www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Perhaps there are "old timers" who are living on social security or some other form of limited fixed income in San Jose as you describe. Based on what I have observed over the past 4 plus years of living here they are in danger of becoming a vanishing breed. Prices in Costa Rica for basics such as food, utilities, transportation, etc. are rising dramatically. Even it their income source has a COLA it is not keeping up with CR inflation. Now crank in the dollar devaluation and you are really squeezing these guys. Anyone looking at Costa Rica as an easily affordable retirement place on a limited fixed income, 4 0r 5 years down the road, may be in for a very rude awakening if the present trend continues.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I have posted most of my story and many CRT brothers know the rest. But I will describe how I live here in detail.

LOSING EVERYTHING: I met a Beautiful Colombiana in Bogota in 2001. We married, in Bogota, in 2002. and I, after 11 months of paperwork and mucha dinero, brought her to the States. Side note: believe it or not ALL US government agencies are not honest ---frequently embassy fees were doubled or tripled. Once she got to the states, nothing was good enough for her, and I was so "in love" (lust) that I constantly gave in to her. By the time I finally woke up, she had cost me a total of $175,000 . My total savings .

During the same time the company I had worked for for nearly 20 years was taken over by the company president's 3 young (dumb ass) sons. In 3 years they had sold half the assests, created millions in debt, and I, and others, had lost all our fringe benifits and retiement.

Results: I arrived in Costa Rica a year and 8 months ago with $5000 and my SS which is $1440 per month.

LIVING HERE: I live in a rented 2 bedroom, furnished appartment in a condo building in San Pedro. I pay $450 per month including condo fee. And yes, I could and have found nice places for around $300/350. but for many reasons, I have chose to stay here. I can walk to anything I need (3 blocks from the Mall de San Pedro) and only 5-10 minutes to the gulch by bus. My utilities including cable and internet run about $150 per month. I spend about $200 per month on food and necessities for the appt. I shop mostly at the markets in el centro de San Jose. Buy all my beef, fish, and chicken there and all my fresh vegges and fruits. Insurance costs me $11 per month.

I have no other expenses other than leaving the country every 3 months for 3 days. Last time, I went to Nicaragua. Bus $25, food $40, Hotel $66 and chicas (6) $120. Much of this, I would have spent had I been here, so I figure it cost me maybe $100 more than my normal cost.=average cost of $35 per month.

Total more or less fixed costs: $850

This leave me with about $600 per month for entertainment. I do not take the REY "cien" chicas out of the REY. As most of you who know me know, I wouldn't, even if I had mucha dinero. I do have several regulars (REY chicas) that come to my place for very little money. I date non pros on occasion. and as many of you know, I FREGUENT, QUITE OFTEN, THE LOW RENT MPs.

And as my friends know, I am LIVING THE GOOD LIFE, having a ball, know a lot of great chicas, and have a lot of great, fantastic, CRT Friends. I do what I want every day. My biggest worry everyday is "which MP and which chica will I "do" today.

I AN LIVING THE "PURA VIDA" LIFE and have no regretts. All is good!!!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Interesting, Bang.....thanks for sharing your story.

BangBang,

Great way to do it. I mean How do you guys think many ticos and inmigrants live with low wages? they do the same as you do.

The key is to know where to rent, where to shop and what to get.

it is a simple fact. why should I go to hypermas for groceries when I can go to Pali and get the same stuff (for half or even less the price) Only difference is the brand of the product you get.

Why should I rent in Sta Ana or Escazu when I know I can get a nice place in Guadalupe or Moravia?

I remember my old days when and with a baby and wifey to support I used to live with 60K colones a month.

The more you get the more you spend. If you can afford it and want to treat yourself go ahead and do it. It is totally understandable but one thing I do know is that you still can live here with low income. Of course is not going to be by any means US standarts but much better than if you stay in US with that same income.

We all have the possibility to adjust to any sorroundings, sometimes we just don't want to or accept it.

Mente

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Tico and Panama, let me know if you need any help down here.
Panamaexplorers.com

ID is correct when he states that CR is fast becoming very expensive. Really bad news for those on a fixed income.

Yesterdays La Nacion had an article that said food has gone up 23 % in the last year, incredible.

When you add inflation to the dollars decline you get a terrible one -two punch for those on a fixed income.

If the old system would have stayed in place the dollar would be worth at least 600 colones by now. That is a 20% loss right there, combine that with inflation and dollar holders are down 30-40% in just a year and a half since the new system went into effect.

Anyone who reads the CR newspapers also knows the dollar is going to go lower in CR, maybe as low as 400 colones although I hope not.

For those on a fixed income the last yr and a half has been horrible and the future looks more like the same.

And very very few gringos would want to live like a Tico and fewer could actually do so.

I found ecuador to be half as cheap as CR and since they use the dollar it seems like they are more protected again the effects of the plunging dollar.

without infringing on my privacy too much...

i first got a visa as a "consultant" to a friends' company... the process was a pain in the ass.

i worked on and off as a private English teacher, which in practice requires no special visa and can cover the bills if you live simply.

i know run my own company, a small customer service / tech support type operation serving mostly US customers, with plans for larger things floating in the air.

if you start your own company and employ Costa Ricans, then getting permits and permissions is relatively easy.

i used to make around $1,000 a month for the months I worked. now i'm making about $3,000 a month, but it's not stable, should either go way up or down a bit in the months ahead.

best advice for any gringo... if you can telecommute you have it made.

While the costs are rising, I would still much rather be here on a lower fixed income than in the states. BangBang is living decently and getting laid a few times a week. Try that on $1,500 a month back home.


BKTUNA
I am never going home

Yeah good luck.....

I have an average monthly hit of over $4K when you count Mortgage, Real Estate taxes, Utilities, Cable, Phone, etc. this is before counting food and entertainment, etc.. and without getting LAID !! I figure when I was married and all the Ch*ldren's expenses over the years, including putting one through college, I am at about half (or less) of the expenses then I was 10 years ago, hence my bi-monthly (at least) trips to CR...

I just can't move to CR yet, with running my tax practice and a couple of other business ventures paying for my trips south... Hopefully one day soon.....

see you guys in 12 days.....

Bad news? Depends on how big one views the world. There are plenty places to live that are still cheap so the "world" is waiting on you. Plane, train, bus or car, get in it tomorrow and go!

There are indeed many places in the world where one can reside cheaply but that does not necessarily fit the description of living that many people are willing to accept.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Exactly, ID, many would not and do not except Costa Rica from both perspectives. It is too developed for some and not developed enough for others - just depends on the person.

That may be true but I thought this thread was on the ability to live in Costa Rica on a relatively moderate fixed income not on the infrastructure or lack of the same. That is a whole another can of worms.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

You are right again ID.... one thing leads to another within these threads.

Let's get back on track. I heard someone say Costa Rica is getting expensive?

I did like MrPublic's description of how Costa Ricans live - exactly how I thought so nice confirmation.

Just one more "aside".... kind of funny:


This is coming from Mr Public! haha!

one more interesting thing Ticos can do to save money: buy food at wholesale early morning farmer's markets.

Mercado Borbon is San Jose has really big ones starting at 1am, and the wholesale guys are gone before 6. Around 5am they start to give even better prices trying to unload their stuff.

I went with a friend one morning; too much work for me to do on a regular basis, but it was fun. I calculate that an average family of 4 could save $30 or so a week on groceries doing that, which is worth it to some people.

I live like a king down here, so I'm hardly in a position to offer advice on living cheaply

However, if one has a mind to it, there are a lot of places for a gringo to work "sin documentos" and earn a good buck too if you're willing to buckle down and learn the biz.

I won't say in particular (pm me if you want), but they're there.

Also, BangBang... i notice you live within your means, but you don't appear to be putting anything away for emergencies... that could come back to bite you.