Cost of living in Costa Rica - 2017

Let me put it simply! EVERYTHING is more expensive here! There are some exceptions. Hotels at beach seem
to be cheaper than in NC. Fruit and vegetables are less IF you buy from an outdoor market. Cars are RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Insurance is utterly useless. Rent is similar to NC but considering the average income is around $600+- per month is unaffordable for most to live alone. While families live in a house to make ends meet. Restaurants are more expensive than US. If you need parts for a car you pay through the nose IF you can find it! That pretty much sums it up. It probably cheaper to retire to Florida or NC than here.
Rafè/NC

I have lived in the San Jose Metro area for just over two years.   During that time, I have rented two bedroom units in Los Yoses San Pedro, Santa Ana and Cariari.  The unit in Los Yoses San Pedro was $500 per month.  It was nice but basic.  No hot water other than a suicide shower and that didn't work for my dish washing habits.

The unit in Avalon, el centro Santa Ana was $1000 a month which included water and basic cable/internet.  The Avalon provided basic cable and internet as part of their monthly association fee that the landlord paid.  I was later told the other units were $900.   In addition I paid electricity. 
Here in Cariari, I pay water, cable/internet, electricity on top of the rent.  So actual is really closer to what I paid in Avalon.  This Cariari unit, however, is MUCH bigger than my Avalon unit.

I have read that other expats pay much less in rent here in San Jose, although I am not sure where they live.  For sure there are less expensive neighborhoods and houses, but where ever one chooses to live make sure there is an association that provides 24/7 security.  Without that you are likely to get visitors when you are not home.  ( or worse, when you are sleeping! )

I am reaching the point w/ the traffic here in metro San Jose of looking at smaller towns 30-60 minutes outside San Jose.  But again, security is a must and I have no idea what is offered in smaller communities.

Electricity averages about $70-100 per month depending on use.  Cariari does not have AC, although Santa Ana did.   I rarely used AC in Santa Ana but still electricity was comparable.  The overall cost  of electricity seems to be more expensive than in the US.

Gasoline is more expensive.  my car uses about 40-45 liters per refill or about 10-12 gallons.  With the current reduced rate, that runs about $40 dollars per tank.  That is close to double the price of a gallon in New Mexico in 2016.

My cell phone is with Kolbi.  I use a prepaid account, but on average use about $20 per month.  It would be more but most of my communications are via whatsapp or magic jack for US calls and similar apps that use wifi to communicate.  Now that I am a resident I can get a post paid account but the cost is about equal to the US as near as I can tell or $40+ a month for full service.

Doctor visits are about the same price except that a specialists will charge you $100 for a visit but not charge more if he spends more time than a normal limited visit.  An orthopedic here saw me for a medial meniscus tear and gave me a shot in his office, all for $100!!!  good deal.   I had my gallbladder taken out in 2016.   I went to Clinica Biblica and a surgeon who offices at Metropolitan Hospital in San Jose.  The surgery required an over night stay because of some infection around the organ.  So the cost was a little more than projected.   The surgeon fee was $1800.   The hospital operating room and overnight was $4,600.  That was cash because I have no insurance. 

Based on my experience with the crap insurance system that has monopolized the USA for decades, what I paid is about what my deductible and co-pay would have been considering the excess charges by US medical providers and the little actually paid by the insurance companies.  The care was top notch and equal to what I experienced in other surgeries in the US.

BTW, I recently traveled to Ecuador in January 2017.   The cost is a little less than here in CR.   Most food was significantly less but rents etc, seemed close to what expats pay here.

Other than rent (because I live rurally) my experience is very similar to sporto505.  Any product that comes in a package is between 50 to 100% more than comparable US products in the states, gas is about double.  Electricity is the most expensive in the world except for Italy, which has a per capita income almost 5 times higher than Costa Rica and is therefore somewhat affordable.  My water is bill is fairly now, because I am on a very small local water system.  I use very little electricity, no hot water heater, gas stove, suicide shower, electric refrigerator; so my monthly bill is around $50.  I have a minor surgery planned and it will cost ± $4,000.  On the other hand I get monthly injections of B-12 at the farmacia.  5 months worth of the vitamin and the syringes cost less than $6 and the pharmacist performs the injections for free.  Things like recreational drinks, beer, and liquor are 2 to 4 times higher.  A fifth of Jack Daniels for instance costs around $50. 

In summary, apart from my rent and seasonal fruits and vegetables, everything in Costa Rica is considerably more expensive.

Returning from grocery shopping today, I was thinking that only 2x1   French bread, when on sale at many small bakeries and mens haircuts are cheap here.
Just read the 'myth and reality' in regards to the cost of living in Costa Rica.

Agree that it is many things are more expensive than you would hope for.

I stay low carb (difficult here) so I do t know about the bread and I don't like the Tico haircuts! Bald on sides and a Pompadour on top😆💦 No clippers on my head. Scissors please😁
So haircuts, bread, hotels and fruit and veggies (IF YOU BUY FROM OUTDOOR MARKET!) and dog grooming are cheaper here! Unfortunately these things have little affect on daily life.
Rafè

1thing that's pretty cheap is labor and the repairs they make. I watch my workers like a hawk and are teaching them to clean up after they are done. I visited CR 1st time in 2005 and fell in love but didn't buy property at that time.Things were much cheaper then.

Houses are so different. Used to buy fixer uppers and rent or flip but here everything is concrete and barred up and looks like crap from outside but when you go inside they a really nice. You said "your workers" you buying now and fixing up? I heard al RE loans required 20-25% down?

Screw loans. 1 of my properties is advertised here on this site. ( Safe Secure Mountain home) heading. workers here get real lazy when they got a couple bucks in their pocket.