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JASON HOLLAND
ParticipantHi Sue,
Here is the official word from the U.S. Embasssy: http://costarica.usembassy.gov/catsdogs.html
But basically you’ll need an up to date rabies shot, plus a good health certificate from your vet which is endorsed by your local USDA office.
There is no quarantine in Costa Rica. Straight off the plane into your arms.
I have two dogs and had no problems bringing them in.
Jason
ParticipantOh, I should mention that Paso Canoas is a huge duty free area for electronics, clothing, shoes, just about everything – so be sure to stop in the shops.
ParticipantHi Terry,
The short answer is that the tax is different for every item. But when calculating what to tax they take into account the value of item, the freight cost and the insurance cost.
This is a great website with a detailed breakdown of this: http://www.costaricalaw.com/customs_law/taximport.php
My best advice is to hire a broker based in Costa Rica to help you bring in your household goods – NOT a moving company in the U.S. The CR-based folks know the local rules and regulations and can help you value items appropriately and reduce your costs. Barry Wilson at ShipCostaRica.com has spoken at IL events and has many years experience. Visit that website and you’ll find his contact info – mention that Jason at International Living sent you.
Containers go to the port in Limon, on the Caribbean coast. That is where the taxes are paid, goods inspected. A broker like Barry would handle that process for you – no need to go yourself. Then you’d have a truck take your stuff over to Coco.
ParticipantHi Don,
This is Jason Holland – I’m IL’s correspondent for Costa Rica. I’m happy to help.
To really help you plan your trip effectively, I need some more information from you.
Are there any particular areas you’ve heard about and are interested in?
Do you prefer mountains, beach, or jungle?
Rural areas or do you want to be in town or close to town?
An area with a lot of expats or fewer expats?
Temperate climate? More tropical?
Let me know some of these details and we can zero in on some areas you should check out during your scouting trip.
Jason
ParticipantHi Charles,
That post Mike links to is a great place to start your research on banking in Costa Rica. A lot of info on requirements to open an account and a rundown of the different banks available.
As far as rentals in gated communities with mostly expats, you’ll find plenty of those in Costa Rica. Start your search in the Central Valley (especially San Jose suburbs like Escazu and Santa Ana, as well as towns like Ciudad Colon and Atenas). You should also look at the Central Pacific coast towns of Jaco and Playa Herradura. Finally, north Pacific towns like Playas del Coco, Playa Flamingo, and Tamarindo. You’ll find a variety of homes, condos, and town houses.
ParticipantHi Elizabeth,
Lower rates are during the rainy season. And it’s good to visit then so you can see what it’s like. In some areas it rains daily for weeks at a time. Whether you rent a house is really dependent on the areas you want to visit. From a place in the Central Valley you can visit the whole of that region easily with day trips. You could even visit the Central Pacific coast in day. But anything beyond that like Arenal or Southern Zone or Northern Pacific would require an overnight stay. So it might be a good idea to rent a home in a region you’re already very interest in for about a week and then do some traveling to other areas and stay at hostels/hotels. There are all levels of accommodations in Costa Rica. So you’ll be able to travel on a budget. Hostels aren’t just for backpackers – with a private room they can be pretty good and you have access to a full kitchen.
I’ve found that it’s better to make at least some reservations so you don’t spend a lot of time looking for a good deal on a room for the night – time you could be spending exploring. Most everybody involved in the tourist industry speaks English so no problem there. And you can make reservations online or by phone – many places have a U.S. phone number.
As far as your long term plan, renting a home for a year and exploring the country by rental car is a great way to scout things out. The Central Valley is a great home base as you can be in most area of the county within 5 hours or so.
ParticipantPaso Canoas is the best way to get into Panama. Lots of transportation options and easy access to the rest of the country.
ParticipantHi Jim,
Processed food and imported foods you find in the grocery store can be expensive in Costa Rica because of the high import taxes. Restaurants in a place like Playas del Coco, which is a tourist area, will also be more expensive because it caters to people on vacation.
Most Costa Ricans do a lot of their shopping at the farmers’ market where you can get cheap fresh fruits and vegetables, as well locally-sourced items like fresh fish.
If you try to buy the same items you would back home in Costa Rica, you’ll likely spend as much if not more. Expats who keep their cost of living low shop local. They also make things from scratch. For example, at my house we make our own pasta sauce, hummus, pesto, guacamole, etc. using fresh ingredients. Buying stuff in a jar from the U.S. is just too expensive. Our stuff tastes better too. 🙂
September 13, 2013 at 9:12 pm in reply to: Coolest Temperatures in Central Valley are where? #535102ParticipantDefinitely a lot of rentals around Arenal. Long term rentals where traditionally you sign a six month to a year lease start at $600 a month – or even less for a nice two-bedroom. You might be able to negotiate a similar rate even if you stay just a month or so. Your best bet is to contact the property owners or management company and just ask if they’d be willing to work out a short-term arrangement.
ParticipantHi Warren,
Humidity is low in San Ramon and it has year-round temps averaging around 75. It can get into the 80s and dip into the 60s.
As far as elevation it really depends on what part of San Ramon you’re in. As with much of the Central Valley – and much of Costa Rica, it’s a mountainous area. Some spots are closer to 3,000 feet, others at 4,000 feet. At 4,000 feet you get cooler temps, especially at night and early morning.
Jason
September 11, 2013 at 8:18 pm in reply to: Coolest Temperatures in Central Valley are where? #534666ParticipantHi Warren,
In those areas you’ll find mostly rental homes – and a good amount – and they are often furnished. Not many condo communities in those areas, though there are some. Apartments will be in town and usually cheaper than homes.
When you’re scanning for long term rentals online browse the for sale and vacation rental sections as well. Often the owners or property managers are willing to bring on a long term tenant.
And there’s definitely room to bargain in all cases. You can negotiate lower rent or ask the landlord to throw in landscaping and/or maid service.
Jason
September 11, 2013 at 6:50 am in reply to: Valuations for CR Property Purchased and Held in an IRA #534546ParticipantHi Cheryl,
One of the real estate experts with Pathfinder International should be in touch with you shortly on this issue.
You might also try contacted Nick Hodges, who is a tax expert and speaker at many IL conferences: http://nchwealth.com/nhodges.php
Jason
September 10, 2013 at 7:45 pm in reply to: Coolest Temperatures in Central Valley are where? #534473ParticipantHi William,
Looking forward to Vegas too. Definitely stop by my table and say hi.
Most of the Central Valley has temps like you describe. Most of the Valley is around 3,000 feet elevation. As you go higher the average temperatures gets even lower. 4,000 feet might be your sweet spot. There is really no humidity. We’ve never used AC or felt the need for it in the Central Valley.
The town you mentioned is San Isidro de Grecia. It’s a village / settlement on the mountain above Grecia. Very pleasant weather up there.
ParticipantHi William,
Insurance can be tricky. I’m not familiar with Alamo in particular. But there is usually additional insurance required and/or optional insurance with various deductibles offered when you pick up the car. The best thing to do is get on the phone with Alamo and figure out what insurance you need and what you don’t before you get to the location.
If you plan to use your AMEX insurance bring a print out of your policy with regards to car rentals. Most car rentals won’t let you use it without it. And be sure to check the fine print of your policy. Some of them disqualify you if you drive on unpaved roads – and there will be quite some – or a lot of those – depending on where you go. A lot of access roads and roads in rural areas are unpaved and sometimes can be quite rough.
ParticipantHi Nelson,
You might try Wild Rider for both long and short term rentals: http://www.wild-rider.com/
For long term rentals U-Save offers good rates: usavecostarica.com
I’ve had good experience with short term rentals with Economy: ww.economyrentacar.com
All these sites have either online reservation systems or you can call or email for more info on rates and such.
For the really good deals you have to go through an individual. You’ll find those folks through Craigslist – buyer beware like you said. You might also try some online forums like WeLoveCostaRica.com and ARCR.net.
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