Where To Live In Costa Rica

With today's blog I'm going to give you an overview of what parts of Costa Rica are often chosen for retirement. This won't be an exhaustive list but just an overview of the various areas and why they are chosen, as well as some of the downsides if any. Costa Rica has many different areas and many micro-climates and so you will find Americans, Europeans and others living in most of the country, but some areas are more popular than others.

One of the most popular areas to live is the Central Valley region just west of San Jose' (the capitol city).

Some of the reasons this is chosen are:

• proximity to San Jose's international airport 
• proximity to San Jose' itself which is the country's largest city
• a cooler climate than the beach areas (at least in much of it, though not all parts of the Central Valley are cooler)
• many Americans and Europeans have chosen this area to live

In the Central Valley you have popular places like Grecia, Heredia, and San Ramon all of which have areas of higher elevation (2000-5000 feet) in or around them, where temperatures are cooler.

Another area often chosen is Northern Guanacaste which is the northwestern region. This is chosen because it is the driest area of Costa Rica, with parts of it being desert-like, and many beautiful beach areas. However the choicest spots here tend to be quite expensive, rivaling American prices for prime real estate. There is an airport in the region which is relatively easy to get to and this is also a reason retirees like it. However one downside is that it is far from any major city.

Nevertheless many do choose to retire here and you can sometimes find bargains on properties a bit inland.

On the southern peninsula that borders the Gulf of Nicoya there are also many beaches such as Samara', Montezuma, Tamarindo and so on, all of which have substantial "gringo" communities. The property here can be a little more reasonable than the beaches of northern Guanacaste. However there is much more rainfall here, with some areas getting very heavy annual rainfall totals. Bargains can be found in these more rainy areas, especially a mile or two inland from the ocean.

However one drawback of this area is that roads can get very bad and some areas are prone to heavy flooding. Do your research before buying here. But that goes for any area you would spend your hard earned cash on, right?

Further south is the area of Quepos where the Manuel Antonio National Park is. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations due to its beautiful beaches and green rain forests. However this area gets quite heavy rainfall and the most beautiful spots tend to be very expensive. Like most areas, good deals can be found if you are willing to look long and hard, if you speak Spanish, if you rent in the area for a long time while you look, and if you have a knack for negotiating with Ticos.

This is a good place for me to interject:
If you buy within 100 meters of the shoreline, you must be extremely diligent as this kind of property is subject to very strict rules on ownership and on building. If I were to buy this type of beach property I would hire not one but TWO attorneys to check everything out for me because most problems encountered in Costa Rica real estate are with beach property.

There are some very nice areas just inland from Manuel Antonio where property is much cheaper. However it still rains a lot and being at 0 elevation it tends to get quite hot as well as humid.

Heading further south you encounter the one area where you can still buy many acres of land relatively cheap. But there is a price to pay: The rainfall is extreme in this area, called the Golfo Dulce. Much of the area is rain forest and many of the roads are among the worst in Costa Rica. But if living "off the grid" is your wish, this may be the place to do it! And in all fairness, the area is improving little by little and there are parts of it that are quite livable. So if you want to find bargain property on the beach, you like rain, and you don't mind living on a bad road nowhere near a city, the southern region may be for you.

Similar to the Golfo Dulce area is the Caribe area on the opposite side of the country, the "east coast" of Costa Rica. Over there it is quite different, as it is on the Caribbean Ocean, is generally less populated and has a slower more relaxed feel. There are beautiful beach areas there; but again you have the heavy rainfall and bad roads, so choose carefully. That said, many Americans love it there and it is certainly worth your time to check it out, especially if you have your heart set on beach property but don't have several hundred thousand dollars to spend like you'll need on the northwestern side of the country.

A few other areas worth mentioning are Puriscal just south of San Jose in the mountains, Arenal, a couple hours north of San Ramon, which makes it about 3 hours northwest of San Jose', and San Isidro Del General about 3 hours south of San Jose'.

Let's talk about Arenal. It is home to the man-made Lake Arenal and nature-made Arenal Volcano. Both are quite beautiful and Arenal is a site to behold with its nearly constantly spewing lava and rocks. Yes it is an active volcano though most experts believe it is not likely to have a major eruption any time soon. However it gives quite a show and its hot springs are fantastic for relaxing. The land in the area is very over-priced for the most part on the La Fortuna side but quite reasonable on the Tilaran side. However the area is quite windy and it gets more than its fair share of rain. Those who like cool weather and don't mind the rain may find it just perfect, and certainly the views are amazing.

One other drawback is that it is 2 hours from the closest larger town (San Ramon) and 3 hours from San Jose', on a long and winding mountain road.

Puriscal is a very quaint and clean town in the mountains just south or San Jose', only about an hour by bus or a bit less by car. The road is very windy but also one of the better roads in Costa Rica. It's not a big town but it is said that it is much like Costa Rica was 20 years ago. It's a quiet area with clean air and beautiful mountain views all around it. If you like cooler weather this is a good choice, and the rain is about average which is to say not too bad. There are very good parcels of land to be found around Puriscal and for the most part the roads are decent in this area. The drawbacks are that you are several hours from the beach to the west and the only way to go directly (without going back to San Jose' first) is along some very small roads. But if the beach is not your thing and you like beautiful mountain views and cool climates, Puriscal may be just for you.

And finally, San Isidro Del General: This also is a very quaint little town, mostly a farm area, up in the mountains and only a little over an hour to the beach of Dominical (by the way Dominical is another beach area many choose to retire in, as is Ojochal to the south of it, but I had to stop somewhere so I am not going to discuss those in this particular writing at this time).

San Isidro - also like Puriscal - does not have a lot to do. If you are looking for night life neither of these last 2 towns are going to be for you. There is really not much to do at either place and while there are a few restaurants to choose from this is not the kind of place for singles or those who are easily bored. On the other hand if you are a  homebody and your idea of fun is waking up and having a coffee on the porch while laying in your hammock looking at at a beautiful mountain range, you will want to consider Puriscal and San Isidro.

The rainfall at San Isidro is moderately high but not severe and it really is a beautiful area. However prices started rising sharply a few years ago and you will have to search long and hard for a bargain if there are any left.

As mentioned, Dominical is directly west on the coast, and along the road to Dominical there are some very beautiful areas with distant or not-too-distant ocean views that may be affordable.

These then are the most noteworthy areas for retirement, in my view. So if you decide to give Costa Rica a look with the idea of retiring there, you can use this article as a jumping off point.

Do you want to live on the beach? Then  Guanacaste - both southern and northern - may be a good place to start; and don't forget to check out the vibe on the Caribbean side too.

Do you like cool nights but want to be near a big city? In that case try the Central Valley! Grecia and some of the areas closer to San Jose' can be quite pricey but San Ramon still has many bargains to be found! Rancho Silencio would be one good choice for buildable lots in the Central Valley that are bargain priced, have distant Gulf and mountain views and only minutes from town with all amenities.

Rancho Silencio offers a very good choice for those who want a cooler climate (due to its 2800 feet elevation), moderate annual rainfall, and all the amenities can be found in San Ramon just 7-8 miles away.

My next choice would be Puriscal, and then San Isidro. The one problem with San Isidro is that it is 3 hours on a windy road, to San Jose'.

So again, this is an overview and please do more research on your own, or subscribe to my blog for detailed upcoming articles on each of these areas!

Why Is Costa Rica So Often Recommended For Retirement?

In my last blog I discussed some of the basic reasons people say they chose Costa Rica for retirement. Organizations like AARP (the American Asssociation of Retired Persons) and the American Auto Club for example have written articles in which Costa Rica is recommended for retirement and it has been named in numerous studies as one of the best places in the world to live. Why?

In this post I'm going to go into more detail about Costa Rica's weather.

"I thought Costa Rica was at the equator so it is just hot all the time."
This is what some people think but in fact Costa Rica has more options for a variety of climates in a small area than any place I know! Factors like wind, rain, sunshine, and temperature vary greatly sometimes with only 3-10 miles difference. These are known as "micro-climates" and one of the reasons Costa Rica is so popular is because when you decide to buy property in Costa Rica (or rent) you can "dial in" the exact climate you choose to a large degree.

Do you like cool weather? There are many areas of Costa Rica where you can be at 4000-5000 feet altitude where you will have to wear a coat often and sleep with blankets, maybe have a fireplace or central heating.

A story I like to tell is when my wife and I first stayed in San Ramon, we were unprepared for how cold it was. We stayed in a not-too-well-insulated cabin on a mountain top at around 5,000 feet. There were a couple blankets provided but no heating and the first night there we were very cold to the point we were uncomfortable and could hardly sleep.

The next day we went into town to see if we could buy a portable heater. Everyone was helpful but apparently no one uses heaters. They either live at lower altitudes where it's warmer, or they wear sweaters and jackets and use heavy blankets at home. In any case they looked at us like we were crazy tourists and while they tried to guess where we might be able to find a heater, the bottom line is that apparently no one sells them around there and the best we could do was to find a couple of heavier blankets.

So yes, you can be cold in Costa Rica! It's all about altitude!

On the other hand if you like it HOT, buy or rent at 0 elevation and you will be plenty hot! Too hot for me! Now if you are at 0 elevation at the beach it may be okay because - depending on which beach - you should have a good breeze blowing most of the time and you can always take a quick dip in the ocean to cool off. The frequent rains also tend to keep it cooler, albeit humid.

Or you may choose to live on the edge of a forest with lots of shade. Or near a river or waterfall where the water is always refreshing.

In spite of our experience with "freezing cold" in San Ramon, we ended up deciding to retire at Rancho Silencio near there. Why? Because we "dialed in" a perfect climate on the west side of town, at 2800 feet, where it's cool in the evening and early morning but gets warm to hot during the daytime.

If you have a certain climate in mind then there are mountainous areas all over Costa Rica where you can dial in the temperature you like by carefully choosing your altitude.

Here's my "climate rule of thumb":

0 altitude - HOT (less hot at the beach, but otherwise, HOT)
1000 feet altitude - less hot but still hot
2000 feet altitude - at 2k feet it starts to get a little cooler
3000 feet altitude - much cooler and for most people between 2500-3000 feet is going to be just about right
4000 feet - this is for people who like cool weather, people who like the Fall, people who don't tend to feel 
                 cold easily
5000 feet - this is only for people who really aren't bothered by cold or who like U.S. winters - Granted,
                  you won't be getting snow in Costa Rica and this "winter weather" is mild, but still it's "cold"

When we looked at property we carried an altimeter so we'd always know at what altitude the property we were looking at was at. One day may be hotter or cooler than the next, there may be an unusually hot week or two or an unusually cool week or two like anyplace else. So by carrying an altimeter and taking note of the elevations you can use the above rule of thumb to know about what kind of weather you'll have there.

Another big factor in Costa Rica is wind and rain.

There are areas that are much rainier and/or much windier than other areas. There are maps available online that generally show these areas but one way you can get an idea is simply by asking the people who live there.

For example the east coast and the southwest coasts tend to be much rainier - too rainy for many. Quepos/ Manuel Antonio is another very rainy area as is Montezuma on the peninsula of Nicoya. The Arenal / Tilaran area near Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal tend to be quite rainy, windy and cool.

If you really prefer a dry area the northwestern coastal area of Guanacaste tends to rain much less. But be forewarned that you will pay a premium for living in this area of drier climate and beautiful white sand beaches.

Except for Guanacaste though all areas of Costa Rica get more rain than you are probably used to. However it is a very warm rain (unless you are at 4000-5000 feet) and in fact it can be quite refreshing. Especially at the beach where sometimes the humidity and heat are quite high, a thunderstorm can be a welcome and exhilirating experience!

I grew up in an area of the U.S. where thunderstorms are common and the thunder is loud. But I never saw anything like the thunderstorms I saw in Costa Rica, where the thunder felt like what I imagine people in a war zone heard when a very large bomb went off near them. I literally jumped out of my bed one night when I was not accustomed to the unusually loud booming of thunder you occasionally hear in Costa Rica. Once you get over the shock of it, it is quite exciting and one of the things I used to love to do was sit out on the porch and watch the lightning shows and see the rain come down so hard it was as if Thor was pouring it out of a huge bucket!

So yes, Costa Rica has whatever climate you like (unless you're a snow bunny), and you can choose the temperature and amount of rainfall you want to a great degree if you just study the weather maps - and don't forget to carry your altimeter!

Until next time...
-Mike

Why Buy Property In Costa Rica For Retirement?

There are many answers to this question and I suppose everyone who does it or who dreams of doing it has his or her own reasons.

But over the many years I have discussed this with people, there are some reasons that come up reguarly. So I will give you those reasons and you can decide if they sound good to you. Retiring in a foreign country is not for everyone. First you must be at least a little adventurous to leave the country you've lived in most of your life or all of your life, and start fresh somewhere else. Secondly, you must like the place you are relocating to. And third, you must be willing to make the effort to adjust to a new lifestyle, learn and experience new things, and meet and befriend new people.

If none of the above changes sound good to you, then retirement in Costa Rica is not for you!

Are you still with me? Great! Let's get down to it:

Some of the basic reasons given as to why people choose to retire in Costa Rica are:

• They vacationed in Costa Rica and fell in love with the people and/or the country.
  The people of Costa Rica are known to be very friendly and warm. Many Americans - especially those from big cities - find this refreshing and enjoyable. They will tell you stories of how a complete stranger in Costa Rica stopped to help them find a location, or help them fix their car, or invited them in their home for a glass of fruit juice, etc.
  
  Some people who retire in Costa Rica point out that the natural beauty of the country is what led them to move to Costa Rica. Maybe they love bird watching, or love the rich green color of nearly everything most of the year. Maybe it is the rain forests or cloud forests that they fell in love with. Maybe they like seeing wild monkeys in trees as part of their everyday experience. Costa Rica is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural beauty. Mountains, volcanoes, rain forests, lakes, beaches, hot springs, rushing rivers - all in the space of a country the size of West Virginia! So you cannot travel very far without seeing evidence of abundant and beautiful nature at its best!
• They love the beach and beach property can be much more affordable in Costa Rica than in other parts of the world (in fact most property is more affordable as compared with similar property in other parts of the world).
  
  Costa Rica has every kind of beach there is:
  *Warm water inlets that are fantastic for swimming
  *Beach areas with long waves that are perfect for surfing (people come from all over the world to surf certain beaches in Costa Rica
  *Beaches with homes just above them on cliffs that are perfect for those who enjoy seeing the ocean every day from above
  *Beaches where you can build right on the beach and go swimming in your front yard
• Many find that Costa Rica simply is more relaxing. People who retire in Costa Rica say that the lifestyle there is one where people tend not to get in a hurry, where people are not too busy to stop and talk, where even waiting in line at the bank or utility company is not a torturous waste of time but rather a place to meet new people and get to know something about a different culture and a different perspective.
  
  Costa Rica is in some ways the antidote for "modern society". Some things Costa Rica does not have or at least does not have a lot of:
  *Parking meters
  *Traffic police
  *Endless rules and regulations about everything
  *Cameras at intersections to catch you running lights so they can collect $$$
  *People suing each other for anything and everything. I mean, sure people do sue there but its nowhere near as rampant as it is here in the USA.
  
  While the USA at least used to be known as "the land of freedom", now it is better described as the land of rules and regulations, a place where someone is always looking to fine you for any little rule you violate.
• It's much cheaper. While it is not as cheap as it used to be, it is still more economical to live in Costa Rica than it is to live in the USA.
  
  It's cheaper to maintain a home. If you live in a big house with a pool and central air conditioning and 2 cars etcetera, well, then no, it's not going to be cheap to live there! But if you live near the beach or the mountains where a.c. is often not needed, and if you buy or build a home that is not huge, you can pay much less for utilities and for upkeep and property taxes, than in most places in the U.S.
  
  Food is cheaper. While imported food and wine and beer is about the same or more than the same food in the U.S., if you drink the local spirits and eat the local food, it is much cheaper than in the States.
  
  Costa Rican real estate is much cheaper for equivalent property in the states and building a home is also much less expensive for a similar abode. Can you buy an ocean view 1.5 acre lot in the U.S. for $60,0000.? I doubt it. But you can in Costa Rica. Can you build a nice comfortable 2 bedroom home for $80,000. in the states? I don't think so. But you can in Costa Rica.
  
  One more thing makes Costa Rica MUCH MORE affordable than the United States:
  MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE is much less expensive in Costa Rica!
  In fact many people take medical or dental "vacations" in Costa Rica to get operations done at 1/3 or 1/2 the price they'd pay in the USA, and with more comfortable hospital rooms, and more attentive doctors.
  
  For those who live in Costa Rica half the year or full time, their medical care is not only of high quality but costs much less. Here in Los Angeles a doctor visit will run at least $75-90 if you don't have insurance, and that is just for a 5-15 min. diagnosis, In Costa Rica I have paid $25 and sat and talked to the doctor for 30 minutes as he went over any and all problems, major and minor, and then prescribed medicine for me that was 1/4 to 1/10 the price of U.S. medicine. A hospital stay in a beautiful private hospital near San Jose' can cost only $500/night - yes you heard that right - instead of the thousands per night they charge in the U.S.

So these are some of the basic reasons people decide to buy property and retire in Costa Rica.

I could discuss many more but this gives you the most often cited reasons and from this you can decide whether to investigate further whether or not Costa Rica retirement is for YOU.

If you want to make a visit to Costa Rica and look at property please post below so we can discuss the type of lifestyle and location you are looking for and I'll do my best to help you narrow in on what areas of Costa Rica you might be interested in and tell you where to look for more information.

If quiet mountain living with beautiful distant ocean and mountain views are your thing - at an altitude of about 2800 feet where it's warm during the day and cool at night, and where you can be at a mall with all the modern amenities in 15 minutes while enjoying the beauty and peace of nature on your big 1.5 acre lot... then please see my website at: RanchoSilencio.com

In fact, even if you are not interested in living in the mountains of Costa Rica, pleas take a look at my site anyway as there is a wealth of information about how to buy property, FAQ's re weather and locations, and so on. And don't forget to bookmark it, and this blog! Or better yet use the button on the right to subscribe to this blog and learn more about Costa Rica.

-Mike