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Living and Retiring in Costa Rica
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Costa
Rica is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations due to its
stunning beauty, easy access and kind hearted citizens. As more
and more travelers discover the beauty of this country, the number of
foreign citizens moving to Costa Rica on a full time basis to live and
work or to retire is growing exponentially. The natural beauty and
climate are obvious draws, and with an increasingly volatile world, the
peaceful and laid back nature of the Costa Rican people are becoming
equally as important in attracting international residents and retirees
alike. From a practical standpoint there are also a host of reasons
which have contributed to the growing populous of international
residents here in Costa Rica. The cost of living here in Costa Rica is
a fraction of what it costs in North America, Canada and Europe, with a quality
of life that simulates the Hawaiian tropics without the $6 per gallon of milk price tag!
The absence of capital gains taxes, minimal
property taxes, and the ability to secure residency with special status
granted to foreign citizens looking to invest in the country or spend
their retirement years here are just a few of the logistical and
practical draws which have thousands of Americans and Europeans
flocking to make this paradise their home or an affordable place to retire with paradise as the backdrop. Costa Rica boasts a highly educated society, with a literacy rate
of more than 90%, a very professional health care system available to the general population along with some state of the art and affordable private clinics. Since we were both self-employed in the States,
health insurance after retirement was quite cost-prohibitive, but here
we enjoy access to the CAJA system for $65 a month, which covers us
both. We also have access to one of the finest and most modern hospitals in the world
at CIMA, which is a private hospital linked to the Baylor Health Care
system in Dallas, Texas. Check it out for yourself at: http://www.hospitalsanjose.net/. A doctor's visit there is typically about $25 and
the appointment with the doctor is a minimum of 30 minutes and $20 was our copay in Dallas
with insurance---and we didn't see the
doctor for a time even close to 10 minutes much less 30 minutes! Can't beat that!
We have both had extensive dental work done here with the highest
degree of professionalism and at rates you would not believe, but you can compare yourself at: http://www.lindoradentalcare.com/Home.htm. Costa Rica is also a celebrity haven for plastic surgery and obviously not for the low pricing, but the optimum results they get, not to mention they probably sneak in a nice tropical vacation at the same time!
Inexpensive
labor costs for both domestic and professional services allow for
affordable help whether you are looking for an employee for a new
business venture or a live-in caretaker to assist you with your daily
chores or gardening.
So, is Costa Rica just Nirvana with no bad stuff? Not even the most gullable will believe that, so to be fair I must tell you some country and cultural differences that just are what they are. The roads are worse than you would find in the U.S. of A. Some have said that if the road system were better it would not be considered a third world country because there are so many other advances that are so much better than our other Central or South American neighbors. Gasoline and imported cars are more expensive here. We sold our cars in the States and bought one here. Electronics are more expensive here so we brought our TV's and stereo. Culturally, they are a non-aggressive, non-confronting people to the point of fault. They will tell you what you want to hear even if they can't do whatever it is just to please you. It just is what it is. Does the bad outweigh the good? Not even close, and all you have to do is go to the Saturday morning market where you can buy an overwhelming variety of fruits and organic veggies at a very small fraction of what you pay in the States. We take a rolling cart and probably spend less than $10 to fill it because cantaloupes are 3 for a buck, pineapples 2 for a buck, potatoes are a buck for a kilo (2.2 pounds), strawberries are a buck a pound (yes, that's true), 2 huges heads of broccoli for buck and a half. Prices are really really low and quality is as good as you can get anywhere and certainly fresher than can be obtained in the states.
Our team of legal advisors, residency facilitators and
accountants can answer any questions you might have concerning the
logistics of making Costa Rica your home, and are always on call to
make the transition a smooth and easy one. In addition to our staff,
there are large "ex-pat" associations who participate in everything
from political round tables to environmental protection forums so you
won't be left without an active and dynamic social life with Costa
Ricans, Americans and Europeans alike.
There are a host of different options when looking for a retirement
property here in Costa Rica and our goal is to establish and open an
in depth dialogue with each of our clients to insure that we help match
your vision, dreams, and practical needs with an area and specific
property which will fulfill those goals and requisites. Whether you
want to be part of a golf and tennis community in a coastal area, your
own private rainforest estate in a more isolated and private area, or
are just looking for a comfortable town-home outside the city to enjoy
the cultural activity and services of the Central Valley, we have the
property for you. Please come see for yourself.
Our wish for you is "Pura Vida".
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