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