Cost of Living difference between Tamarindo and Grecia

[BRYAN BALL]

Hello Jason,
Can you give us a Cost of Living comparison on your monthly budget from the time you lived in Tamarindo and Grecia? If you can highlight a few of the major differences like Electric Bill, Rent, and Food that would be great.

Thanks,
Bryan

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Bryan,

Thanks for the question. It’s a good one. A good illustration of the cost of living difference between the Central Valley and some coastal communities.

First, a bit of background. Tamarindo is a big tourist destination. Lots of restaurants, bars, boutiques, etc. It’s also popular with expats. Grecia is popular with expats but gets hardly any tourist traffic – some bus tours stop by but that’s about it.

As a resort area, Tamarindo is more expensive. Many restaurants in town – like the sports bars and sushi places – are at North American prices, though there are plenty of affordable places too if you know where to look (follow the locals). The grocery stores in town mark things up about 10-20% on some items. In both cases, leaving Tamarindo to the grocery store 5 minutes out of town and you pay normal prices. And there is also a twice weekly farmers’ market that has cheap fruit and veggies. The electric bill in Tamarindo can also be higher, depending on your habits. The simple reason is that because of the heat you run your AC, while in Grecia you don’t. For electric we paid about $225 per month, while in Grecia we pay about $100 per month. Rents can also be higher in Tamarindo, depending on location. A place in town, like a two-bedroom condo walking distance to the beach is about $700. A three bedroom home is $1200+. If you go inland or to a more isolated beach community prices come down. This compares to prices starting around $600 a month for a three bedroom place in Grecia.

So basically, living in Tamarindo can be pricey compared to Grecia, but there are ways to watch your budget by making sure you shop like a local – not a tourist.

[BRYAN BALL]

Thanks Jason for your reply.

Did you live inland a bit from Tamarindo beach? About how far or town name?

If you had your choose, is there another beach town you would choose over Tamarindo or what would be your second choose beach town?

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Bryan,

I lived in Tamarindo, although I wasn’t right on the beach. It was a 10 minute walk to the beach and the center of town. Some inland towns right around Tamarindo include Villarreal and Huacas.

I like Tamarindo a lot. But it’s not the right fit for some people, who consider it too much of a tourist town. It’s hard to pick a favorite however. I like a lot of beach towns in Costa Rica for different reasons. Over on the Caribbean you have a real bohemian vibe, no large-scale development and unspoiled beaches in towns like Cahuita and Puerto Viejo. On the southern Pacific you have these dramatic mountains, jungle, and deserted beaches and little villages like Dominical and Ojochal. On the Nicoya Peninsula you have somewhat isolated towns with a great sense of community in Montezuma and Nosara.

Basically, all these places are likable in their own way for the right type person.

[BRYAN BALL]

Thanks again Jason.

I’ve noticed in some of your replies that most rental prices are negotiable. If someone on craigslist, in Tamarindo area, has an advertised LTR price of $1500 US, what would be a good counter offer or expected price to pay?

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Bryan,

It’s really a case by case basis depending on price, location, features of the home, etc. But in general you can always negotiate.

In this case I would try $1,300. Or ask them to throw in cable/Internet or maid/gardening service. Sometimes you can get them to throw in utilities but that’s usually not at the beach as they know you’re going to have high elec. bills due to AC.

And keep in mind that when you go through the owner directly instead of real estate person you can have better luck negotiating because the agent/property manager isn’t taking their cut.

[BRYAN BALL]

Hello Again Jason,
Let’s say I’m newly relocated to CR and need to set up the electricity on my newly rented place. How would I go about that and what would I need?
Thanks,
Bryan

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Bryan,

For a rental there are a couple ways it could be arranged. In a rental, the electricity will stay in the owners name. Then, your landlord or property manager will either give you the account number and let you handle paying the bill yourself or let you know how much you owe each month and pay it for you when you pay them.

A few things to keep in mind with utility bills in CR. Sometimes the company will tape the bill to your door or put it in your mailbox but you can’t really count on that. So you have to very careful to keep track of when the bill is due to pay on time. It’s always the same day of the month so no big deal. Being late is a big deal though – they’ll shut your water or electric off if you’re late even a couple of days.

To find out the amount you owe, you can check online. If you have a Costa Rican bank account you can also pay online. Only legal residents can have Costa Rican bank accounts, though. You can also check the amount due and pay at the utility office and most any checkout counter at the grocery store, or even corner stores. These businesses have access to the billing system. You pay them cash and they record your payment in the system and give you a receipt.

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