www.CostaRicaTicas.com

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.

Thanks for the advice. How did you end up in Cartagena? Was it on the recommendation of someone or did you discover it yourself? I’m wondering how all of that happens because everyone has an opinion on where to live. Obviously I can’t travel to all these places each time someone has a recommendation or it would blow up my travel budget. What was your process?

Thanks again for your help.

I travel a LOT, and have had a chance to check out most of the world. Cartagena was just one of the places I happened to go through for the first time many years ago. I "clicked" with the city and visited again about 3 or 4 times in the following years.

The main attraction for me is that I like city life and I like being on the coast. Obviously, Costa Rica offers nothing in this regard. Cartagena is a big city (1 Million Plus), and is denser than San Jose, making it more city-like than anything in Costa Rica. I'm not bashing San Jose or CR here, just comparing the two since that's what we're discussing... I still like CR and San Jose just fine. Cartagena is definitely right on the coast with plenty of major city (including the old city) right at the beach. You can quite literally walk from the airport to a bar on the beach in about 15 - 20 minutes.

Generally, there's lots to do. It's a tourist town. There is lots of domestic tourism here, which means lots of Colombianas on vacation and looking to party. Although there isn't anything here as concentrated as the "red zone" of downtown San Jose (Amon, etc.), there are lots more girls overall and a lot more variety of venue. Medellin still gets most of the serious mongering attention, but there is plenty of it here and it is growing. It's better for those who are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere and meeting girls a bit more casually than at Del Rey or the Sportsmens. There are quite a few bars that have that Sportsmens-type vibe, which I generally like.

Thanks for the detailed response Seraph. Good food for thought. Do you think you could live okay in Cartagena on $2400-$2500 a month? I won't hit the $3500 a month for another 10 years.

You're welcome. Always glad to help out.

For the same standard of living, doing the same things, etc. Cartagena is a bit cheaper than San Jose. On $3000/per month you'd maybe have $200 - $300 more left over for discretionary spending. It's important to note that it's tempting to spend more on a nice apartment here than in San Jose because of the advantages of view, proximity to beach, etc. and that can eat into your discretionary budget.

A couple cons of Cartagena: You lose the network of fellow expats. There aren't that many here, and they don't really network that well. I don't know any expats here well at all and don't run into them that often, either. If you see a gringo he's usually here temporarily on business or on vacation. You will need air conditioning. It gets hot here. That adds to your electric bill and may affect how often you want to be outside.

Good points! I think early on I'll need a good network of ex-pats since I don't know Central America for cr@p. I didn't mention it here, but in another post I mentioned that I spent 16 weeks in 2018 in CR. That made me realize how much my Spanish sucks (even though my Tagalog is good). After I get a lot more Spanish under my belt, maybe I can venture out further than Alajuela and Heredia. lol

I'd like to live near a beach somewhere like Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo, etc., but I have to keep in mind that I'm not getting any younger and eventually I'm going to have to move back near a good hospital. Hopefully that's years away, but it's something that I have to take into consideration at some point down the road.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice. I appreciate it.

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

Most ex-pats seem willing to help, but that does not necessarily mean that the advice they give is always on the mark. Don't be so quick to accept information at face value... do some of your own research... or get a consensus of opinions. It would be ideal to find a trustworthy local to help you navigate... but the operative word is "trustworthy." Even if you speak excellent Spanish, that is not always enough to understand the Latin mind (and the way it works) or their "coded" language and behavior. Even after living in Colombia for years, I still find myself committing faux pas on a daily basis.

on the off chance this is not troll-bait (new member, 18 posts, all in this thread or the other one you started) .... don't do it.

1. get a few years under your belt as a tourist.
2. save more money, $100K is too small a target for a safety net, especially for someone retiring early.
3. an opinion you like, or that is popular, is not necessarily worth following. just because something "floats to the top" doesn't make it great (ex. turds and corpses).

I love living here, wish I had done it 5 years ago. You can only prepare so much, nothing is risk free.

on the off chance this is not troll-bait (new member, 18 posts, all in this thread or the other one you started) .... don't do it.

1. get a few years under your belt as a tourist.
2. save more money, $100K is too small a target for a safety net, especially for someone retiring early.
3. an opinion you like, or that is popular, is not necessarily worth following. just because something "floats to the top" doesn't make it great (ex. turds and corpses).

I love living here, wish I had done it 5 years ago. You can only prepare so much, nothing is risk free.

Do your homework carefully. You have time on your side. Do you speak Spanish? I know mongers who have been here for years and speak no Spanish. It certainly helps as the cost of the chicas goes way down. I am fluent and as a result I am able to communicate and negotiate. You also meet girls outside of the business who are just regular girls, not seasoned workers. A BIG world of difference. You’ll never walk into the Del Rey again.

Next visit get some things together like a CR phone number, a bank account at BCR or similar, get the layout for medical options. Before I finally moved here I came for 8 weeks and got a better lay of the land outside of Gringo Gultch. I also went to the 2 day seminar given by ARCR which covers everything including residency requirements.

The type of Costa Rican women you are looking for exist... and they are out there... but you will not find them in the gulch. It helps to have an "in" with a tico family who can vet and recommend you to daughters, nieces, cousins, sister-in-laws, neighbors and amigas. Some ticas from "nice" families will not even consider going out with a gringo because of stereotyping.

One thing you will discover about Latinas... including the nice, educated, professional girls you are seeking... they do not believe chivalry is dead. They will observe everything about you... whether your nails are manicured...when you hold the door for them... the flowers or chocolates you bring for them... and how cheerfully you pick up the tab for everything on a date or trip. Don't be surprised if she brings along a chaperone (sister, cousin or amiga) on the first couple dates... this is just a part of the "ritual del cortejo." You can forego all this if you stick to p4p...LOL.

BTW, you said you are retired military. From your CRT handle I would assume you are retired Navy... perhaps out of Pearl? And if you are recently retired, you are probably still in your 30s and have a long life ahead of you to enjoy places like Costa Rica. Anyway, enjoy the experience... and good luck.