Fun Facts about Costa Rica
Costa Rica has been an expat haven for retirees and others for decades because of its low cost of living, high quality – and cheap – medical care, warm weather climate, bargain real estate, and no-hassle residency.
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When My Wife Tried to Speak Spanish in Costa Rica…
My wife is a very outgoing person. But when we moved to Costa Rica...things changed. I speak Spanish. Her? Well, she took a few semesters in college. She tried her best...but often got flustered when having a real-life conversation. So it was up to me to act as a translator and talk to everybody: the gardener, the maid, bus drivers, people on the street to get directions, our neighbors, the utility company...you get the idea.
How to Fund a Part-Time Life in Costa Rica
Over the years, Barry and Claudia Leon lived happily all over the States. They both had full and varied careers in psychology, college teaching, business, and biology.
How Gail Saved $21,000 on Dental Work in Costa Rica
In two trips over the course of a year, Gail went to San Jose, Costa Rica, for her dental work, spending two weeks each time. Her total cost for everything, including flights, accommodation and her dental work: $14,000—well under half what she’d been quoted in the U.S. for her dental treatment alone. And the quality was first-rate.
In Pictures: Animals You’ll See in Your Backyard in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. With just 0.03% of the world’s landmass, it has an incredible 5% of the world’s species. And you don’t have to visit a national park or a remote area to view this plentiful wildlife.
Costa Rica: A Permanent Vacation Lifestyle
I'm sitting in a few inches of water, eagerly anticipating the next big wave. When it comes, it's far stronger than I expected it to be. I'm slapped in the face, knocked off my rear and whipped around by its power
Costa Rica’s Traditional Small Town Life
I'm a city boy through and through. When I moved recently to Escazú, a suburb of Costa Rica's capital San José, I figured I'd be enmeshed in urban culture. This is, after all, the biggest city in the country, and the surrounding area is home to three-quarters of the country's citizens.
Where to Live in Costa Rica: Five Top Expat Havens
It’s the friendly and welcoming people, the natural beauty, and the tropical lifestyle that will really steal your heart. “Costa Ricans are a gracious people,” says Rene Aoki, who has lived in the Arenal region for 19 years. “It’s an easy place to live where you can make close friends.” New expats find well-trodden ground and benefit from the experience of those who came before them.
The Positives of Life in the U.S. for Less in Costa Rica
Bruce and Karen Huss’s move to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast evolved over time. Their first visit was five years ago, when they spent time in the exclusive Los Sueños resort community in Playa Herradura
Slow Down in Costa Rica’s Surfer Paradise
When Valerie and Gaylord Townley first visited Tamarindo, it was a simple fishing village. The only visitors were pioneering surfers (Gaylord was one of them) and sport fishermen