www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I KNOW you mean Manhattan, Kansas, right?

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

But isn't your "freedom of movement" pretty much restricted to your own personal "compound" (be that your actual property or your respective "neighborhood" which I'm sure is fraught with every day Ticos)? Not MY idea of being an "expatriate"; more like self-imprisonment.....

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Keep posting and soon everyone will begin to question your "superior knowledge of living in CR".

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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 will be moving to Costa Rica in the next 60 days. I do so with full knowledge of what to expect, so I'm not going in blind. But the US is swiftly going downhill and it pains me to be here and see it go downhill so fast. Better to be in a place that I don't care about than in one I do that is rapidly going into the toilet.

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Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

Hi
I'm going through some medical issues that may cost me my employment, If so I plan on possibly taking an extended trip to CR. I am a low trip count guy compared to so many of you but every visit I came home healthier, I weighed less breathed better and my stamina improved greatly.

I am only 51 so do not have enough money to retire unless I somehow could see how long I would live don't know if I would want to know anyway. LOL

I have read and talked to enough expats to understand what I am getting into and will only know if I am staying after visiting for a year or so. Yes SJ is kinda dumpy but to me it's still pretty cool. My biggest hurdle will be to learn to be a bit more frugal with my money, being the tourist I was a bit to free with the money it being a vacation for me.

The posts about the US going downhill hit the nail on the head for me, I am having prescriptions turned down by my insurance company that my Doctor writes and insists I need and no matter how hard we try the insurance companies win. I can pay cash for these and get them in person in CR for way less than I will have to pay without good insurance. Kinda piss's me off to no end!!!! I was out of pocket $18,000 US last year, that would last me a bit for medical in CR.

I also had reason to visit the private hospital and was impressed with the pricing and the care I received.

My only other choice right now is a trip to Bali to visit a friend with a Villa and Cigar business to see if it's as nice as he say's. I plan on this in May.

So I have not given up on CR, sorry It took so long for me to say it I guess I needed to vent a bit.

Dave

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LOL I would Love to never hear the word game used again ever again! :)

While I consider Costa Rica to be less developed than the United States, it is not a third world country, and hasn't been one since the late 80's. to say so would be saying that the US was a third world country until 1995. I spent 3 months in 1995 looking (and finding) gray running shoe laces, now they're available all over the place. I can't get stuff as cheap as in the States, but the US benefits from the efforts and struggles of the generations that fought in both world wars, created the United Nations, and attempted to make the world a safer place.

Regarding numbers regarding Americans: two, "conventional wisdom" assertions are that there are 100,000 Americans living in Costa Rica and 50% leave within two years. I heard this in 1995 and again since 2006. This should tell one something. According to info from the US Consulate, there are just short of 14,000 US residents of Costa Rica. I have not (but will try to do so in the next two weeks) looked for Costa Rican data. I could estimate perpetual tourists, those who still maintain tourist status, gringos (which can mean white guys, more recently expanded to folks from the Northern Hemisphere), etc, but I don't think that the total number would approach 100,000. Same with the 50%. It's like the 50% of all marriages end in divorce myth in the States.

I believe that CR is getting worse.......but here in the states it is going down faster than people realize.... Look at WI and the legislators fleeing the state so they don't have to vote on pension reform or my state MN doing the same thing. Most every state is going to have major problems with their pensions plus trying to raise taxes on plummeting real estate values.. Good Luck with that. My house value was at 330k and $3300 taxes, now it's value is 215k (although I think 165K) and my taxes went up $500 this year to $3800. The writing is on the wall for much higher taxes and much lower quality and amount of services. The crime rate is going up with all the 99r's starting to fall off unemployment and yet the job market continues to get worse..... if you can find a job it wont pay anywhere what your last job paid.
Cr is starting to look much better in comparison.
Originally I was planning to buy a place on the ocean and retire in CR, then it changed to renting a place on the ocean...... now it has changed to something more in tune with the oncoming collapse. I am actively looking for a live aboard sailboat..... completely self sufficient (watermaker.. wind and solar)and I can move house as needed or dictated by the changing political and social dynamics.
So yes I still am planning to live in CR by Nov 2011 (off Puerto Viejo first) but now I wont be stuck anywhere and I will be in charge of when to leave because of inflation or crime.

Sorry about the rant.
Foos

That figure while correct in one sense is somewhat misleading. Earlier this month I was at a meeting where the Counsel General of the U.S. Embassy gave a presentation. He stated that approximately two and half years ago he asked Costa Rica Immigration how many U.S. citizens resided here. They said their records indicated just over 13,000. The key to that is that number represents U.S. citizens who have residency and does not include perpetual tourists or those who come into the country and just never leave.

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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

it could be close to where you live ....................http://www.blogdelnarco.com
if you live in the states or Mexico

Thanks for all the reply's. i was seriously thinking about Mexico as a partime retirement area but the drug violence is too much right now. I have a friend who has a nice place in La Cruz which is on the north side of the Bay of Banderas( Puerto Vallarta), the house is about one block from the the new marina and is a compound style with about 3 or 4 bedrooms two baths a perfect set-up for a resturant small hostel deal a really nice area. It is empty and for rent and pretty inexpensive unfurnished less than $500 or less. So if you now someone let me know. Mexico seems fairly less expensive compared to CR and there is quite a bit of action going on. The food is more varied. I like Costa Rica but it is expensive which is a big negative. I can live here in the U.S for the same amount give or take. At least that was the impression on my last trip. Though I was a tourist.

If you go native and learn to live like a Tico, CR is not as expensive as the US. That's why when I move down there shortly, I plan to learn to live like a tico quicly.

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Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

So when you say go native live like a tico what does that mean?

It means I learn to stop living like an American, expecting the best and greatest of everything, and learn to accept what I can afford and just live with it. I learned to live like a native when I lived in Japan. Japan has the reputation of being the most expensive place to live on earth, but I learned to live like a Japanese and I could live within my means and enjoy life. I don't need much, so I can live without all the bells and whistles most spoiled Americans think are essentials.

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Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

This is how I learned to live frugally in Japan - avoid tourista areas, avoid anywhere where foreigners congregate, and make friends with locals and learn where they shop and how they shop. It saves you a boatload of money when you learn to live like a native.

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Man I'm living life like a great white shark swimming with minnows! It's all about panocha, great scotch, fine cigars, loud-ass rock music and speed, speed, speed - plus spending as much time as possible in paradise on earth, Costa Rica!

K-Paxian, it sounds to me you have the right attitude to enjoy life here. Best of luck.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis