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10 Things Newbie Costa Rica Expats Worry Too Much About

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Newbie Costa Rica Expats Worry

Moving your life to a foreign country can be a harrowing endeavor. And that’s especially the case for acute worry-warts!

Here’s a post on 10 things newbie Costa Rica expats worry about designed to help those who tend to get too anxious about all the “little” things that could go wrong…

1. Theft

Yes, there’s theft in Costa Rica. It’s even more common in locations where tourism is the main economic driver. However, is it something to “worry” about? In short, no. Now one should take precautions. Most thefts in Costa Rica are crimes of opportunity. So, give them less of it, duh! How? Well, use your common sense and I’m sure you can come up with something.

2. Septic Tanks

I wish I had a dollar for every time a gringo asked me a load of questions about the damn septic tank. Yes, virtually all homes in Costa Rica have them. I’m not going to go into the details. After all, I’m no expert when it comes to shit disposal. However, I do know that those of us who’ve lived here a while spend about zero amount of time worrying about our septic tanks!

3. Weather

This is something you should pay attention to when making your initial decision about where to settle in Costa Rica. However, once you’ve made that decision, it’s time to stop worrying about it! And if you find that the weather where you are doesn’t suit you, well then, move. Many end up doing just that, at least once.

4. Language

The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Your best approach is to try learning a little of it. No, you don’t need to be “fluent” and probably never will be. But at least you can be mildly conversational. Your life will go easier and be more enjoyable if you can carry on a conversation with a tico, especially one you need to do some business with. Having said that, many expats never learn more than a few words. Even so, they get along just fine. So, don’t worry about it!

5. Cost of Living

This is perhaps the hottest topic on most Costa Rica expat related Facebook groups. There you will find a billion opinions on the subject. I myself have written about it. Bottom line, the cost of living in Costa Rica is NOT as high or higher than the U.S., or Canada, or Europe. However, the cost of certain items is higher! The two concepts should not be conflated, as they often are. Just because an Iphone, or a jar of Hellman’s Mayonnaise, costs more in Costa Rica doesn’t automatically mean the overall cost of living is higher. Like I’ve said before, if you can’t get by in Costa Rica for less money than it costs to live in the U.S., you’re doing something wrong.

6. Boredom

I hate the very word, always have. It boggles my mind that anyone could be bored in a country so filled with diversity…of people, plants, animals and landscapes, as well as things to do amongst them. If you begin to feel a little bored, just open your eyes, or get them off of yourself, and look around you! No one should ever be “bored” in Costa Rica, by god.

7. Banking

Costa Rican national banks suck, for the most part. But no reason to worry about it. It’s just one of those flows of life you have to go with. Here’s a little tip: the best bank for expats is BCT, hands down!

8. Medical Issues

Costa Rica has great medical care, but not necessarily everywhere. If you are someone moving here with medical issues, you should take that into account. You can’t expect to live in some remote jungle area and expect to find a hospital of the quality of CIMA close by. Also, Costa Rica has “socialized” medical care. For those of you who tend to swing to the right politically, that might be offensive to you. That is, until you need a trip to the nearest emergency room!

9. Cultural Issues

One could write a book about the cultural differences between Costa Rica and the U.S. of A. Suffice it to say that life down here moves at a much slower pace. For some that might be disconcerting. For others, quite pleasurable. But it’s just the way it is and no amount of worrying will ever change it. In fact, the more you worry about those cultural differences, the more they will provide legitimate reasons to actually worry! It’s a paradox here that the successful expats learn to live with and respect.

10. Was It a Bad Decision?

All of the above topics of constant gringo worry can give rise to that nagging question that lingers in your subconscious…did I make the biggest mistake of my life by moving here?

Yes, you very well might have. However, worrying about it incessantly could end up becoming a self-fulfilled prophecy.

10.5 Politics Back Home

More and more expats are moving to get away from political strife back home. And then all they want to do once here is…take a wild guess…bitch and moan about politics back home. That threatens to turn the place they moved to into the one they moved from. So, please don’t do that! There’s nothing wrong with being concerned and paying attention, but constantly worrying about it is not necessary nor conducive to the “pura vida” life you and others similarly situated are seeking.

Honorable Mention: Critters

Costa Rica has them in abundance. Some are best avoided. However, the degree of diversity, in flora AND fauna (which probably includes some creepy crawlers you wish it didn’t), is something to be marveled at, not worried over!

As for me, my decision to move to Costa Rica, made some 20 years ago, has probably been the best one I’ve ever made. It has certainly changed the course of my life. Over those years I have admittedly spent an undue amount of time worrying about many of the things on the above list…

And I’ve learned, the hard way, that none of it is worth worrying about…

That might be the lesson that has allowed me to make it through two decades, “relatively” unscathed…

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Living Mountains or Beach?

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Costa Rica Expat Living - Mountains or Beach?

If you’re considering a move towards Costa Rica expat living, or just an investment in Costa Rica, you might be wondering, which is better for Costa Rica living – mountains or beach?

Like a lot of people out there, I love both. But are both really possible?

Not really. Not if you’re talking about “real mountain living” versus “real beach living.”

Costa Rica Expat Living - Mountains or Beach?

I live in the town of San Isidro de El General, which is nestled in the valley between the towering Talamancas, Costa Rica’s highest mountain range, and the southern Pacific coast. I like to think that I have both, but in reality I am far removed from beach culture and it does take me anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to get from my front door to the ocean. So, while I am close, I ain’t quite there.

And if it’s not possible to have both here in San Isidro, it’s not really possible anywhere else. So, one has to make a choice. And this post is about helping you make that choice.

Since I do my Costa Rica expat living in the mountains and perhaps I am a little biased in favor of mountain life, I’ll start with…

Costa Rica Expat Living at the Beach

Pros…

Costa Rica boasts some of the best beaches imaginable. The surfing can be great, with waves for beginners, intermediate level and the true experts looking for the biggest, gnarliest rides out there. The beach culture is also a big plus for some. It’s more laid back and bohemian. Since the beach has long been the most popular area for expats to buy into, you can find a unique blend of gringo and tico culture co-existing down there. There you can find things you won’t find up in the mountains, which will be dominated by more of a traditional Costa Rican culture. Things like health food stores, international cuisine, funky bars and discos, lots of “hippie stuff”, etc., etc. All that can be pretty cool and it draws many down there.

Here in the southern zone there is a smaller mountain range that more or less hugs the coast. So, it is possible to live up around 300 or 400 meters above the sea level, where you get spectacular ocean views and sunsets and cool ocean breezes. The flora and fauna along the coast, especially the southern Pacific, is dense tropical rain forest. So, there are a lot of critters lurking in there and it’s not surprising to wake up to the sound of monkeys playing in your backyard.

Sound enticing? Ok, but then there are the…

Cons…

The biggest drawback for most is the heat. It is hot, really hot, at sea level in Costa Rica. It’s true you always have the ocean, or your pool, to cool off in, but get ready for any trip to the market, or anywhere else, to leave you drenched in sweat.

The other aspect that could be a drawback for some, like me, is the unique culture that generally forms where you have a large group of foreigners congregating in a particular area of a foreign country. They tend to try to create a culture of their own. Here on the southern Pacific, Dominical is a great example. Dominical no longer resembles Costa Rica. For one, you’ll see more foreigners down there than locals. The businesses that have opened, while many are super cool for sure, just aren’t tico. And the prices are sky high as a result. At the beach expect to pay a hefty premium for just about everything, especially all that cool stuff!

There can also be a bit of a rift that forms between the ticos and the expats. This is usually lurking beneath the surface and is not readily apparent to the tourist only visiting for a few days. But if you live there, you’ll begin to notice. Sometimes this can result in bad things happening, like home break-ins and even violence. I don’t mean to be overly alarmist with this, but you have to understand that this is understandable when outsiders from other countries move into an area, jack up the price of everything, and thereby make life for the locals more difficult. Resentments can obviously develop as a result. Mutual respect is the key to avoiding this, but sometimes it is not given.

Costa Rica Expat Living in the Mountains

Pros…

If you love mountains like I do, then you’re really going to love Costa Rica’s mountains. Unlike mountains in colder climates, Costa Rica’s are teaming with flora and fauna, of a different variety than what is found along the coast. Heck, just take a trek up to the summit of Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest mountain at around 12,500 feet. You will pass through virtually every eco-system that exists within the country, from tropical rain forest, to cloud forest, to the semi-barren desert-like eco-system known as the paramo, which exists well above the tree line in tropical climates. I love the beauty of Costa Rica’s lush green mountains. Even as a lifelong surfer who grew up on the Carolina coast, the mountains of Costa Rica are what drew me here and are what keep me here.

Even though in Costa Rica’s mountains you’re not “at the beach”, you’re still not far from it. I stare up at the Talamancas each morning, but also know that I can hop in my car and be sitting on my surfboard waiting for the next long barrel in less then an hour.

In addition to the natural beauty, I love the traditional tico culture that thrives in the mountains. That hardy, yet warm and gentle, culture is nowhere better represented than my home here in San Isidro de El General, in the canton, or county, of Perez Zeledon. Here the people are for the most part farmers and laborers and must rank as some of the most friendly people on earth. Costa Ricans in general, throughout the country, have that reputation and the ticos of this valley are certainly prime representatives.

With the mountains come rivers, waterfalls, little nooks and crannies where you can rejuvenate in the crystal clear and cold, but not too cold, fresh water.

The weather in Costa Rica’s mountains is about as perfect as you will find on the planet. I am talking low to mid 70’s, with little to no humidity. Down in the valley it can get quite warm, still no where near as hot as the beach, but warm. However, just drive less than 30 minutes up and it’s a whole different story. Many folks come here to live at the beach, but after a year or so, make a b-line to the mountains in order to escape the oppressive beach heat.

Prices of things are lower in the mountains. San Isidro de El General is a great example. This “little town” is actually Costa Rica’s second largest outside of the metropolitan area, or GAM, of the central valley. Here you can find anything you need and at pretty good prices. And that certainly holds true for real estate, both in terms of land, homes, and the cost to build.

OK, OK, I’m beginning to show my bias, so let’s talk about the…

Cons…

I guess the biggest one is that the mountains aren’t the beach. Except in certain rare cases, you won’t get ocean views. You will have to drive a ways to get to the beach, perhaps further than some would like. The culture of the mountains is more traditional tico, not the “fusion culture” discussed above that the beach environment gives rise to.

During the rainy season, which lasts 7 months out of every year, from May through November, the clouds and rain come every afternoon. And it all starts in the mountains. In fact, the mountains act as a bit of a buffer to hold the clouds and rain back for a time before they finally reach the beach later in the day. So, in the mountains you will tend to get more clouds and more rain.

If you get up high enough, the mountains can get downright cold at night. Even cold enough where a nice cozy fireplace can be a very good idea. That might be a drawback for some people…certainly not for me.

So, there you have it. My two cents of opinion on the pros and cons of Costa Rica expat living mountains or beach. I’ll let you make up your own mind about which version of Costa Rica expat living is right for you.

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