Relocating and business opportunities.

There isn't enough information for anyone to give good answers.

@egatewood.....Costa Rica is for the wealthy, no exceptions !....If you have to ask about 'Cost of living and business opportunities'you are doomed before you get here...

The cost of living in Costa Rica depends on your needs and wants. If you can be satisfied with what's locally available, there are plenty of affordable options. If you need or want a higher lifestyle, it'll cost you more. The point is that there many options among which to choose. Make an assessment of your actual needs and wants.

Starting a business here is possible, but there are restrictions. If all your business will actually be done outside Costa Rica, then telecommuting is feasible IF you're able to find stable Internet access. On the other hand, if you look to establish and run a business in the local economy, there are many obstacles to overcome including the fact that, while you may own a business here, it is illegal for you to actually work in that business. You cannot compete for any work for which a Costa Rican citizen would qualify.

I am an advocate of bringing your household and personal belongings if you are confident you will like and stay in Costa Rica. If you do that, whatever else you do, engage a local (Costa Rica-based) container shipper.

Getting your goods from your U.S. home to a port of entry in Costa Rica is a task for any high school dropout. Getting those goods past Costa Rican Customs and delivered to your new home is an entirely different matter. Only importers here have the combination of knowledge, experience and contacts to get your things into the country. Otherwise, your stuff could be held up in Customs for weeks or months.

Re.: Cost of living.

If one can find a rental unit that consists of the following items, then expat living in C.R. can be quite affordable, relative to the high cost of living in many parts of the USA (other expats or potential expats from other countries can draw their own conclusions):

1. Reasonable rent (I pay less than $600.00/month for a brand new, partially furnished efficiency apartment in the hilly exurbs of San Jose).
2. Utilities included (electric, water, hot water, Wi-Fi).
3. No need for A/C (  in higher elevation areas, vis-à-vis in coastal resort communities, where some pay a monthly fee of $300.00+ for electric  bills, and where the monthly expenses for rent, food, transportation, food, dining out can cost between $2,000.00--$4,000.00 USDs monthly.
4. Cars are expensive in C.R .and used or new cars typically cost 40% more than in the USA.
5. Seniors with a cedula (national ID card) can ride public buses gratis.
6. Expat health insurance is recommended. UK, USA, and Canadian-based companies carry restrictions regarding pre-existing conditions and age requirements/caps. One affordable option (English-speaking intake staff based in South Florida): Seguros para Viaje. [They cater to Tico students traveling abroad and  seniors, and for six-months' of coverage offer a 50% discount on their website, a fraction of others.
7. .For those on a tourist visa and "stamping out" every 180 days, ALLIANCE travel, based in Europe but with US HQ in Atlanta, offers comparable travel insurance from the date of booking until the date of return for the fee of only $28.00.
8. Bus travel costs about $0.62 per trip on average. Flat rate, not based on distanced travelled. No transfers, so if one were to take three (3) trips to reach a destination, one would pay three separate fares (all by cash).
9. UBER is plentiful and cheap by US standards, as are local taxis (but one needs to be aware of pirate taxis and the thieves who operate "orange cabs" from the airport (SJO in Alajuela), and their claims that their meters (known locally as "Marias" do not function (prelude to their rip-off routines).
10. Some local cabs accept VISA or Mastercard for payment, but they all prefer payment in cash in the local currency of Colones.
11. One must have a local Uber account, and when rating the driver, can also assign a tip of 500, 1,000, or whatever amount in Colones.
12. Clothing is inexpensive by US standards (non-imported from the USA).
13. Food is pricey, except for locally sourced or produced products.
14. One can find bargains in MegaSuper, Pali, Walmart, AutoMercado, or Pequeno Mundo, but overall, one can expect to pay considerably more for food in C.R. than in the USA, especially imported items.
15. Eating out is inexpensive by US standards, but the IVA, CaJa fee, and a required service charge of 10% can add up if not eating in a local restaurant.  [The CaJA is the national health care system, similar to Medicare/Medicaid  in the US]
16. The local "mom-and-pop" "SODAs" (a kind of fast-food diner with made-to-order dishes).
17. Lots of chain fast food places like BK, Mickey D's, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Poppa John's, and Starbucks exist, and some places have chains like Smashburger.
18. One can find great seafood, vegan, comida tipica Tica restaurants, along with Chinese and other varietals.
19. C.R. boasts a very good private health care system. MEDICARE and most private US insurance companies will not cover health care in C.R.
20. One can purchase private insurance; travel insurance (which includes emergency health care provisions); or buy into a pay-as-you go system in C.R. called Medismart, which has a network of private doctors; its own main hospital and satellite hospitals.
21. Many Medismart doctors speak English (and are designated as such].
22. All specialties are covered, and discounts range widely, depending upon "monthly specials" and the particular specialization.
23. For two extra dollars per month, one can elect for a cancer care provision.
24. Medismart also offers "pet insurance."
25. One can pay for Medismart monthly or for a six-month bloc.
26. One could elect for special, in-patient procedures at Medismart's METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL branches, including things like full-body MRIs, sonograms, or Doppler sonograms.
27. These Medismart discounted procedures are a small fraction of what one would pay out-of-pocket in the USA.
28. Medismart has a pharmacy in San Jose and will deliver via motorcycle courier, but not at a substantial discount (aned with a small delivery fee).
29. Medismart has a relationship with FISCHEL pharmacies (generally affiliated with AuroMercado supermarkets), but with no special discount.
30. FARMA VALUE, a national chain in C.R., offers seniors discounts of 15% on Tuesdays and 10% on Wednesdays. You must present a passport or cedula plus a credit card to be registered.
31. Most prescription drugs do NOT require a prescription in C.R.
32. Drugs are much cheaper in C.R. than in the United States, for those who pay out-of-pocket.
33. Walmarts have pharmacies with a wide range of products and meds; sometimes they have to be ordered.
34. Medismart has a relationship with an optometrist firm (Dr. Max) and a dental chain (Drs. Dent).
35. Dr. Max give a free visual check-up and a 20% discount on glasses (they had a "Black Friday" 50% off sale last week for all products.
36. Drs. Dent offers a good service, with many locations. Many dentists in C.R. are trained in the USA, in places like Baylor University Dental School
37. Most of the Medismart doctors did med school in C.R. and residencies in Mexico, Spain, Cuba, or the USA.
38. Shopping for items like books, even Spanish-language books published in Mexico, cost about 15% more than in the USA.
39. Furniture and household good bought at places like Walmart, Pricemart (annual membership required, like COSTCO, BJ's, and SAM's CLUB in the USA), Pequeno Mundo, and el Rey can be found for significantly less to outfit a home.
40. Textiles like sheets, bedding, towels, and curtains can be found in larger stores and in local shops for significantly less than one would pay in the USA.
41. Some over-the-counter items like vitamins and things that one would stock in a medicine cabinet can be very expensive or hard-to-get here, and one should stock up on them and carry them in one's luggage.
42. in 2026, TSA in the USA, along with the airlines, will enforce strict size and weight limits on baggage and will charge $100.00 USD for overage. (Invest in an inexpensive digital scale to weigh luggage).
43. Favorite items that are hard to find or expensive in C.R. can be brought in and packed in checked luggage (items such a large jars of peanut butter or salad dressings not carried widely in C.R., such as blue cheese).
44. To avoid TSA hassles, such item should be placed in a smaller Ziploc bag (or bags) within another larger bag (I have done so repeatedly, without difficulty).

A final note: Anyone who claims that only rich expats can live in C.R. is talking through his sombrero.

Consider the facts and weigh the opinions carefully into your calculus.

Stick with actual facts and deal in reality.

@gst1212....Sombrero ?...You have your cultures crisscrossed....In Costa Rica we wear a Chonete, look it up !

It is cultural suicide in Costa Rica to compare anything with Mexico..,..The Chonete is the symbol of our National identity.

This pathetic troll cannot grasp a metaphor.

Sad.

@gst1212...It is the real thing, it is not metaphorical at all.....Costa Rica is in another realm, we are not wanting to be included with the rest of Latin America.....Ticos do not take their National Identity lightly...Do not use anything  Mexican in similarity in regard to Costa Rica,it is fail-fail....Heads up !