Essentials to live in Costa Rica

Locally grown (food) or locally made stuff ( furniture) is very good and affordable. All important stuff is more expensive. Services, repairs are very affordable. Bring your personal clothes, flip flops, ... The rest - everything is available here now in 2016

The best way to get everything you want at North American prices is to simply invite friends and relatives to visit you, and have it come with them as luggage.  We had a lawn mower brought in with a grandson's 50 pound weight allowance.  The only things we needed to buy here were a fridge, sofa bed, and two queen size mattresses from Golfito.   The Costa Rica government allows China to bring in products which are of less quality than you'd find in North America, so it is scary to buy any types of electronics etc.  Golfito has a lot of brand name products at reasonable prices.  The outrageous import taxes is also another reason to simply have relatives bring things in for you when they visit.

In general, electronics and appliances are more expensive in CR and it is worthwhile packing or shipping what you can.  For printers, you generally cannot buy printer ink for US made printers in CR and may not be able to ship it to CR due to customs limitations, so you may want to buy a CR printer (made by Canon, HP, etc).  We stock up on such items when in the USA or have friends/ relatives bring items in their luggage.

While living in CR, when you return to the USA for a visit, pack a medium sized suitcase inside of a larger suitcase to go to the USA, and fill the large suitcase with purchases in the USA to bring back to CR!

If you are living on the coast, no need to bring any pants (unless it's very lightweight material), long sleeve shirts (except to protect from the sun), or clothing of heavy material as it is hot and humid year round. No jackets, suits, gloves, heavy socks and footwear, you'd prefer a loincloth if you could get away with it. Think light weight linen, sandals or tevas, tank tops and swimsuits. You will not need to bring "impressive" style brand name jewelry or clothing as nobody here really cares about that (what a relief). In most cases, importing a car makes no sense as the import tax is extremely expensive, don't import high watt usage appliances (like your USA style fridge with Icemaker), as electricity is very expensive here as well. Don't buy your personal devices such as cameras, computers, smart phones, kindles,  or other high end brand name items here in Costa Rica, they will be about 25% more in cost.

I just published an article about this! http://www.delapuravida.com/2016/costa- … ssentials/

My Husband was a sogtware developer and we had no problem in Heredia buying INk for Epsons . Canons.  and other Made in US printers
and that has been over 16 years ago..maybe depends where you live?

If today I was moving here I would pack more Vitamins especially Pro Niotics ..which friends  bring in ..CR has not got them yet

I have a Epson and HP printer and I have not been able to find ink in San Jose for either.  I purchase mine on EBay.

I bought them in Heredia most brands as hubby was  a software Engineer/ deceloper and needed lots of them HP also...as I said maybe where you live? I can not imagine they have STOPPED selling them I will check..Good  to know my shadow follows me

For men:  If you wear a size 11, 44-48, or larger in shoes/flip flops, bring them with you.  I wear 11 1/2 - 12 and have very hard time finding flip-flops.

As I said my husband was a software Engineer/developer and we would have been lost if we could not buy ink in Heredia..I cannot imagine that they have stopped selling it.
I will ask the store in Heredia when I next visit,  as I have forgotten their name I bet there are others also..

Buy all your electronics in North America and put a good quality surge protector on each one.   The electricity here is as dirty as many of the roads.

TerrynViv wrote:

I have a Epson and HP printer and I have not been able to find ink in San Jose for either.  I purchase mine on EBay.

Most printer companies make models specific to Latin America.    I'm guessing that because they have to sell ink cheaper here, nobody can buy it here and resell it in North America because it won't work in those printers.

I'd say refill. I used he same cartridges without any problem  for more than three years . Just bought new ones from Amazon and I will refill them when the time comes

I did not have time to edit my infamous typos haha BUT reason I hate typing and refused to take typing at Notre Dame in Liverpool,  England was ..INCASE I ended up in a cubby hole... TYPING ..
Sorry typists no offence I am sure like my friends you hve learned to read them...IF not  I meant
PRO-BIOTICS ,, I forget what else//good editor WHEN I can see origiinal.. when editing DUH

Hi sanbuena,
What do people have to say to bring in lawn mower? No import tax in that case ?
When exactly do they charge the importe tax ?
I'm planing to bring a bunch of stuff in as luggage, how do I avoid the tax ?
Ty
Julie

I think you are entitled a certain amount, like $500. per year, you'll have to check.
I had someone bring a lawn mower and they just showed the bill of sale, we did the same with a TV etc.
There must be a site that tells you the amount of new goods you can bring in.  Be sure to bring a lawn mower with drive wheels.

Of course there are many things you cannot bring in with you on the airplane, here is a good list of import duties and tariffs.

Unwrap everything so it looks used if you want to avoid problems paying taxes.

Some things I've found either hard to get or too expensive here that are better to bring are:
*men's cotton underwear if you wear large or extra large
*suntan lotion
*unbleached coffee filters, especially if you use #2 or #4 which are not even easy to find in the white variety
*electronics
*an English/American keyboard for your compu
*good stainless steel pots and pans or ceramic type - either junky or expensive or both here
*a good list here: movingtocostarica.info/bring-it-with-you-or-buy-it-here-in-costa-rica/

Hi sanbuena,
So how come they dont charge taxes on the cost on the Bill of sale ?
Anyone can bring a limit in ? Even on a short vacation ?
Do they say there bringing it as a gift ?
Thanks to everyone for there help !!!

I read the links you guys give me, still can't find what's the exemption amount ?
Ty

At first 25 years ago all you mentioned were either hard to find or too expensive but several years ago All on your list are availablelland not too expensive

Oh I just remembered the MOST important thing to bring ... LOTS  of Patience!

If things are not in new packaging "they've never bothered me at the airport", even the TV came in with no problem.  Other items that seem to be worth less than $500. have been ignored, such as the lawn mower.  I do not know the limit.

Ty !

You are entitled up to a $500 exemption every 6 months on your passport (regardless of residency status).  If you only use $100 of your exemption, you still have to wait 6 months to use an exemption again.  They will stamp your passport with the date you used an exemption.  For a couple, both are entitled to an exemption - but you may need to fill out separate customs forms to split the values.  The last time we came in and used an exemption, I had filled out the customs form but asked to use my wife's passport for the exemption - but they said I had to use my passport since my name was on the form.

I think you better rent down here for a month or two before you think of bringing anything.  In the past four years that we've been here "75% of all expats we've met have returned to North America or Europe", usually because of women missing grandchildren, or because they simply chose the wrong part of Costa Rica to live in, such as here at the beach where it is hot and humid much of the time.

Sanbuenaventuraman wrote:

I think you better rent down here for a month or two before you think of bringing anything.  In the past four years that we've been here "75% of all expats we've met have returned to North America or Europe", usually because of women missing grandchildren, or because they simply chose the wrong part of Costa Rica to live in, such as here at the beach where it is hot and humid much of the time.

Completely agree except you should rent for at least a year or two - seriously.

- Expat Dave

Check out Ashley Furniture in Costa Rica, it's an American operation that carries furnishings.
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