Any advice on how to move to Costa Rica

To tell you the truth you really need to experience it first hand and then make decisions based on that or you could regret it. Being hands on is the only way to find out that info and the best deals. Deals over the phone or internet will most likely get you screwed.

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samcharlot123.....You need a paid service to answer all your questions,in the gush-cake manner that you want to hear it in.But being the great-honest Costa Rican that I am,I'll do it for free !! Just come down for a vacation first,spare yourself all this heavy investment stuff for something else.If you are searching for equality and justice in Costa Rica,it is very costly.Costa Rica has been a revolving door,especially for North Americans who fail to thrive here.

Hey Sam - that sounds exciting!

I agree with antitruster50. You've got to visit. My wife and I took a 2 year sabbatical and researched, researched, researched. Based upon our research of 5 countries, Costa Rica was the winner. But before we packed up and moved there, we put our boots on the ground for two weeks. Nothing of our experience here in the US prepared us for Costa Rica - we had to experience it for ourselves, and afterwards, we could make a well-rounded decision.

I will say, I've been back from Costa Rica now for 12 months, and i miss it EVERY DAY!

PaulieMac.....Do tell,what brought you back to the U.S.,after moving there and after giving Costa Rica such accolades ?

I am a true believer of that 1 to 5 year
shelf life myth for expat leaving CR

Just my opinion

JBuonopane....You gave something way better than a opinion,what you mentioned is a very hard fact that is easy to find.Many from the U.S. are unloading condos,properties and getting out of Costa Rica for Florida.It is a sellers market,as the revolving door of tourist turned investors,set the hinges on flames.

Edwin
          Great responses and what you say is So True Florida Governor DeSantis has changed the game, why most states and countries are still playing games DeSantis has made Florida one of the best places to live with so many incentives and opportunities

Absolutely. I plan on visiting soon. I just have to find time to do so.

Thank you for sending this!

Nice! Yeah, I plan on visiting soon. I'll probably try to visit early next year. Any suggestions on where I should stay for my visit? Like what regions of the country are best for a first time visitor?

What's the reason for so many Americans leaving from what you've heard?

samcharlott123....It is not what  has been heard,it is a fact ! Pauliemac in the above comment is already back but doesn't say why.Here is hard fact for gringos who want to stay long term long term in Costa Rica,'you will have more obligations than rights'.Costa Rica is billed as a immigration free for all and it is far from that.We only share a open border with Nicaragua.

What exactly does that mean? More obligations than rights? Can you give me some examples of situations like this?

samchalot123........Let me ask you a question,are you coming in with pension or are you going to do the perpetual tourist thing,that has to do the obligatory leaving Costa Rica every 3 months ?

If all goes as planned, I possibly may sell my house and possibly rent or buy a house in Costa Rica. Also, I plan visiting Costa Rica and stay about two weeks. Just to get a feel of it and see if I like my stay enough to live there.

2 weeks in Costa Rica is barely enough time to get regular with bathroom habits,let alone having your eyes wide open to what goes on around you,on a regular basis.IN 4-6 months,you should get a clearer picture if Costa Rica is right for you.....

Yeah I don't have 4 to 6 months. My job is in the way of that. I don't need to experience the whole country on the visit. I just need enough time to explore a good bit to get a feel of the country. The exploration comes when and if I move.

It is a personal choice, some will say it is paradise and others will will try to deter you (not sure why).  Have been here seven years and going strong at 65.  We had a lot of people send CHIT our way before we moved and we did not listen.  DO NOT listen to someone's rhetoric  or opinion.  Take a look and make your own decision.
We did and our happy!

Terrynviv......But who would want to trade places with you,after everything you guys have been through in Costa Rica.Mr.Samcharlot,is better off finding his own way here,for sure.

Thank you for the sound advice!

Sam, I'll toss my two cents in if it means anything... I'll admit I may not have the longevity in Costa Rica as many that are responding to you here. I've been in country for 12 months now and two prior visits of approximately 30 days over the past 15 years. I've always heard from people that Costa Rica is expensive. To a point it's true, especially in comparison to other Latin American countries. This is due to taxation on everything imported which is everything from food, electronics, gasoline to cars. However with that said, land, housing, utilities, fresh produce and labor is cheaper. I say it's a wash... I find the people here as more humble, respectful and to a point more honest than in the states. This by no means that you should trust anyone unless you know them. Gringo pricing is here but much less frequent then other countries. What I like the most as I'm getting into the later stages of my life is the quality of life here. I find the tico's and tica's as more down to earth and laid back. The air quality and water outside of the Central Valley is purer then most places I have lived in or visited. Bottle water is big business in the states and almost mandatory in Mexico. I believe the beef, pork and poltury is less infused with chemicals then in the states... The downside are horrindous roads and potholes, longer wait times for everything, bad or no cell coverage in certain areas and not flushing toilet paper down... If you do decide to live here remember this "when in Rome do as the Roman's do". This Costa Rica, not Texas, California or Florida. Do not bring any North American expectations or attitudes here. Just lower your expectations, take a deep breath and say: Pura vida.

Thank you so much for the advice! I'll definitely keep everything you said in mind. I do want to visit soon. I need to renew my passport, but I hope to visit no later than May. I'm excited to see the country and I hope I'll be excited enough to make Costa Rica home in the near future.

Sam there are many things to like and not like about Costa Rica. For some the bad outweighs the good and vice-versa.
The ONLY way to find out is to come here and rent in an area you might want to live in for at least a couple months.
Many people return home because of:
*the weather (too much rain, wind, or fog)
*crime (depending on where you live and how your house is situated etc)
*Noise (Ticos tend to be very noisy, dogs are allowed to bark incessantly etc with no laws enforced re noise)
*strikes that often block major thoroughfares for hours several times a year
*high cost of cars and gasoline
*some areas have lots of bugs or bothersome animals (such as raccoons)
*bad roads (unmarked with lines, potholes, no place to pull over, muddy and unrepaired)
*bad drivers (often new drivers who don't know the rules or drivers who just don't give a damn about other drivers - no signals, passing on double yellow zones putting others' lives at risk, "double parking" on streets and even on highways blocking a lane and you can't see around them, and so on)
*standing in lines to do things you should be able to do online or by mail
*a health care system that is good in many ways but also lousy in many ways (worse than US though cheaper of course, for most)

I'm giving you the true answers you asked for, not the rose colored glasses version.
The bottom line is to come here NOT just as a vacation, you must rent a house, deal with businesses, banks, electricity, etc etc and see how life really is here before moving here.

MANY people come here and love it and many don't.

Family! My mother was 86 when we left and i knew that as the years went on, her need for help would increase. We chose to find a window of time to live our dream sooner than later. In 2020 my mother had another stroke and so here we are, back in the US, living in her town with her living with us.

Sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she has full recovery. She's in my prayers

Paulie, blessings upon you and your family. Godspeed.

You want to get a feel? Stay away from gringo and tourist areas. Ive been here for four months, bought a house by Corcovado. There are almost no tourists here. I deal with ticos only.So far so good.i dont like San Jose and surrounding area. Polluted, dangerous and noisy. This is my first experience without prior research. I've met a lot of honest, helpful and very nice people Yes, there are crooks like anywhere else. You have to adjust to the local routine, culture, and by all means, learn Spanish, it is good for your brain as well.

Thanks for the advice but can you actually tell me the good as well? Why are so many people in this thread acting as if Costa Rica is only a nightmare?

Thank you. Was buying your house a good experience? Was it inexpensive? Are the taxes high?

Henrych wrote:

Ive been here for four months, bought a house by Corcovado. There are almost no tourists here.

Corcovado...Cool. I'll wave to you from the other side of the Gulf.

samcharlot.....I bought my land 30yrs ago. I waited till I retired 6 years ago,to start building my house.
It was costly because I wanted the best architect, builder and U.S. standards.Since then,materials such as quality tropical hardwood,has gone up considerably.There is a building moratorium in our zone,new buyers are left in limbo and it looks like they are not going be able to build for a long time.Taxes for us are real low for now,but that can change soon.The climate where we are at being this close to the beach,is harsh,so home maintenance is 2 fold,electricity is very expensive in Costa Rica but lucky for us,the way the home is designed with vaulted ceilings we mostly use big energy efficient fans...There is no way I could afford to do this now !

Cool. Thanks for the input. Don't plan on building at all, just buying a nice home.

Not necessarily. First compare prices. You can by a land and find professionals to build the home, as I can see happening in my area. I'd avoid developers. It'd be wise to consider both options after doing your research.

The good part is that you can buy property and a house much more cheaply than in the United States.
Depending on where you live rent can be quite a bit cheaper too.
Labor is almost always cheaper. Mechanics, gardeners, even doctors.
People in town are generally more friendly than they were where I lived in the USA. People at stores and things like that almost always greet you with a smile.
If you have a propane stove or hot water like most people do, it is very inexpensive. Well at least the stove is. I have not used it for hot water.
If you like nature, the nature here is incredible. That is my favorite thing about Costa Rica. All around Costa Rica once you get outside of a town or city there is nature. You will see many exotic birds animals and insects. In my case, tucans, white-faced monkeys, pizotes, hawks, parrots, etc..

Samcharlot123.....Come in,at the height of the rainy season(October) to look at homes.At that time of year Costa Rica can seem like the wettest place on earth.This will show you,what defects the home and property might have because sellers do not have to divulge/disclose anything.

I would suggest that you do not buy any property until you have lived in the country for an extended time period. This will allow you time to check out other areas before making a commitment, that you may be sorry for later.

Much easier to pack up and try another area.

It is said that between 50-60% return to their home countries  within 3-4 years.

Kohlerias....The,"happier than a Billionaire" book series author is already high tailed out of Costa Rica.