, that “event” is your life.

It’s important that you take into account the overall context for your expat life in Costa Rica. And that depends a lot on the type of person you are, or would like to become…

Are you a rugged mountain person, a bohemian beach-going type, or a city dweller?

Can you catch my drift?

Being happy in Costa Rica means first stepping back and really doing some vision casting. What do you want the picture of your life in Costa Rica to look like? Due to the great diversity that exists here, there are many different forms that picture can take.

I hope that the 4 C’s of Costa Rica Expat Living offers a useful framework for evaluating the type of life you want to live in Costa Rica.

A good place to start in making this evaluation is to take one of my Costa Rica Expat Tours.

Take the Costa Rica Expat Tour – Before You Buy

March 4, 2016 by Costa Rica Guy Leave a Comment

Have you ever considered the idea of investing in Costa Rica, or maybe even moving to Costa Rica? If so, you really need to take the Costa Rica Expat Tour – before you buy.

Here’s why…

I probably don’t need to tell any of you intellectually gifted readers this, but you can get yourself in a world of hurt investing in Costa Rica without “doing your homework.”

There are investor graveyards littered with the corpses of bad investment decisions in all corners of the country.

Usually it’s the result of thinking that the tip from a “friend”, or slick marketing schtick of an unscrupulous developer, who’s goal is to get in, make the big hit, and leave poor suckers like you with a lot that you need a helicopter to reach, is all you need to drop your hard earned cash into a piece of Costa Rican paradise.

Some do so without ever having even set foot on Costa Rican soil! That’s a very bad idea.

A good way to ameliorate your risk is to take my Costa Rica Expat Tour. It’s like taking a working vacation.

First, I find out what it is you really want from your investment in Costa Rica, i.e., what are your specific objectives?

For instance, many tell me they want to operate an online business here, while living somewhere deep in the jungle, with a great ocean view of course. Well, wouldn’t that be nice…to have high speed internet while conversing with the howlers (those are monkeys) each morning?

Problem is, there ain’t no high speed internet in the deep dark jungle, silly!

So, knowing your objectives is the first step in planning the tour.

Do you want mountains, or beach, or a little bit of both? Do you need to be close to civilization, as in a real city, or town? Is access to the highest quality medical care important? What kind of climate do you want to live in? Does it matter that traveling to and from your new home is always an experience that knocks a few “fillings” loose on one of Costa Rica’s famously bad roads? Do you need to make a living while you enjoy your new life?

You see, these are only some of the considerations that go into planning the tour and, ultimately, your new life in Costa Rica.

During the tour I serve as your private guide. We will spend time in areas that I believe present opportunities that best fit your main objectives for buying in Costa Rica. In each area of interest, I will set up a few showings of properties that are a good fit with a local real estate expert. Being a member of the Coldwell Banker network helps in that regard, since we have 10 offices throughout the country.

I also make sure we have a lot of fun – just ask Susan and Michael Duell, who did my tour. In addition to great investing information, Michael learned firsthand that the best rum in Costa Rica actually comes from Nicaragua!

The idea is to design and manage an experience that you go home raving about. And one that helps guide you in making this very important life decision the right way.

Everything is completely customizable to find that perfect fit that’s just right for you.

If you’re interested in taking a Costa Rica Expat Tour click here to learn more and then give us a call!

1. Climate

2. Culture

3. Convenience

4. Context

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