How safe is CR?

Hola Kahuna!

Yes, bars on windows and doors in CR is common, even in safe areas.  Same as what I've seen in other Central/South American countries.  First, home burglaries are common here, especially with high end Gringo homes.  Home invasions are not however common.  They happen, but rarely outside of the larger cities.

The strange thing is that bars are more common on Tico homes than they are Gringo houses.  There are several Tico houses on the street that I live on that come to mind that I have absolutely no idea why they have bars.  They are tiny little houses, they own nothing by North American standards, nothing of value whatsoever - yet they have bars on the windows.  Of course the front doors are made of splintering wood that could be easily kicked in.

I've said it before and I shall say it again, I've been here eight years and have never once felt unsafe.  And again, I feel MUCH safer here than when I lived in the U.S.  I also choose not to venture into the worst areas of San Jose, Limon, Puntarenas, etc.  Just the same as in the States - you don't go into neighborhoods that you know you shouldn't be in.

After a while you don't even notice the bars on windows any more than the 12" step down on sidewalk from a huge crack.  It's a different lifestyle and you either adjust or you don't.  😃/😢

- Expat Dave

Many homes also have very noisy security systems installed. Petty theft is common, and think twice about leaving 'stuff' outside, if you don't have a fenced yard.

In town, many houses tend to have a very small front yard with a gate that is kept locked all the time, and the high fences, tall gates stops folk from cutting through the property.

This is why it is advisable to come and see for yourself, if you are comfortable with this aspect of living here. We have two very large gates, bars of the windows, a wooden and barbed wire fence that wouldn't keep anything out or in for that matter, but we do have four dogs.

Over the many years we have lived here we have had  many items stolen from us , in various areas of the country.

In general I would say Costa Rica is as safe or safer than the USA unless you lived in a bad neighborhood in the USA. It's definitely very safe as far as physical harm to your body. The only real danger is in being robbed when you're not home.

If you live out in the country in a nice community, and are nice to the people there, I believe you are much less likely to get burgled than if you live in, say, San Jose or a nearby suburb of San Jose, or as Dave said, Limon or Puntarenas etc.

However I do know a number of people - mostly rich gringos in "developments" of other rich gringo homes - who have been burgled, and some more than once.

I know one person who has lived in the same community that has been the brunt of numerous burglaries and this person has not ever been robbed. My opinion is that if you don't have a luxurious looking home full of expensive stuff you are much less likely to get hit. The more affluent your house looks inside and out, the more likely you are to get robbed. Why rob a smaller less luxurious home when you can hit a richer bigger home?

Knock on wood - 3 times! I've been here 16 months and nothing stolen yet. I have tools and things I leave outside but I live out in the country. My house is not visible from the street, either.  When I leave I lock up the house and gate.

Honestly I figure I will probably get robbed some day, as gringos are targets here in that sense. It almost always happens when you are not home and by someone who knows your schedule somehow, maybe they watch and figure out your habits. From what I have seen it's usually somewhat of an "inside job" - someone who knows who you are and where you live and when you are not in your house.

My defense is to lock everything up tight, even locks on windows but if someone wants in all they have to do is break a window - I refuse to use bars on them. I also hide all my smaller electronics in a hidden "safe" when I leave  the house. People might say "Oh! I'd hate to have to do that!" It takes me 5 min. No big deal.

So unless they back in a truck and haul off the refri, stove, washer, and small 32" tv, there is not much they can get. I think they'd be smarter to rob a richer gringo! (That's my defense!)

100% agree with every word of SanRamon's post.  If you "offer" a lot of goodies for a thief, you will be a target.  It's an unfortunate fact of living here.  At the same time I don't have a lot of concerns about getting shot or brutality beaten.  ...still prefer CR.  🌴☀️