www.CostaRicaTicas.com

What (if anything) am I missing here:

Category Monthly
Rent = $550
food @ home $400+ in town $150+ = $550
local transportation (e.g. bus, Uber) = $75
overseas travel (planned) = $200
tv, cell, water, electric, internet, etc. = $150
all entertaining (Ticas) $725+ !! (6x-9x) = $725
extras = $150
Total = $2400

Thanks for your input! Be gentle. This is after all the newbie section.

I'll invoke the ghost of Scuba1 and ask (for him) if you're going to limit yourself to Ticas, or are you open to other nationalities too?

mh

P.S. Welcome to the Pura Vida lifestyle! If you want to stretch your entertainment budget even further... put some MPs on your list.
P.P.S. PM long time residents like Boynton, Pops, MM3 etc. for tips on living in SJO like a local.

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mh

Don't look at me. I live at the Lodge when I'm here. However I'm on every Facebook expat in Costa Rica group there is. I've synthesized a lot of info. Plus discussed first hand (Netgems is a great source).

1. Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America. And at the middle of the start of a significant fiscal crisis that's going to get worse before it gets better - and the only cure the oligarchs know is tax, tax, tax. Hello incoming value added tax!

This is a free shit socialist country where 25% of the population works for an overpaid, inefficient (understatement) and stupidly wasteful / corrupt government (high salaries, stupid high pensions and bonuses for coming to work at legally protected government jobs).

The government here is totally divorced from reality and is constantly implementing stupid shit like the fractura electronica requirement and the current whackadoodle 'elimination of fossil fuels' scheme (don't get me started on 'green energy' and how the electric rates skyrocketed because they have to buy power from Panama and Nicaragua).

Did I mention near negative GDP growth, 10%+ unemployment and skyrocketing crime fueled by narco trafficking? Guess what country has a 12.1 per 100K murder rate? Guess which country has a 5.1 per 100K murder rate.

2. As the colone drops against the dollar having dollars is good - until the inevitable hyper inflation hits. That's why mi novia wants Yankee greenbacks from you punters (she's smart).

3. $550 a month? Where? Maybe. Mi novia pays $300 with electricity, water and internet for a 2 "room" apartment with a tiny bano - but there's no windows (no windows!). The kitchen is a sink and counter and she has a refrigerator, single burner, a microwave and a coffee machine (thanks to me - okay, i didn't buy the refrigerator). If you want to live like that, $550 will get you a window. I dis-remember what Netgems pays, but he has a legit departmento.

4. $400 for cook at home food? Probably, if you eat lots of rice and beans. Go to the mercado and buy a weeks worth of groceries to see. $150 for meals out? Yeah, that's about 8-9 meals with a beer.

5. Local transport? Most Uber trips in Chepe are around $5 (like from the Castillo to Mall San Pedro). Buses are way cheaper. Where are you looking to live?

6. Travel. No lo se. Is that saved up? $2400 a year? Because $200 won't get you too far.

7. Try to find a place with all that (except cell). Non-residents can't have utility accounts (ICE, AyA). Kolbi has some great cell plans but you need a cedula.

8. $725 for mongering? That's lots of MP trips. Most of us long-timers (and this part-time semi-long timer) have favorites that drop by for far less than a cien. I spoil the heck out of mi novia and our arrangement doesn't fit.

9. What's 'extras'? Booze? Weed? Movies?

Yes, you can live on $2400 a month many expats live "well" on that (most of the people than do aren't catching pu*sy). The more Tico you live the better. Are you going to apply for residency? Do you need health insurance?

The average wage in Costa Rica (in the GAM) is $750 a month.

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Any opinion or observation in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

In exile in pu*sy prison

If you guessed Costa Rica had the 12.1 per 100K murder rate you get a cookie.

Last year it went down a bit but they still don't solve many of them.

Plus burglaries, home invasions, and so on. The OIJ puts the stats on their web page.

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Any opinion or observation in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

In exile in pu*sy prison

Thanks MM3 for your input/advice. I think the bottom line is that I can do it for around $2400 a month as long as I don't go crazy. I might need to move some of that $2400 around from entertainment and extras to rent and food, but that's do-able. As far as rent goes, when I was shacked up with a Tica during my 16 weeks there in 2018 (I rented an unfurnished house w/hot water AND windows), I paid $650 a month in Heredia. I was happy with the place because it was an actual house, with a covered garage, windows (like I said), 3 bedrooms, hot water, spacious bathroom, etc., but it was probably way overboard on the 'living like an American' side of things. I'm sure I could have scaled that expense back if I would have wanted to look a couple days longer.

My friend lives in Guacimo for about $300 a month in rent and it's a house (with windows), hot water, furnished, BUT it's in friggin Guacimo (i.e. the country). If I want to live a 2 hour bus ride away from SJ, I want to be living on a beach, not surrounded by banana trees and livestock. lol

I agree that CR isn't an inexpensive place to live compared to other nearby countries BUT if I can swing living in CR, then I should easily be able to make the jump to Columbia if/when the time comes. I need to make several trips there first. I have no experience or contacts there - yet.

Thanks again for the advice. I welcome any insight you have.

$2400 per month for someone who wants to live and enjoy life in the San Jose area is not much. Your hard earned colones would stretch further in places like BriBri, San Vito or San Gerardo de Rivas. Don't forget health insurance and medical costs. The cost of living in CR was one of the things that discouraged me from living there.

I've only been coming to CR for 3 years and the prices of local goods and services in the San Jose area has increased roughly 12%. Especially at the grocery store.
What's been said about the CR enconomy being on the edge of doomsday is real. CR Government Debt load is near 50% of GDP!!!! Last year they sold less than 18% of their bond offerings! Holy Shit!

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

Thanks for your advice BlueDevil. Not really looking to live in the San Jose area. Thinking more like Heredia or Alajuela or even further out (e.g. Tamarindo, Jaco, Limon). I'll look into those other places you mentioned. I don't think I'll need health insurance, at least not initially (until I'm a resident). I'm retired military so I have to look into whether or not Tricare covers me there.

If you're not going to live in CR, where else would you consider living (in/near Central America)?



The Devil whispered to me, “I’m coming for you.” I whispered back, “Bring pizza.”

Last time I checked, Clinica Biblica https://www.clinicabiblica.com/es/ took TriCare... and also Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but things could have changed.

In spite of the recent violence in Mexico, there are still some pockets that are nice, affordable places to retire: Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Morelos and Merida are possible candidates. I was just in Puerto Morelos, a beautiful spot with a healthy ex-pat community. Panama is still retiree-friendly, but relatively expensive to live. If I lived there, I would prefer the northern mountainous region (eg Boquete)

Further south... Colombia is attracting more retirees and solo ex-pats than say 5 years ago. However, Colombia is not for everyone. Colombia is now taxing world-wide income and assets (including foreign pensions and social security) so that may be a show-stopper. Ecuador is a beautiful country but the women are homely. Cost of Living is cheap, but the healthcare system is not so hot (a considerations as one ages.). Cuenca, Otovalo and Cotocachi all have sizeable ex-pat communities. If you like adventure, and the environs of an outback, check-out Paraguay's El Chaco region (about the size of Texas). You could live in one of the Mennonite colonies that have accomplished agricultural wonders with the humongous pampas and savannahs. Uruguay is a really neat country, too if you like flat farmland and cattle ranches... not to mention great vineyards. Uruguay is a little on the pricey side... just like Chile.

So, take your time, and explore a little before you decide on Costa Rica.

What about medical? Dental? Wear glasses? Residency or will you be a 90 day wonder? Each will cost money. Emergency visits to the US? Clothes? I think your figure for food and rent is low. How about the money all the Chicas will be asking for? I can predict many potentially sick Babi*s and of course the mother who is recovering from the heart transplant. The gf will also need saldo for her phone.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

Medical - I have free international medical coverage (i.e. Tricare) as long as I'm a bus ride away from a major medical center. If I live out in the sticks, then yes, I have to pay for Caja or out of my own pocket.

Dental & glasses - I shouldn't need more than $1000 a year for dental & glasses, don't you think? I have close to $100k set aside for 'extras' over the next 10 years.

90 day wonder for the first 90 to 180 days or until I figure out if CR or Columbia (or Mexico) etc is where I want to establish residency. Not establishing residency in the first 90 days. I want feel everything out first. Would you advise otherwise?

Emergency visits to the US. I've budgeted for $2400 a year for travel abroad. That may be low, but it's considering going to states, elsewhere several times a year. Do you think that's low?

Clothes is in 'extras' per year. Hopefully I won't need more than $150 a month in clothes. I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to clothes (i.e. t-shirt, shorts, & flip flops).

Sick Babi*s, money for the new heart, phone for the gf - You didn't see my other post in this section, but I'm I have a 2 to 5 year plan to monger around before settling down with a gf (somewhere). The main hitch is that I'm not going to settle for a gf who doesn't already have a job and is self-sustaining. I've been on Tinder for awhile seeing what's out there in CR and I get about a dozen messages a day from girls that are closer to my age who have their own careers, homes, Babi*s are adults now, etc. So as long as I don't forget that there are girls out there who aren't helpless whores, then I might be okay. Thoughts? Will there be single/divorced career women in CR in 2 to 5 years?

Thanks for your input/advice. I appreciate it.


The Devil whispered to me, “I’m coming for you.” I whispered back, “Bring pizza.”

When I was living in San Jose not long ago, my essentials such as rent, food, utilities, and those little necessities that crop up were about $1500. That's very limited going out for food (maybe once per week) and limited alcohol. The dollar didn't go as far on food and utilities then (500:1 exchange rate), so you should definitely be able to get by on $1500 base if you don't have expensive tastes. It helps a lot if you live within walking distance of the places you'll be going, as you'll save a lot of time, hassle, and money on transportation. In my opinion, if you're going to live in the city and put up with all the city shit, then you definitely should live somewhere that you can walk where you want/need to go most of the time.

With your stated budget, that leaves you plenty of money for fun. I know guys who live in San Jose on less than $2400/month and they're happy.

Thank you for the input/advice Seraph. I'm thinking about living in Heredia or Alajuela but SJ isn't completely off my list. I agree that walking cuts down on the transportation budget considerably. Taking the bus is a viable option too, don't you think? I don't drink, so that should save me some $ there.

For the first 6 or 7 year, I would need to live on a $2400-$2500 a month budget. Then that budget bumps up to $3000 because I'll receive a small retirement pension when I'm 57. Then in another 5 years I'll start to draw social security which (I'm assuming) will be another $500 a month bump, maybe more. That's $3500 a month to live on. I'm positive I can make $3000 and $3500 a month work. I'm not sure if CR will be my final resting place. I haven't been to Columbia or some of these other places people are recommending. I also need to check out Tulum, Mexico. I've heard that place is good.

Thanks again for the input/advice. I appreciate it.


The Devil whispered to me, “I’m coming for you.” I whispered back, “Bring pizza.”

Where you live is mostly a matter of personal preference and what you're looking for. I view the city as a place of convenience... lots of stuff to do, places to go, plenty of girls, etc. Most importantly, you don't need a vehicle to go most places. Road transportation of all kinds in San Jose, in my opinion, sucks. It's not efficient and the roads are always clogged. The bus is cheap, but it can take forever to get anywhere. I am not usually in a hurry... I can be laid back... but I find it frustrating when I am wasting an hour or more on a bus or in a car. If I'm going to live in the city, then the main advantage of that to me is that I won't need a bus or a car to go most places that I want to go.

You'll definitely save money by not drinking. That adds up quickly. I do most of my drinking at home these days. Grocery store liquor is way cheaper than bar liquor.

$2500 increasing to $3500 per month is definitely doable for a rather nice lifestyle in SJ, Alajuela, or Heredia as long as you don't sink all of it into housing and don't have expensive tastes. A Tico making $40K per year is considered to be successful in most cases. I know that I could live a rather princely life in SJ on $3500/month.

Colombia is great. I live part-time in Cartagena now. I like a big city right on the coast. It's cheaper than SJ. You could live really nice here on $3500/month. Spanish in most of Colombia would be a must. You can get by with just English in SJ but that would be tough here. Other cities are cheaper than Cartagena because it's on the coast and is a tourist town. I know guys who live in Medellin for $1500/month or even a little less and they are happy.