Investigating best way to retire in Costa Rica

Quickly medical coverage for 64 for decent coverage ($1,000 deductible, 200,000 US coverage 70-30% ) costs me $4,800 per year for 65 years old) Through INS the national insurance company. Does me well but any big expense you will pay the 30% copay and it will be expensive. Also could be pre existing left out of coverage
The CAJA is fine for emergencies and basic stuff but dont expect any fast response to non critical problems.

No vaccine requirements now.  Rentals anything from $200.00 a month for real basic Tico style apartment to $2,000 or more for nice house or condo with pool. Expenses depend if on beach expect high electric for Ac or if in central valley other expenses can be pretty minimal. Cooking gas, water, internet electric we pay about $60.00 per month for all of it.

Best of luck. You have some good qualifications for making it here happily.

forgot to mention $4800 includes the $1,000 deductible. So $3,800 plus the deductible.

If this is where you end up, welcome.  As for medical, you can't get national insurance until you both have your temporary residency card and then the cost is very reasonable.  I believe it's based on what you claim as income and your age when you qualify as to price.  Personally, when I moved here in 2013, I just paid cash if and when I needed a private doctor until I qualified for my card.  At that time it took a year and a half to get it because they are slow to process stuff here.  Prices were not outrageous, closer to what my deductible would have been in the states.  I am an American so my perception of prices may be different than yours.

If possible, I would check around the country - different areas to see what suits you best.  I suggest you find the warmest time of the year so you know if you can handle the heat and humidity.  Remember that storms hit beaches far worse than being inland.

Only the two of you know whether or not you like the quiet of rural areas or the city noise or something in between.  I suggest when you find an area you think you like, talk to some potential neighbors and find out what it's really like to live there.  Agents won't tell you the truth, nor will someone trying to sell you their property.  People tend to be really friendly here and I love it.  I am not fluent in Spanish, but I keep trying to learn more and between my Spanish and other's English we get by.  I do have my regular doctor and lawyer who speak English fluently so no misunderstandings.  I also have friends who will act as translators for me if I run into problems.

The cost of living keeps going up with more and more people retiring here.  I can still live on my pension, but it's not going as far as it did when I moved here.

Politically, the government pretty much keeps out of our daily lives.  Laws change frequently, but nothing to worry about.  You don't get taxed on income made outside this country, so that's a plus.

Thanks your the very nice replies!
Appreciate !

I don't know about medical insurance or entry requirements. I live here and haven't left the country since around August of 2019 due to the pandemic.

Your biggest expense will be rent for sure. Anywhere between $400 - $2k a month depending on size and neighborhood and luxury.

Once you are a legal resident the insurance for the National health plan (required) costs around $90 or so a  month for a couple (total). But it's not great insurance. Slow to get appointments for specialists a lot of times and depending on where you live, the doctors are not great, especially not specialists. IMHO. The worst part is they won't pay for many medicines so you have to buy them out of pocket. Normal stuff yes, but specialist type problems, often not.

There are Discount plans you can use for Private clinics where you get General Dr appts for around $15-20 a visit up to 6 visits a year I think it is, and specialists may cost around $35, maybe 3 individual "cases" per year. (i.e. a case is the same problem being covered, not a new or different health problem). I use that for the rare occasion I need a doctor (knock on wood 3 times)!
You also get discounted x-rays and blood tests which make doctoring pretty affordable as long as you don't go to the doc a LOT.

I pay $55 or so a month for car insurance and buying a car here is expensive. Maintenance is lower than in the US but I have no idea how it compares to where you are from. Gas is expensive as compared to US.

As for the government not getting intrusive, I disagree somewhat with the above poster. They have raised taxes much higher than before, they have required new more expensive procedures for keeping property in a corporation.

They have now also required an expensive topographical survey before you can make the sale of a property and a payment of a lot of tax when you sell a property too. In addition to what you may have to pay your home country.

They require all sorts of things if you own any kind of business, even renting a house or room... I know Ticos who have coffee farms and the regulations have gotten out of hand in the past 2 years for reporting things and hiring workers etc.

They require you to take your car in for a complete check up very year where they check EVERYthing, not just pollution....  I find that the government is getting more and more intrusive in all things financial. They even just raised the cost of pulling money out of an ATM from $3 to $5. Not sure if it's the government who did that or just the banks. Kinda the same thing...

Overall it has it's ups and downs, pluses and minuses like any other place.
It is much more expensive than Mexico to live. More like the USA.

The one thing cheaper here is property and houses (as compared to the USA). In my view IF you are going to live here for sure for a long time one should buy a house or a property to build a house on. It just makes sense. But you should rent a while before buying anything.

samramon wrote:

I don't know about medical insurance or entry requirements. I live here and haven't left the country since around August of 2019 due to the pandemic.

Your biggest expense will be rent for sure. Anywhere between $400 - $2k a month depending on size and neighborhood and luxury.

Once you are a legal resident the insurance for the National health plan (required) costs around $90 or so a  month for a couple (total). But it's not great insurance. Slow to get appointments for specialists a lot of times and depending on where you live, the doctors are not great, especially not specialists. IMHO. The worst part is they won't pay for many medicines so you have to buy them out of pocket. Normal stuff yes, but specialist type problems, often not.

There are Discount plans you can use for Private clinics where you get General Dr appts for around $15-20 a visit up to 6 visits a year I think it is, and specialists may cost around $35, maybe 3 individual "cases" per year. (i.e. a case is the same problem being covered, not a new or different health problem). I use that for the rare occasion I need a doctor (knock on wood 3 times)!
You also get discounted x-rays and blood tests which make doctoring pretty affordable as long as you don't go to the doc a LOT.

I pay $55 or so a month for car insurance and buying a car here is expensive. Maintenance is lower than in the US but I have no idea how it compares to where you are from. Gas is expensive as compared to US.

As for the government not getting intrusive, I disagree somewhat with the above poster. They have raised taxes much higher than before, they have required new more expensive procedures for keeping property in a corporation.

They have now also required an expensive topographical survey before you can make the sale of a property and a payment of a lot of tax when you sell a property too. In addition to what you may have to pay your home country.

They require all sorts of things if you own any kind of business, even renting a house or room... I know Ticos who have coffee farms and the regulations have gotten out of hand in the past 2 years for reporting things and hiring workers etc.

They require you to take your car in for a complete check up very year where they check EVERYthing, not just pollution....  I find that the government is getting more and more intrusive in all things financial. They even just raised the cost of pulling money out of an ATM from $3 to $5. Not sure if it's the government who did that or just the banks. Kinda the same thing...

Overall it has it's ups and downs, pluses and minuses like any other place.
It is much more expensive than Mexico to live. More like the USA.

The one thing cheaper here is property and houses (as compared to the USA). In my view IF you are going to live here for sure for a long time one should buy a house or a property to build a house on. It just makes sense. But you should rent a while before buying anything.

You make me doubt my decision. Leaving communist Canada for a socialist CR becomes rather questionable. I was thinking more about advantages but it looks like disadvantages keep piling up. Taxes are rising, which impoverishes the people, it leads to higher crime rate and eventually the only advantage that remains the beautiful nature. Buying and having a car isn't just expensive but a huge hassle. Well, my house will be done in a couple of months in Osa. Will see.

Good morning Henry
               It definitely has it's negative side here with cost and this gangster government taxing you on everything
They block the Ticos from getting the benefits of using online market places such as Amazon because by the time you purchase a $20 item and you receive 3 months later because of the government taxing it and horrible delivery service here  that $20 dollar item has costed you $60 bucks

I could make a side hustle just by what few friends I have here that ask me to pick something up in the States when I travel or if they can use my Address in the States to ship Amazon two

I know a few members have said the government leaves you be, of course they do why wouldn't they they just want what's in your wallet Mo
Money Mo Money Mo Money Please
And petty theft is on a rise. Higher walls, bigger gates more electric fences and a lot more bars on your window. Hey who said prison ain't paradise

Ya the car shit is nutty here as is driving is an experience
But come and try it out CR definitely has many many positive things you just have to find your Mojo and see if it's for you. Beauty is you can always move back or try another country

FYI..  since moving up into the mountains the prison style living is not visible as much and petty theft is not an issue my windows are bar free and clear view of the beautiful mountains
They show add photo sharing in this group I think photos would help people get more of a visual through each members eyes

Don't get discouraged by our take on CR we all experience and see it differently

JBuonopane12 wrote:

Good morning Henry
               It definitely has it's negative side here with cost and this gangster government taxing you on everything
They block the Ticos from getting the benefits of using online market places such as Amazon because by the time you purchase a $20 item and you receive 3 months later because of the government taxing it and horrible delivery service here  that $20 dollar item has costed you $60 bucks

I could make a side hustle just by what few friends I have here that ask me to pick something up in the States when I travel or if they can use my Address in the States to ship Amazon two

I know a few members have said the government leaves you be, of course they do why wouldn't they they just want what's in your wallet Mo
Money Mo Money Mo Money Please
And petty theft is on a rise. Higher walls, bigger gates more electric fences and a lot more bars on your window. Hey who said prison ain't paradise

Ya the car shit is nutty here as is driving is an experience
But come and try it out CR definitely has many many positive things you just have to find your Mojo and see if it's for you. Beauty is you can always move back or try another country

FYI..  since moving up into the mountains the prison style living is not visible as much and petty theft is not an issue my windows are bar free and clear view of the beautiful mountains
They show add photo sharing in this group I think photos would help people get more of a visual through each members eyes

Don't get discouraged by our take on CR we all experience and see it differently

I'll be moving this fall into my house in Osa. No mountains but jungles and ocean. I am not rich living on my pension and some savings. As long as it doesn't exceed the cost of living in Canada, I can survive. Expats (there are just a few on them on Osa) live much cheaper buying products locally, fish, dairy products, etc. are bought locally much cheaper. So, I'll see how it goes. I am not planning to come back to Canada unless the life there returns to normal.

You sound like a couple of desperate gringos that have never been in Costa Rica before.All you had to do is mention that ethnic break down of yours,it gives you away and puts you in that category to pay more for everything here.Just come on a vacation first and forget about all that phony"
Pura Vida" gloss that Costa Rica is so famous for.

Is there a need to use terms like “desperate gringos?”  Sounds so derogatory.  Maybe not meant that way but it comes out  like that.  The last part of your posting is the  best actually.

Yeah good point. But maybe better desperate than desperados?

Edwin has some great points but I also sense he has some anger towards gringos and feels they have changed the culture, architecture and how his small country he once knew as a child has adapted to some of the American culture
Edwin has to realize with out Americans and other expat his once small childhood country would most likely become a war zone of murder, crime drugs and other criminal acts just for the Ticos to survive
CR has involved into a little America thriving on better wealth along with large global corporations setting up shop in his once little banana and pineapple producing country

If anyone has time read up on the Chiquita Banana story which all started in Costa Rica it's a amazing store
It peeked my interest when I was driving to Limon on business and saw all the Banana plantations, I became curious and need to research it and found it to be an amazing and disturbing story on how they abused there own people when they became a major player in the Banana industry
Me being a concrete Jungle guy soon as I see these plantations and any kind of fruit farm I need to learn more

But I agree with all above Come, Experience, Learn get Educated on they way it operates here
And Hey when we say gringo pricing it's not going to
Make or break you, they are know different them is in business if we can make a few more dollars on a deal we all do it. But they aren't going to charge you a $100 dollars for a banana that a Tico buys for a few colones they will try to get a few extra shekels from
Our deep expat pockets

Costa Rica is a Beautiful country and everyone should come experience it

People from North America are desperate,more so than ever to get out ! They are throwing money at sight unseen properties like never before on the Nicoya Peninsula(what a way to go).Instead of just researching on how to move to Costa Rica,get a feel for this culture first,as in a vacation, then rent,not as a tourist turned investor.It is not P.C. here.There is no way,I can mention my years working in the U.S.,to my own people,they resent it and use it against me,to get what they can out of me ! In this group,if you haven't read the topic on the"Eco Lagarto"development,you should.That topic shows how Costa Rica keeps on reinventing the wheel for impulse buyers.

The book by "Carlos Luis Falls"....."Mamita Yunai"...The great Yankee Trust,"The Untied Fruit Co."Anyone who gets their feathers ruffled by anything I mention,that is nothing compared to what you will have to deal within the realities of Costa Rica,no matter how fluent you are in Spanish.Here are some little math figures that speak volumes and they are common knowledge.More Ticos in the U.S.than North American expats in Costa Rica.More than 50% of expats leave Tiquicia after 2-5 yrs.

Very informative.

One of the many reasons so many Americans (I do not like the word gringo) are thinking or actually moving to CR is that the US has become a POS and it all started way before Trump so this is not to take sides for or against any of these morons in Politics in America.  The truth is the truth, this country is going to Hell quickly and every American has his or her own reasons for trying to get out.  I am fully bilingual and I would never have even considered living in ANY country overseas as I have always had a wonderful life in the US despite problems that EVERY country has.  I am considering checking CR out simply because I hear good and bad things about and I should check it out for myself as you say.  I will not generalize about Latin countries here as I only know 3 of them.  I have seen and experiences things in 3 of them that made me feel very uncomfortable and I attributed it to the culture and I know very well Americans act out and strangely in other countries I have seen that too.  No one in those 3 countries expected me to speak Spanish as I do not look "of color or the mindset of what Hispanic should look like" and I had to stop these people from continuing to talk trash about me and my travel companion before it got out of hand.  The 3 instances had to do with the possibility of being taken advantage of as I am Caucasian and speak English with American accent. 

Lastly, I believe you take people and places as you see them and try not to read into things.  It makes one look stupid.

The same applies to Canada, which is no longer Canada.
Every country has pluses and minuses, it mostly depends on us how we adjust to the local culture. I've spent a half of my life in the USSR, lived in four countries, so adaptation should be easy. I don't enforce my preferences on locals but simply embrace the world around and live. This is what I'd recommend.

well said.

I have been planning my move to Costa Rica for over 10 years, long before the Republican Party in the US went cuckoo.....initially I was going to retire in Nicaragua but then things went all cattywonky with the government and it no longer seems like a wise investment. I have owned and sold property ( I owned a bed and breakfast ) in Costa Rica, and it was not difficult at all as long as you have a good lawyer. I definitely would not buy or build anything before spending time in the country and deciding on a location that you feel comfortable living in. The area I'm going to has spotty internet, the electricity often goes out unexpectedly, and some areas ( Santa Teresa in particular) have become less safe than they used to be.....you need to know what you are getting into before diving in and spending a bunch of money. My area is definitely not for everyone, it is remote and only accessible via ferry or puddle jumper....I'm moving down in February and cannot wait to finally make this dream a reality.

Llholly, where is your area? Is it south of Osa? I'll be moving to Osa soon.

Southern Nicoya Peninsula, its across the Pacific peninsula and slightly north of Osa, look up Cabo Blanco- it's the nature reserve at the tip of the peninsula, there are towns on either side, I'll end up in one of the towns but haven't decided where yet, I plan on moving around a bit down there before I settle in permanently

I've yet to go to Osa, the furthest south I've been on that side is Dominical. But Osa is supposed to be lovely and have great restaurants!!!!

Looks like a nice, natural location.

have you been there yet or are you building sight unseen?

Llholly wrote:

have you been there yet or are you building sight unseen?

Sure, last year. As in my previous reply. I wish to be close to nature.