Retiring in Costa Rica: Need to Know
Government Requirements:
You need to prove an income of $600/mo. You must be a “legal resident” to be eligible for their generous healthcare plan.
Healthcare:
$25 – $50/couple for all doctor visits, prescriptions, and hospitalization. Physicians are excellent, most trained in the US.
Roads and Infrastructure:
Certainly not as good as the US but better than other Latin American countries.
Getting There:
Currently, the roundtrip airfare on American Airlines Miami/ San José is $115 plus tax.
Getting Acquainted:
Even old hands, tourists who have visited Costa Rica several times, recommend Caravan Tours (1-800.227.2826) at $995 for 10 days.
All meals, activities, hotels transfers, transportation, excursions, and even tips included. Plus air.
We found it perfect for seeing as much of the country as possible in a very short time.
What to Wear:
The climate varies from the temperate central highlands of San José to the much warmer Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Remember, you’re only about 10 degrees from the Equator here.
Caravan recommends a sweater or light jacket. Carolyn and I each chose to take a lightweight hooded poncho-style raincoat.
Plus shorts and loose shirts. A pair of jeans. Casual. Washable.
Comfortable water-resistant shoes also are a must. Although the pacing of the tour is excellent and never rushed or strenuous, there is a lot of walking, often in the rain (forests).
Laundry service is available at all hotels. And don’t forget your swimwear.
Money:
Conveniently, the once almighty greenback is still powerful in Costa Rica, accepted almost everywhere, as are most credit cards. ATMs are found in major cities.
Eating & Drinking:
Caravan provides purified water at all meals and free bottled water on the motorcoach. Water is safe to drink in most tourist areas.
Breakfasts are usually buffet-style featuring many fresh fruits and eggs cooked to taste. Lunches and dinners generally provide the choice of beef, fish, and chicken with local side dishes.
Toilets:
Never a problem.
E-mail:
All hotels, except those in the rainforests and La Fortuna (where there are five Internet cafés in town), have high-speed Internet connections, often free.
Language:
Spanish is the official language, but we found that English is spoken in all the stores in which we shopped.
Proof of Citizenship:
US citizens need only a current US passport valid for six months after your date of entry.
Fishing:
Costa Rica is a fisherman’s dream, with snook (averaging 14 pounds), tarpon (averaging 80 pounds), red snapper, king mackerel, amberjack, yellowtail, deep-water tuna, Dorado, even sailfish, and marlin.
Fly fishermen will enjoy catching bluegill and drum fish. There’s good bonefishing as well.
Staying in San José:
We enjoyed our little gem, the quaint, charming, artistic, and historic downtown Hotel Don Carlos. $70 – $80 double room including breakfast. (1-866.675.9259)
Ask Steve Constantine for Room 29.
Retire in Costa Rica: Other Resources
- Read Costa Rican resident Andrew Mastrandona’s excellent Nov. 2006 article:
“A Fresh Look at Costa Rica for Retirement: An Examination of Popular Myths“
- George Lundquist’s “Costa Rica on Social Security” is a great place to start. His four-day, three-night Costa Rica Relocation & Retirement Tour is customized to your needs.
- You can buy Scott Oliver’s book and subscribe to his excellent newsletter at http://www.welovecostarica.com/
- The Association of Residents of Costa Rica is a help to some. Others advise taking it with a grain of salt.
- EscapeArtist.com provides information on a number of overseas retirement destinations including Costa Rica.
- Costa Rica Tourism Board (1-866.267.8274)
- Toyota Rent A Car, San José, and Liberia airports. Approximately $400 a week for a 4×4, automatic or manual. (011-506.258.5797)
A Fresh Look at Retirement in Costa Rica
For many years, Costa Rica has been touted as one of the top retirement havens in the world. Costa Rica has a stable democracy, growing economy, government friendly to foreigners, and tropical climate. As well as incredible natural beauty, it rightly earned the phrase, “the Switzerland of Latin America.”
Is this still true today? Is it as expensive as Switzerland? Are retirees still coming here? Should they still consider retiring in Costa Rica?
To many people, there appear to be less expensive retirement destinations such as Panama or Nicaragua. To others, Costa Rica has become too touristy. Still, others believe Costa Rica is overrun with “gringos.”
I want to debunk these notions and others and suggest that Costa Rica is still a terrific place to retire. You can start a new life there if you are not yet retired; particularly if you choose your location and activities carefully.
Retiring in Costa Rica Is Too Expensive!
I have been living in Costa Rica for about a year and a half. I’ve been in and out of the country frequently since 1989. Based on my extensive travel throughout the country in conjunction with my “Boomers in Costa Rica Retirement Tours,” I’ve found that there are still inexpensive areas in which to live. It’s particularly true if you stay away from the close-in suburbs of San Jose.
