Retiring in Costa Rica

Hi, I recommend to look into Liberia, guanacaste area. Or even the actual beach communities such as Tamarindo, Flamingo and others around there!

Also Jaco can be a good choice, it's on the beach and has a bunch of amenities!

If you want a coooool place to live, go to Heredia just north of the capitol city of San Jose or go even further north (and higher up in altitude).  As I recall from living there for 4 and 1/2 years, you are never farther than 75 miles from the ocean and there are always lots of cheap Greyhound-looking buses going to the coasts.  Living near the coast may mean heat and mosquitos and living places in CR are rarely airtight and air conditioned. 

All the rules are different in CR but in general, you CAN live there for less especially when you choose the non-American side of the valley that San Jsoe is in.  Public busses (I know, spelling) are plentiful and cheap and car accidents are many.  Meat is expensive but fruit (except grapes) and veggies are cheap. Bananas cost 3 cents each, whether 3 inches or 13 inches long. Coffee is out of this world delicious.

You may be marked as a rich American and the rent will be doubled so see if you can get a Tico (yes, they like to be called that) to check it out and rent it at Tico prices. That will have different rules, too, as the landlords can increase the rent 10% every year.  I THINK that if you pay in dollars, that doesn't apply, but I may be wrong. 

CR has lots of benefits and drawbacks so if you have any other questions, just ask.  patdrenten