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All About Costa Rica - Living in Costa Rica

On this page, you’ll find some handy information about living in Costa Rica. When through reading, you can return to the All About Costa Rica topic list.

Auto Expenses
Banking
Bringing Pets
Bringing Your Car
Bugs and Stuff
Building a Home
Cost of Living
Culture Immersion
Driver’s Licenses
Mail System
Newspapers
Phone Service (Land Lines and Cell Phones)
Internet
Radio, TV and Cable
Renting a Home or an Apartment
Schools
Shopping
Working in Costa Rica

Auto Expenses

Every December, vehicle drivers pay an annual registration fee (called the marchamo) for tags, title, and basic mandatory insurance. In 2008, for a 1997 Toyota 4Runner 4x4 with a V6 engine, leather seats, the marchamo price was $200; and quarterly tune-ups (including oil change) for this exact vehicle run $50-60 each. Also required annually is the Ritive physical inspection, which costs approximately $20. You’ll also want to account for the fluctuating price of gas, along with costs for miscellaneous repairs that are an inevitable part of driving (assuming you do) on the roads here, not all of which are flat and paved, and which tend to be rougher on a car than the roads in North America.

Banking

Costa Rican banks offer the same full range of services you are accustomed to in your home country. Most banks are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., although some branches in bigger cities open at 7:30 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. Permanent and non-residents may open savings and checking accounts in state and private banks. You will need at least a photo I.D. (your passport) and proof of a physical Costa Rican address in order to open an account.

Bringing Pets

Each dog and cat entering Costa Rica must receive a health exam and health certificate from a licensed and registered veterinarian in your hometown within two weeks of travel to Costa Rica. This health certificate must, then, be certified by the Costa Rican consulate nearest to your U.S. hometown. Beware, as these documents are good only for 30 days—and a number of airlines have stricter requirements on the expiration of the document (some as few as seven days) so be sure to check with your airline. To fly here with your parakeet, macaw, iguana or other special friend, you will need specific permits. For assistance, contact the Costa Rican consulate nearest you at www.costarica-embassy.org.

Bringing Your Car

When it comes to the question of bringing your car, it all boils down to your unique situation and preferences. How do you plan to use the car? What types of terrain will you be traversing, and can your car handle them? Are your wheels worth the cost of a container and taxes you will pay to ship or drive them here? Keep in mind that if you bring a car, depending on make and model, parts may have to be imported, so the cost of repairs can add up.

Bugs and Stuff

In the Central Valley mountains, you won’t find as many bugs as you will in the lowland and humid areas, where humans share space with a fair share of sometimes stunning, yet in most cases harmless insects. Everyone encounters mosquitoes, so it’s a good idea to use bug repellant containing DEET and if sleeping in an open structure or with your windows open, use a mosquito net. In some areas of the humid tropical forest, there are scorpions and snakes, so when in these areas, it’s always wise to shake out your boots and clothing before wearing them, and in general, watch your step.

Building a Home

In Costa Rica, it’s quite possible to build the house of your dreams. Hiring an architect or civil engineer is the first step, as filing an application for construction permits must be done by a qualified member of the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Architectos. You file separately at the local municipality for construction permits. Additional permits apply to development and commercial projects.

Cost of Living

Your purchasing power is greater in Costa Rica, compared with the United States and Canada. Compared to 144 cities worldwide, the cost of living in San José alone ranks among the last. So whether you’re investing in an apartment in the city, untouched land nearby the coast, construction of your dream home in the mountains, dinner out, or a week’s worth of groceries, your dollar will go far for you.

Cost of Living

Immersion in another culture sometimes creates a “shock” when the unexamined manner in which you’ve managed your daily affairs is suddenly called into question. But didn’t Socrates say, “the unexamined life is not worth living”?

Driver’s Licenses

Tourists may use their current driver’s license for up to 90 days. After 90 days, it’s required that you obtain a Costa Rican drivers license, which is not difficult if you possess a valid U.S. license. All pensionados and permanent residents must have a Costa Rican license to drive here.

Mail System

Costa Rica’s postal system (Correos de Costa Rica) provides postal services on par with those of many countries of the world. While the postal picture may look a bit different from what you are probably accustomed to in North America or Europe, not to worry, you will get your mail!

Newspapers

La Nación is the official newspaper Costa Rica, and it is in Spanish. If you’re in the mood for some relaxed English-language newspaper reading along with your cup of coffee, you can find Costa Rica Today and The Tico Times at any local newsstand.

Phone Service (Land Lines and Cell Phones)

Calling within Costa Rica is cheap—a brief local phone call will run you only a few cents. Hotels may charge a premium for even local calls, so be sure to check with reception before dialing. Public phones are pretty abundant in Costa Rica, as almost every small village has at least one and in the cities, you’ll find tons. If the phone is older and does not allow you to input coins, you will have to purchase a 197 or 199 local calling card (usually for sale at a store right near the phone). Cell phones are also abundant, though to buy a cell phone line as a foreigner can entail the process of waiting for a line to become available. It’s also possible to rent cell phones, an option that many tourists find convenient, though service can be spotty on the countryside roads.

Internet

While living in your haven of tropical beauty, it is easy to stay connected to the rest of the world, as Internet services are available throughout Costa Rica … in Internet cafes, many bookstores, hotels and other business, and private homes. From dialup to high-speed cable to Wi-Fi, Costa Rica has it all.

Radio, TV and Cable

Costa Rica has satellite radio and cable television. Service is available in most places in the Central Valley, Pérez Zeledón, Liberia, Orotina, Tilarán, San Carlos and in some beach areas such as Dominical, Jacó and Quepos.

Renting a Home or Apartment

Renting a home or an apartment in Costa Rica can be an inexpensive way not only to live for a period of time, but also to live in an area you’re considering residing in permanently. Many available rentals can be found on our website.

Schools

In Costa Rica, education is a free, compulsory, and tax-supported institution, designed to foster the democratic culture the nation enjoys today. It’s not uncommon to hear the Ticos boast about there being “more teachers than police officers,” and most take pride in the country’s notably high literacy rate.

Shopping

No matter where you’re from and what type of shopping you’re accustomed to, if you like shopping, then the shopping bug is bound to bite in Costa Rica. U.S.-style malls with built-in banks and movie theaters are popping up in the major cities of San José and San Isidro del General, along with specialty grocery stores in previously beachfront Tico towns. Though many connoisseurs feel that shopping here does not quite compare in terms of the number of store choices and certain product availability (though this is quickly changing in the major cities), you can still engage and indulge many satisfying shopping experiences – whether you’re looking for clothes, cosmetics, household goods or the latest in entertainment.

Working in Costa Rica

Pensionados, rentistas and foreigners without permanent residency may own a corporation, invest or start a business in Costa Rica, yet foreigners can only work when they are legal residents or if they obtain a work permit, which is not easy to get if a Costa Rican can do the same job. If you are accustomed to running your own business, then with a balanced dose of creative innovation and knowledge of the laws of the land, you can more than likely find a way to run your business here or start a new one. If you want to work as an employee, there are possibilities for employment too—you just have to be persistent in your search.

We hope this information has been helpful. If you still have questions about Costa Rica real estate and living or retiring in Costa Rica, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will respond to your questions as soon as possible and will be happy to assist you in any way possible.

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