Living in Costa Rica certainly has its advantages!

Not sure if  you are 100% correct on this

CR is not that cheap to live or relocate too

unless you live in a metal Shanty and do the rice and beans diet

my monthly cost was on Average $5000k a month housing, food, drinks, restaurants, gas, Tolls, car Tax & insurance, utilities

fyi restaurants and drinks are in comparison to going out in the States for two people you can average $150 to $300 depending on the quality of the restaurant

my auto insurance was $900 a year

New York I paid $1400 a year

CR is a great place but we decided to head back to the states after 4 years living in CR.  We fall in the statistics of the 1 to 5 year shelf life that foreigners stay in the CR living

beautiful country and enjoyed every minute but the hype it's cheap to live in CR all I can say is “don't believe the hype”

@JBuonopane12 What you spend in Costa Rica really depends on your lifestyle and where you live. If you want all the goodies from home it can be very expensive here. In Beach towns that cater to tourists prices are high. Most people who downsize and simplify their lifestyle spend far less than in the U.S.

The majority of expats I know spend much less than they did at home and very few of them over $5,000 monthly. Yes, you can end up spending a lot if you frequent expensive restaurants and do not simplify your lifestyle.  Many expats live for a lot less than in the United States because they know where to shop. Fruit and vegetables are dirt cheap at the outdoor farmers markets. Both public and private medical care are also more affordable as is hired help. Public transportation is also affordable (buses, taxis, and Uber).  Once you know the ins and outs and dos and don'ts you can cut down on expenses.

Other countries in the region are less expensive but the quality of life is not as good.

I agree and i try not to paint a perfect place for people thinking about heading to CR

we lived in the high end areas and up in the mountains

the cost had not varied much

most of lower end markets are owned by Walmart (maxi, pali & Mes x menos) and not cheap

Automevado is the best of the best they carry most Foods from states but very expensive

farmer markets are great but at the end of the day

when you read in blogs you can live in CR for $1500 a month that is a fantasy

my guess is minimum is $3500 if you don't want to live live below standards of life

we still have properties and business in the CR but decided to head back to the states because the thrill has worn off of CR life

seen it done it.  We definitely missed the conveniences

of living in that states

But what work for some doesn't work for all

like I said most gringos bail after 1 to 5 years after doing the move to CR for both missing home or medical reasons

i definitely disagree with you on the medical care in CR I know to Many people who received sub standard care and conditions worsen or passed away

like I said we will still puddle jump back an forth to CR

but full time living for us does not work

this is just my experiences and opinions on CR

Also with inflation and economy in uproar petty theft in CR is at extreme

my wife and step son just got help up at knife for IPhones, passwords and colones at government vehicles agency

police and OJI were useless in helping or recovering phone

the law in CR only works for the government and it's 900 road check points to make sure they are receiving all the funds for car taxes, registration and inspections

other then that when you get robbed or killed your on you own

Best way to put it keep you phones hidden and a head on a swivel

I think it is possible if you move from NY or California, sell high and buy low. If you don't want to live near the ocean and choose to live more like a local you can find a cheap house but it won't be a North American quality house.

Three big things you didn't mention are the CAJA, MARCHAMO and the RITEVE.

CAJA - This is mandatory for all new residents. Now they are charging two "taxes" in the CAJA. The public health system charge and the CR pension fee. This means you are paying into the CR public pension plan funding the govt pension plan for Costa Ricans. Then you are forced to pay into the public health coverage.

This can be as high as 18.9% for someone making over $3000 usd/month.  This is not a lot of money thus most foreigners moving to CR for the pure retirement life are paying almost 20% surtax to live there.

MARCHAMO - The annual registration fee for your vehicle. This can easily be $1500-$2000 usd per year depending on the vehicle you buy. Cars are very expensive in CR. If anyone wants to drive a new vehicle they could pay the equivalent of $400-$500 per month for this registration fee plus the crazy cost of the car.

RITEVE - The annual safety inspection. This is where everything on the car must work. If the O2 sensor light is on you must get it fixed. ABS or 4WD not working, fix it. A/C not working, fix it. Pollution test etc. I'm sure there are honest mechanics but you could be had by the short and curlies in this situation. If you are driving a cheap car in CR ($10,000 usd) you go in for the inspection. They see a rich gringo, perhaps not fluent in Spanish, needing their inspection. If they start finding lots of things wrong most Americans are just going to pay it to get it done and move on. Perfect opportunity for scam artists. Anyway, this could easily run you $1000 usd each year, especially considering the shape of the roads in CR. Bushings, tie rod ends and ball joints are most likely a common theme without the other fake repairs.

For the average person making $5000 usd/month in pensions you could easily be paying $945 to the Caja. $150/mth for Marchamo and $100/mth for the Riteve. There's $1200 per month in what equates to a foreigner tax. Now, I will not pass judgement on the CR govt and people. It's their beautiful country and they see a way to help their local population with the caja and taxes.

Initially I was all over Costa Rica, completely sold on the country until I started to really dig into the details of what it costs to live there.

You can go to the sodas and eat beans on the cheap and live in a small, quaint old CR house, drive a '93 Corolla to save some money but you can't avoid the caja. I really don't want to live in my 60's and 70's scrimping and saving. I want a house with a pool in the backyard, a newer vehicle and I want to eat decent meals. Maybe the Caja thing will change in the next few years but as it stands now the average person with a $5000 usd pension is paying almost 25% of their income to the govt to drive a car and Caja. 19% with no car plus you have to pay some income taxes to your country of citizenship.

Theft seems to be much worse than what I've experienced in Mexico. With a worldwide recession and massive inflation crime will only get worse.

CAJA - We are Inversionistas, supposedly the highest category ....... we pay $47 USD per month

Riteve - Last year paid $33.27.  Under the new system this year (Dekra) it will be less than half of it.

Marchamo - Last year with a 2009 Hyundai it was $267 per year.  This year with a 2023 Mazda it is $1617 for the year.

@Blackwatch

Great add BW. I agree that myth you read that you can live very well for $2000 a month in CR  is an impossible challenge

I recommend to try  it for a year, don't buy any home rents are cheap and the cribs are beautifully furnished

or $800 to $1500 month

rent a car or use Uber

do the 90 day tourist visa do a few border runs

explore the country to see if it works for you

BW hit it on the head and his research was in line with mine

$5000 a month is where you will dial in on if you want to call CR your home.. FYI and the $5000 a month you ain't living Tom Brady life style in CR but you can survive

hope this helps

CAJA - We are Inversionistas, supposedly the highest category ....... we pay $47 USD per month
Riteve - Last year paid $33.27. Under the new system this year (Dekra) it will be less than half of it.
Marchamo - Last year with a 2009 Hyundai it was $267 per year. This year with a 2023 Mazda it is $1617 for the year.
-@TerrynViv

I don't know how they calculate investor class immigrants. I believe there was a change however, with the calculations for each group, pension vs investor.  The YouTuber travel CR now was saying his Caja doubled as an investor.

I think you have to look at the new system of "double caja" tax for new arrivals when people talk about how cheap it is to live in CR. The people already living there are under the cheaper raja calculation. Under the immigration law you must divulge all of your income when applying to live in CR. Some people may qualify with one pension and then not disclose the other pensions or investments then take the money from their house sale back home and buy a CR house. So you could pay the Caja based on a $1000/month pension and appear poor to the CR govt. For me my pension will be at least $72,000/year plus investment withdrawals. The Caja on $72,000 is $13,608.

Income tax in your home country is another consideration. I'm not sure how it works for Americans but as a Canadian if I move to CR and do my taxes as a resident of CR I pay a flat 25% income tax because there is no tax treaty between the two countries. If I live in Mexico I only pay 15% income tax in Canada. That will be close to $10,000 per year in savings.

How much is the MSRP for the 2023 Mazda? The registration you mentioned for the Mazda is 10X what I pay per year in Canada to put a plate on my vehicle. I don't think cell, internet or electricity is any cheaper than what I pay in Canada. Eating out was just as expensive or more than what we pay in Canada.  Albeit property taxes are very low in CR.

I loved CR and I'm heading back for another 2 weeks in March with my kids. For some people who landed there before the Caja change it might work well for them. For me I would pay an extra $23,000 per year to live in CR as a retiree not including the car thing.

For me if I had to decide today I will buy an old 4Runner and pay the $100/month to store it near the SJ airport. Fly in sometime in December or early January and leave 3 months later renting in different places. Due to taxation and fees I will call Mexico home.