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Hi Wende,
Let me tackle your residency situation first. To qualify for the pensionado, or retiree, residency you need $1,000 a month from Social Security (or the Canadian equivalent) or pension only.
The other types of temporary residency include rentista, which requires $2,500 a month in income or a $60,000 deposit in a Costa Rican bank every two years. The income cannot be from a job but from investments or something else that is guaranteed. There is also inversionista, or investor, residency, which requires an investment of $250,000 in a business or commercial or residential property.
About your daughter, that is a bit more tricky. Permanent residency is available to those who are related to or married to a Costa Rican. If your grandson has Costa Rican citizenship that might give her an opportunity. From the situation you describe she probably wouldn’t be able to gain permanent residency due to marriage because the marriage has to be in good standing, so to speak.
Of course, this is quite a complicated case and I’d refer you to a Costa Rican attorney for answers. Try this firm – they’ve helped a lot of expats:
Petersen and Philps: http://www.plawcr.com
Hi Carolyn,
Sounds like you’re in that spot between maxing out your luggage allowance on the plane and a full container.
You do have options though, which you choose depends on how many boxes you’ll have. One thing to keep in mind is how much do you really need all that stuff? We’ve found that we don’t miss a lot of things we left behind.
First, I recommend you totally max out the bag you take on the plane, even if you have to pay extra. It’ll probably be cheaper than any sort of shipping.
Second, I wouldn’t mail yourself anything until you get there and establish your mailing address. For a package of personal belongings, I would get a post office box at the local Correo actually. In that case, you would pick up your package there. It will go to you in Arenal unless it is flagged by customs for further inspection, in which case you would need to go to San Jose to pick it up. You could leave boxes with friends until you get settled and have them send them down.
Third, you could use a service like UPS or FedEx, but that’ll probably be pretty expensive.
Fourth, check out air cargo through American Airlines or another carrier or even a cargo shipping service. They can transport boxes, even crates if you consolidate your stuff. http://www.aa.com/i18n/businessPrograms/cargo.jsp
Fifth, this what we’ve done. We brought as much stuff down as we could in our luggage. Then we have visitors bring things in their luggage when they come down.
One thing to keep in mind is customs duties. But those shouldn’t be too bad on used items.
Thanks for sharing, Carolyn.
Stephen – Arenal has plenty of shuttles, taxis, and private drivers that can get you around that region. A good idea if you plan to head out often is to arrange a deal with a driver where you tell him where you plan to go each day and then work out a price for the entire time. Your hotel can often recommend someone. At the very least get a driver’s or taxi’s number. If you’re in a remote area or at an attraction that’s out of the way, there might not be transportation readily available unless you arrange beforehand.
Another option is renting a car in La Fortuna, which is the main tourist hub in Arenal. That way you can enjoy that convenience during your stay – there is no traffic there and the driving is very easy. If you’re staying at a hotel outside of La Fortuna, they can usually bring the car to you. Again, talk to the front desk of the hotel for help.
That’s what my wife says! 🙂
Hi Robert,
I’d be glad to help you out.
I’m not too familiar with Canadian tax laws. But let me refer to an expert who has spoken at past IL events, Doug Hendler. You can contact him here:
http://www.blaney.com/lawyers/douglas-hendler
As for your other concerns, could you be a bit more specific as far as the information you’re looking for?
I should add that the traffic in San Jose and right outside the airport is kind of crazy. But don’t worry. 15 minutes into your drive outside that area and you’re out of the traffic. Every other area of the country is much less crowded on the roads.
Oh, and it’s a good idea to get the GPS at the rental agency. It’s peace of mind.
Hi Stephen,
Let me put in my two cents and then let some other members chime in. First off, renting a car is the best way to see the country, especially on an exploratory trip.
All those problems with car rentals you are describing are worst-case scenarios. It makes CR sound like a very dangerous place – which it isn’t. I’ve rented a lot of cars in CR and I’ve never had any issues. Of course, some people have and they’ve posted on forums, etc. which is probably what you’ve read. When renting a car there are some things to keep in mind and look out for.
Stick with one of the major rental companies, like Economy, Hertz, Adobe, Budget, etc. But keep in mind that a price on a reservation made online doesn’t include the insurance usually. The insurance is the most confusing part about renting the car. There are multiple types, with this or that deductible. I usually go for total coverage, so anything that happens to car is covered and you pay nothing if it is damaged. You can contact your credit card company but usually they won’t cover you in Costa Rica if you drive on dirt roads, which is likely at some point in your trip.
Speaking of road conditions, major highways are in pretty good shape, and secondary roads too, for the most part. But there are areas with plenty of potholes and bumps. In some areas there are mainly dirt roads. It all depends on where you go. If you’re going off the beaten path, get an SUV. If you’re staying in town or in resort area, a sedan is fine.
Break ins happen. But following common sense tips mitigates the risk. Don’t leave valuables out. Park where there is a security attendant. Most hotels, restaurants, souvenir stands, markets, neighborhoods will have one that they’ve hired to watch cars. He’s usually wearing a orange or yellow reflective vest. Tip a dollar or 500 colones. Bandits are extremely rare.
You do hear stories about law enforcement seeking “tips” but this is much less common than most people like to think, an exception to the rule. In fact, you’d most likely get in trouble if you tried to bribe an officer. There are different types of police in CR. On the highways are the transit police. They catch speeders and make sure each car is up to date on its inspections, etc. In town, you have the Fuerza Publica, the local police, and the Tourist Police, who help visitors.
The driving in Costa Rica isn’t too bad. Drivers tend to be a bit more aggressive as far as passing and not yielding to pedestrians. I actually feel more in danger driving on a major highway in a big U.S. city. But you do have to be on your toes as dogs, people, school kids, bikes, motorcycles, and chickens share the road. Driving at night is okay in short bursts. But because it gets dark by 6 p.m. all those people sharing the road I just mentioned are still there, so I wouldn’t try to drive more than an hour in the evening.
In my opinion, private shuttles do limit you. And the advantages of renting outweigh the possible problems.
Jason
Hi Deborah,
There is golf in some of the surrounding residential communities and resorts, including Hacienda Pinilla and Reserva Conchal. No bowling alleys or movie theaters in town. There is a theater in Liberia, about an hour away, that shows movies in English. There is a live music scene here, with Latin, reggae, blues, rock, and acoustic artists – both expats and locals.
A farmers’ market just started up, featuring homemade specialty items from expats, like hummus, sauces, and such. Anyone is welcome to set up a booth. Several are also featuring their arts and crafts. Art shows are infrequent and there aren’t too many galleries in town. But the people here tend to be “artsy” and creative so I think that sort of thing would go over well. The art scene is pretty informal, with a lot of murals, artists hanging paintings in hotels and restaurants, that sort of thing.
In general Tamarindo – and Costa Rica as a whole – is a very Do It Yourself type of place. You get an idea and just act on it. There’s a lot of freedom for that. So any ideas you had to introduce to the community, organizing art shows or dances, etc. – just go for it.
Hi Thomas,
I have lived in two pretty developed areas, so I’ve had reliable high-speed Internet. There have been outages but not frequent or long-lasting.
As far as my service quality, I can use Skype video conferencing no problem. It does take some time to download large videos though. I have one of the slower high speed connections available. But you can pay extra for higher speed connections.
I also have a MagicJack phone with a U.S. phone number that works just fine. Netflix as well runs perfectly through my son’s Wii game system.
As far as your place in the Southern Zone, you might not have phone but cell service should work. The cell network is more widespread than landlines believe it or not.
There are some options as far as Internet. I know some people in remote areas use satellite. I have a ‘mifi’ that runs off the cell phone data network that plugs into my laptop as a back up. Those are available from Movistar and some of the other cell phone providers I believe. That could be an option although transferring large files would eat up a lot of data, of course.
Hi Deborah,
Check out the other thread for my answer. Thanks!
Hi Deborah,
I don’t have any personal experience with any TESL schools in Costa Rica, so I can’t make any recommendations. But you might try an online forum for those interested in teaching English abroad. You might find someone who’s gone through the experience and can provide you some insight/recommendations.
I found this site. Again, I have no personal experience with it but it’s a place to start. I’m sure there are more forums out there.
Hi Carole,
The lakeshore can get breezy but it’s definitely not all the time.
The windiest section is the north end, from November to April. It get strong, steady winds averaging 25 mph during that time, attracting windsurfers from around the world. But the lake is 30 miles long, so the winds don’t blow that hard in parts further south. And other times of year there is much less wind and the average doesn’t get above 15 mph.
Hi Jonas, Realtor/broker fees will usually run 5-6%, sometimes up to 10%. They are generally paid by the seller.
Hi Debbie,
I’m happy to help.
1. For residency questions, you could also try the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (http://www.arcr.net). They’ll probably want you to become a member (I think dues are $100 per year) before they answer in too much detail. But they can help you find a lawyer for residency and other transition-related items once you start the process of moving.
2. We chose Tamarindo for a couple reasons. One, it was close to my son’s school – Country Day. Two, it’s a very walkable city with everything you need close by, including grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, etc. We rent cars or take taxis or the bus when we have to go anywhere out of town. There is a large and vibrant expat community in Tamarindo of all nationalities, but mostly American. A ton of great restaurants and beach bars. To meet local expats go to Nibbana at happy hour, Kahiki for breakfast, and El Pescador for happy hour as well.
I don’t know Dan Talbot. You could also try Blue Water Properties. They have an office in town. http://www.bwpcr.com
There are a few clinics and doctors in town but for anything more than a doctor visit you’ll have to go to Liberia, Santa Cruz, or Nicoya. Liberia – about an hour away – has two private facilities, branches of Clinica Biblica and CIMA Hospital. It also has the region’s big public hospital. There are public ambulances as well as private ambulance companies available in Tamarindo.
Playa Grande is much smaller and while the center of town is walkable, there isn’t much there. You would definitely need a car.
3. Playa Naranjo is a very small town, somewhat isolated. The big draw, and this goes for much of the Nicoya Peninsula, is the natural beauty and laidback lifestyle. Nicoya and Santa Cruz are regional centers, largish towns with lots of shopping, medical, government offices. Most expats don’t live there but visit when they need something. Most expats live on the coast. These towns are inland.
Jaco is a major tourist town with a large expat population as well. A bit too touristy for my taste but you can always live outside of town and just come in for shopping and the restaurants.
4. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted. So are dollars. No need to get much local currency (colones) although it helps to have it for smaller establishments that don’t take cards or dollars. You can withdraw colones from ATMs.
5. For mail and packages delivery you can use the Costa Rican post office (Correo) for home delivery or get a PO box. There are also private mail services, including UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Tamarindo actually has a UPS Store. One thing to keep in mind is you will probably have to pay extra fees to get your packages delivered to CR – customs duties.
Hi Mark,
I’m not very familiar with financing for buying a business. I know it’s definitely not as common as in the U.S. But banks and other lenders in CR do provide small business loans. On the residential property side, sometimes owners provide financing – that might be the case with businesses as well. I have even heard of U.S. banks providing loans for this purpose – you might try there.
Cash deals seem to be most common.
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