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JASON HOLLAND
ParticipantHi Carol,
Yes, many expats do have international insurance. It is widely accepted at the private hospitals and clinics here, although you’d want to check about your specific company and policy. CIMA Hospital and Clinica Biblica has departments dedicated to international patients and international insurance claims, so you should be able to check out the policy you’re thinking of with them directly.
The good thing about international insurance is that you’re covered in CR but also for visits back home and anywhere else you travel.
As far as prescriptions available in the Caja healthcare program, you can check out the list here: http://www.ccss.sa.cr/medicamentos
Hopefully your medication are available there. Often, the generic drugs are used instead of brand names. And not all drugs, especially what you might consider cutting edge or for rare ailments, are available. What you can do in that case is use your private health insurance or you can also appeal to the Caja officials to make the drugs you need available to you.
Many drugs are available without prescriptions in pharmacies, except psychoactive drugs, habit-forming drugs like narcotics, and antibiotics. I suppose you could get a prescription for anything by visiting a doctor. Some pharmacies have a doctor on staff.
ParticipantHi Kimberly,
There are some Laundromats around but they actually aren’t that common. The ones there are run on Costa Rican coins.
But what most travelers do when they travel is use a laundry service. You might drop it off at the front desk of your B&B or hotel, for example. It’s usually not that expensive as long as you’re not in a fancy hotel or resort. Or in many towns you’ll also see signs up advertising laundry service done by local people in their home. You drop it off and pick up later that day or the next day. Again, very reasonably priced.
September 17, 2014 at 12:47 pm in reply to: Renting a motorcycle in CR (where, how and how much) #585568ParticipantHi Christian,
I’ve never rented a motorcycle myself. But I did rent a car from this company Wild Rider CR, which specializes in motorcycle tours and rentals: http://www.wild-rider.com
I also found this company online: http://www.costaricamotorcycletours.com
I don’t know of any rental agencies located in the Southern Zone itself. I think you’d have to pick up the bike in San Jose and then travel down.
For the Southern Zone, most main roads are paved and in relatively good shape. But once you go to secondary roads or if you’re on the Osa Peninsula, you’ll probably want something that can go off-road as the roads will be dirt at a minimum, muddy and potholed at worst. Something to keep in mind.
September 17, 2014 at 12:37 pm in reply to: Cost of Living difference between Tamarindo and Grecia #585567ParticipantHi 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.
ParticipantHi Rick,
You might try saying:
Cafe frio con hielo con sabor vainilla
By the way, a vanilla shake with coffee poured over it sounds pretty good actually – I might have to try that.
ParticipantHi Carol,
As far as costs, I’m going to refer you to a shipping company. They should be give you a good estimate of how your SUV would be valued. It might be higher than you might think. You can try shipcostarica.com or shippingcostarica.net.
As far as your travel plan that looks pretty sound. I think Miami is one of the main ports for shipments to Costa Rica – everything goes into Puerto Limon, on the Caribbean coast, basically.
And it seems to be pretty good car for CR as far being an SUV and 4WD, except there aren’t really many Infinitis around. So I’m not sure what the spare parts/repair situation would be. Could you be you’d have to special order stuff. Unless Nissan parts can be switched in pretty easily, in which case there are a lot of Nissans and qualified mechanics just about everywhere. Something to check on as well.
September 16, 2014 at 10:26 pm in reply to: Driving from Arizona to Costa Rica? Staying for three months…decision time! #585245ParticipantHi Patricia,
You have what sounds like the perfect car for Costa Rica. But there are some factors to consider when you bring it into Costa Rica.
You are allowed to bring the car in for up to 90 days on a tourist visa without paying import taxes. 90 days is the same amount of time you are allowed in the country as a tourist as well. You can exit the country and re-enter to renew your tourist visa for another 90 days. But your car cannot. So if you have the car in the country after 90 days you have to pay import taxes, get Costa Rican plates, register it, etc. The import taxes can be high – the reason purchasing a car here is expensive. For a car from 2003, the tax rate is more than 70% the value of the car.
If your plan is to sell it you’ll have to factor in that import tax because as soon as you or anybody try to register it, the import duties must be paid. You could always ship it or drive it back…
As far as insurance, you will have to take out a minimum policy – I believe the cost is under $20.
September 16, 2014 at 9:45 pm in reply to: Cost of Living difference between Tamarindo and Grecia #585244ParticipantHi 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.
ParticipantHi David,
Unfortunately, most rental car companies in Costa Rica require a credit card. But there is at least that doesn’t, Economy. They have locations throughout the country. When you use a debit card they put a hold of $500 – $950 on your card, depending on how much insurance you take and the length of the rental.
ParticipantHi Carol,
Bringing your collection down bit by bit in luggage is one way to go about it. But if you want to cut the wait time, you might try a cargo shipping company or even simply using UPS or FedEx – both of which are active in Costa Rica. Keep in mind that you’ll probably have to pay some sort of customs duty on the wine. I’m not sure how much that might be or how the customs officials would value the wine… I would contact a shipper – they would have the most up to date and accurate information on that.
September 12, 2014 at 1:47 pm in reply to: Cost of Living difference between Tamarindo and Grecia #584923ParticipantHi 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.
ParticipantHi Steven,
This is a tricky one, as it really goes by a case-by-case basis. If you do it yourself, without an attorney, the cost is approximately $400 per person for fees and such. Add another $1,000 or so per person if you doing with an attorney. But keep in mind that it depends on your case and your attorney. You can contact http://www.plawcr.com, a firm that exhibits and speaks at IL events for more information. Or check out the list of attorneys from the U.S. Embassy: http://costarica.usembassy.gov/attorney.html
As far as how long, that also depends on your specific case, type of residency, and whether you your application is complete when you first turn in your paperwork. But I think minimum is four months, with some people taking more than a year.
August 28, 2014 at 5:34 pm in reply to: Buying a lot and building vs. buying something exieting. #582989ParticipantHi John,
Thanks for the kind words. Excellent questions. Whether you buy a lot and build or buy an existing home I think really depends on you and your needs… location of either the house or lot… whether you find a house you like… lots of variables in there. You could visit, look at a house and say – “it’s perfect!” Or you could find a lot in the perfect spot, with the perfect view… and you haven’t found the house that has exactly what you’re looking for, and say “Let’s build!”
But I would say there are some general pros and cons either way.
Buying a lot and building
Pros – Build your dream home to your specs
Cons – While Costa Rican contractors are experienced, it can be a long process and a lot of work for you too as you pick materials and monitor progress.Buying a home
Pros – Move in right away. You can often get great deals
Cons – You might need to renovate to get things just rightWhat you bring down as far as household goods is also down to personal preference. Some people start over when they get here and really pare down to the basics. Others bring everything. I would recommend a middle ground. Bring down electronics like computers and TVs because they are expensive here. Also, any items with sentimental value. But I think most people feel they brought too many clothes… too much random stuff in general… and that they didn’t need to keep all their books and DVDs (Netflix and Kindle take their place). Really think hard about what you’ll need. Don’t pack the container to the gills just because you have it.
As far as costs, it all depends on the value of the items and how they are taxed. I would recommend you speak with Barry Wilson, an experience customs broker here in CR: http://www.shipcostarica.com
One thing – hire your CR customs broker first and have them recommend a moving company. Don’t have a U.S.-based mover or relocation company do it as they will not be familiar enough with Costa Rican customs regulations and you’ll probably pay more.
ParticipantHi Ken,
Costa Rica does have a great bus system for getting around town, around the region, and around the country, including to the coast. Buses are on-time, frequent (especially in the Central Valley), and modern. Many Ticos don’t have cars or just one per household, so a lot of people take the bus. The system works well. Taxis are also plentiful and pretty reasonable in price. Many expats get along fine without a car. That being said, having a car makes things more convenient and you have more flexibility to explore more rural and off the beaten path areas, including in the coastal communities. Something you might consider is renting a car for at least some of the time you are there to make a comparison. You can also walk as much as you want here. In many areas all you need for daily living is within walking distance. Great exercise. I have a friend who lost 40 pounds over six months – just by walking.
ParticipantHi Christian,
The lack of addresses is a bit frustrating sometimes, especially when giving directions. Fortunately it’s no obstacle to receiving mail and packages. You have some options.
1. Coordinate with the mailman/post office in your area and let him know who you are and where you live. Then you work out an address of some sort (200 meters south of the church in TOWN, for example). Then when letters come for you, he’ll bring it to your house.
2. Probably the best way is to get a PO box at your local post office. All your mail will go there and you will go there to pick it up.
3. There are also private services like Fedex and UPS, as well as local courier services like Jetbox and Aerocasillas for things you order online and want sent down.
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