Author: Maria Alfano
One of the best affordable places to retire, Costa Rica really offers la Pura Vida! Let go of the stress and enjoy the simple life in this gorgeous country. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Nicaragua to the north, and Panama to the south, Costa Rica is a land of jungles, rainforests, mountains, and volcanoes.
Costa Rica is one of my favorite places in the world. It has so much natural beauty, amazing people, lush landscapes, and incredible wildlife, not to mention those beaches. There is plenty to do no matter how old you are. Your family will trip over themselves to come for a visit.
Where did La Pura Vida come from? Not many can tell you for certain. Although, fingers point to a 1956 Mexican movie by the same name. The Ticos (Costa Rican locals) identified with the phrase and with the concept of the movie so much they started repeating the phrase until it became their national phrase. Use it as a greeting as hello or goodbye (like the Italians use the word ciao). Or, use it to say everything is good (like the Jamaicans say “everything Irie”). And, you will often hear Pura Vida used to apologize for being late for an appointment. No matter how you use it, the truth is simple and pure. Ticos do not stress and la Pura Vida has nominated them as one of the world’s happiest places.
This post is all about the best cities to retire in Costa Rica, the food, and the budget for living there.
Best Affordable Places To Retire – Costa Rica Edition
5.1 million people of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities call Costa Rica home today. This Latin American country is a mecca for medical tourism and building electronic components. Its booming economy, the influx of ex-pats, and the instability of the Colon (Costa Rican currency) are making Costa Rica more expensive each year. Having said that, it is definitely a lot less expensive than some cities in North America. No matter where you go in Costa Rica, you will find an amazing community of retired ex-pats that will welcome you with open arms. Costa Rica is considered a fairly safe country by American standards.
Top Retirement Cities
San Jose
San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica. Founded in the early 1800s San Jose is truly a large thriving metropolis. If it’s a big city feel you seek for retirement, this is for you. Perched on a plateau in the mountains in the central part of the country, San Jose is home to the main international airport. It is a vibrant hub of activities which include museums, art galleries, sports, entertainment, and of course lots of shopping.
Nuevo Arenal
Destroyed by the volcano eruption, this quiet town was rebuilt in 1968 near Lake Arenal. It offers all the comforts of home and is the landing spot for many European and North American ex-pats. You will find some awesome hotels and wonderful little restaurants, including one offering German cuisine. And, you can stop by the local art gallery in your spare time. You can drive 1 hour to the Pacific Ocean or enjoy plenty of activities to be had in town. Go windsurfing. sailing, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, or wakeboarding right on the lake nearby. If fishing is more your speed, you can do that too.
Tamarindo
Nestled in the northern part of the country, Tamarindo is one the best and affordable places to retire Costa Rica has to offer. This sleepy little beach village is perfect for sun and surf seekers. It is close to the second largest airport in Costa Rica and has many luxury hotels nearby making it a huge tourist attraction. Drive to San Jose in just 4 hours if you get tired of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and riding the waves. Or, go visit Las Baulas National Marine Park and observe the leatherback turtle’s nesting grounds.
Dominal
Located in the far south, Dominal is a larger beach town. It boasts of many restaurants, supermarkets and even has plenty of building supply stores. This peaceful haven is a great place to sample local craft beers after a day of surfing the Pacific waves. Looking for something different? Try the local yoga studio. Go horseback riding. Check out the wildlife at Manuel Antonio National Park. Or, visit the Nancaya Waterfalls.
LIFE IN THE BEST PLACES TO RETIRE – Costa Rica
CLimate
Mountains and a volcano divide Costa Rica down the length of the country. The Pacific side of the country has 2 seasons.
Dry Season – between December and April
Rainy Season – between May and October
We were in Tamarindo in July and it rained for all of 10 minutes one day even though July and August are supposed to be the rainiest months.
The Caribbean side does not have the seasons quite so defined. Although the seasons are similar, it rains between 100 to 200 mm even during the dry season.
Daily temperatures run between 84 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit along the two coasts and around 75 degrees in higher elevations. These are consistent throughout the year.
HEALTH CARE FOR Best Affordable PLACES TO RETIRE Costa Rica Edition
Health care in Costa Rica is considered top-notch and the best in Latin America, so much so that there is a flourishing medical travel industry growing. Public healthcare is open to locals and foreigners alike. No pre-existing condition is turned away. As an ex-pat, you will need to sign up for Caja which is the national health insurance that costs between 7-11% of your annual wages. If you are not working then the cost is based on the retirement wages you declared on your visa. On average you can count on spending around $100 USD per month on this insurance per person.
There are 3 types of healthcare.
Hospital – for all your medical needs. Hospitals are always open
Clinics – same services as hospitals but they are only open between 7 AM and 11 PM. If a hospital is not nearby this is the next best thing.
Ebais – this is where you go for general checkups or to see chiropractors, podiatrists, etc.
Transportation
Some will tell you it’s easier to have your own car. Public transportation runs on a defined schedule is reliable, inexpensive…if you are traveling between cities. Many of the cities and towns are too small to have their own bus system. Taxis and shared cabs are very common. It will cost you $2 USD to get into the cab and $2 per mile thereafter. Make sure you watch the driver turn the meter on or you could be in for an expensive ride. San Jose even offers Uber:-) Flying around the country on the local airlines is really quite cheap starting at around $60 USD per person.
Living In Costa Rica
Housing
A couple living in Costa Rica can get away with spending between $2500- $3000 USD per month on all their living expenses. As a single person, you will need approximately $1400 to $1700 USD per month.
Renting an apartment will run between $400 for a 1-bedroom modest flat and $1700 USD for a lavish 3-bedroom home. Rent often includes all utilities. However, you will have additional expenses like the internet ($29 USD per month), cable ($37 USD per month) landline telephone ($7 USD per month), cell phone ($36 USD per month). If you choose to hire a housekeeper that will cost you $2 USD per hour. And, a trip to the movie theatre is around $5 USD per person or, a haircut is $3 USD.
Great News! Foreigners can own homes outright in Costa Rica except for on dedicated farmland or within 200 meters of the Maritime land. Using a real estate agent is highly recommended. The seller pays the commission. As well, you should hire a lawyer to close your deal. Make sure they have a certified escrow bank account with SUGEF to hold your funds. Avoid the cost of title insurance as it is not required in Costa Rica.
Dining Out
You can grab a Big Mac from McDonald’s for $4 USD or you can feast on the local delicacies. Lunch or dinner will cost around $5-$7 USD per person. Add a beer for $1.25 per bottle. It is customary to leave between 15-20% tip. 10% is added to your bill and the rest is up to you.
Ceviche – fish cut into small pieces cooked by the acid of lime juice and served with a lettuce leaf and crackers or chips
Casado – the national dish of rice and bean, a meat protein or fish, and plantains served with a savory sauce
Gallo Pinto – (means painted rooster) is the breakfast of champions. It is very similar to the Casado but you get eggs instead of meat.
Patacones – just like their Mexican cousins the tostones. Plantains are cut into large pieces, fried, mashed, and refried
Chifrijo – is one of my personal favorites. Deep-fried pork rinds or chicharrones are served with beans to make the perfect snack
Tres Leches Cake – is the most ordered dessert in the country. This creamy white cake is to die for.
Coffee – you can’t leave the restaurant without a cup of the best coffee you have ever tried. Costa Rican coffee is among the best in the world.
Groceries
If staying home is more you thing, then have no fear you have a lot to choose from. Groceries take up the largest chunk of the monthly budget.
- Milk – 1 liter is around $1.31 USD
- Bread – 1 loaf costs approximately $3.24 USD
- 18 eggs will run you $2.72 USD
- 500g of coffee costs $3.25 USD
- Ground beef – 1 kg is $4.90 USD
- Chick breast – 1 kg boneless is about $4.38 USD
- 4 rolls of toilet paper are around $2.26
- A small tube of Colgate toothpaste is $5.17 USD
- 1 liter of olive oil costs $7.89
- A sack of potatoes is about $1.45 USD per kg
Of course, if you buy the local brands in most cases, your bill will come out to a lot less. By the way, did I mention Walmart has a home in Costa Rica too?
Stay on top of your monthly spending with this smart budget planner from Walmart.
Pros and Cons oF RETIRIng in Costa Rica
It would not be fair of me to paint only a rosy picture. You need to see both the good and the not so good to make an informed decision if this is one of the best affordable places for you to retire.
Pros of MOving to Costa Rica
- Use your American dollars.
- Every vendor takes Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Major hotels accept American Express and Diners Club
- People speak English
- You can continue to use your existing mobile number with your current carrier
- Walmart is here for those comforts from home
- Nature and wildlife surround you and you can wake up to the sound of the howler monkey anywhere you are
- Plenty of sporting activities to do – swimming, ziplining, surfing, or go bird watching and climb the volcano
Cons of Living in Costa Rica
- Foreign health care insurance is not accepted. You must buy local coverage
- Traffic is bad in some cities since more people are moving there and the roads were not built for so many cars
- It can be expensive to live there with the fluctuation of the Colon and the growing population
- Don’t flush toilet paper down the drain because the plumbing infrastructure was not built to support this practice
- It may be difficult to sell your property if you decide to leave Costa Rica permanently
This post was all about the best affordable places to retire, Costa Rica edition, with some amazing cities, food, and cost of living ideas for you.