Over the past 28 years I have personally helped 1000s of people make the move, make their dreams come true and find happiness here.

Most people who are interested in retiring here are confused after having read all of websites and guidebooks, checked out the on-line news groups and blogs and seen all of the expensive self-serving videos on the subject. After being bombarded by so much material it is hard to know what and who is for real. You need to come here and experience the country first-hand to separate fact from fiction.

The perfect solution is to visit the country and hook up with the people who really have the time-tested knowledge and experience to help you be successful. That is purpose of my relocation/retirement tours. Over the past 28 years I have personally helped 1000s of people make the move, make their dreams come true and find happiness here. It is a very rewarding experience to be able to help people change their lives. I have seen people literally be reborn and regain their youthful enthusiasm. Time after time I run into people who took my tour and they thank me by saying, “If it were not for you, I wouldn’t be here. You’re responsible for all of this.” One former client, Gary from California, tells me the same thing every time I bump into him on the street. He found love and happiness here and says you couldn’t drag him back to the States. He was a successful doctor and gave it all up just to live here after taking my combination beach and Central Valley Tour. It looks like he has found his personal paradise and I am proud to have been part of it.

On all of my tours you have experiences you could never have on your own or on a self-guided tour. You are exposed to a variety of mouth watering local foods; will have the opportunity to meet and interact with others who a have made the move; attend a invaluable two-day seminar where you will hear from the local experts in a variety of fields (law, health care insurance, banking etc.) and you will see the best areas for living and actually tour homes to get an idea of what it is to live here. Most important you will come away with the knowledge, proper perspective and contacts to make the move successfully and experience our great country in all of its spender.

The other day a guest writer contributed an article about Nicaragua to this blog.  In it he summarized up the reasons for not retiring or living there. Below you will find more negative news about the country.

Crime is on the upswing in neighboring Nicaragua, according to the U.S. State Department which paints a grim picture of the country in a report released Monday.

The State Department warned that “gang violence, drive-by shootings, robbery, assault and stabbings are most frequently encountered in poorer neighborhoods, including the Ticabus area, a major arrival and departure point for tourist buses.  However, in recent months it spread to more upscale neighborhoods and near major hotels, including the Zona Hippos.” Although visitors are advised to take taxis instead of walk, the State Department said that robbery, kidnapping, and assault on passengers in taxis in Managua are increasing in frequency and violence, with passengers subjected to beating, sexual assault, stabbings, and even murder.

The State Department also said that in 2008 a U.S. citizen was injured critically in a gang drive-by shooting in the San Judas areas and that another U.S. citizen was kidnapped and left for dead.

“Violent criminal activities and petty crime are also increasing in the tourist destination of San Juan del Sur.” said the report.  “In 2008, a U.S. citizen family was violently assaulted and kidnapped by several armed men.  Other American citizens have been the victims of armed robberies by assailants wielding machetes, knives, and/or guns along the beaches in and around San Juan del Sur.

The State Department also warned that U.S. citizens  “are increasingly targeted shortly after arriving in the country by criminals posing as Nicaraguan police officers who pull their vehicles — including those operated by reputable hotels — over for inspection.  In each case, the incidents happened after dark and involved gun-wielding assailants who robbed passengers of all valuables and drove them to remote locations where they were left to fend for themselves.

“U.S. citizens should exercise caution when approached by strangers offering assistance,” said the report.  “Several U.S. citizens traveling by bus from San Juan del Sur to Managua have reported being victimized by fellow women travelers who offered to assist them in locating and/or sharing a taxi upon arrival in Managua.  In all cases, upon entering the taxi, the U.S. citizens have been held at knife point, robbed of their valuables and driven around to ATM machines to withdraw funds from their accounts.”

The U.S. Embassy reported it has received an increasing number of complaints from U.S. citizens who have been stopped by transit police authorities demanding bribes in order to avoid paying fines.  Motorists in rental cars and those whose cars have foreign license plates are more likely to be stopped by transit police, said the report, adding that transit police have seized driver licenses and car registration documents from motorists who refuse to or are unable to pay.

Yesterday I celebrated my 28th Christmas in Costa Rica  I must admit it takes time to adjust to living or retiring in a place where there is no cold weather or snow at Christmas time. Yesterday the weather was in the 70s and the Christmas spirit filled the air.

The first thing I did was take my son to visit his grandfather who lives in San José. Next, we went to see my friend Rico who was having an outdoor Christmas barbecue at his farm in the town of Santa Ana. The latter is about ten miles west of San José. Despite a lot of growth, some parts of Santa Ana still have a rural flavor.  Many retirees live in and around this area.

We spent about two hours at Rico’s and then had to leave to visit another friend who lives in the upscale Cariari area. In case you don’t know, the Cariari is a golf course community located about ten minutes east of the airport. Good shopping is only a few minutes away from this popular neighborhood. A nice mixture of Costa Ricans and foreigners live in the Cariari.

My friends went all out on their Christmas party. It was held in their large garden with a disc jockey and catered food. The guests were a pleasant mixture of Costa Rican, Canadian and U.S. citizens. Needless to say my son and I had a very good time.

One of the good things about living or retiring in Costa Rica is that it is very easy to develop a network of friends. The Costa Rican people are very friendly and foreigners tend to gravitate towards each other when they live abroad. I have more friends and acquaintances here than I ever had when I lived in the United States.  As you can see with a little effort you can have a really good lifestyle here.

I am writing this article to clear up some misconceptions about the cost of living here. A lot of tourists and people who are thinking moving here complain about the prices while visiting the country. Like most other countries when you stay in hotels while on vacation, rent cars and hang out in other touristy places you usually pay top dollar. While on vacation most people splurge by spending more money than they usually do. This is not the case when you move here.

Once you are settled and know the ins and outs and behave like the locals you can live affordably. You’ll know where to buy bargain fruits and vegetables like at the weekend farmers markets. By eating in sodas (small restaurants) like the locals you will be able to have a meal for a couple of dollars. Taking public transportation can also save money.

In previous articles on this blog I have detailed how you can retire on budgets from $1500 to $4000 per month and live very well. Here are two sample budgets that paint a realistic picture of how affordable it I to retire in Costa Rica.

How to live for as little as $1500 per month in Costa Rica

At the request of one of the clients on my monthly Retirement/Relocation Tours, I wrote an article about how a couple can live well on $3000 to $4000 per month. In it I broke down the costs using a typical budget and proved it was possible. But what about the single person with a limited budget?

A single person can live cheaply in Costa Rica. I know a couple of single men and women in the Heredia area who have mastered the art of living on less than $1500 monthly. They don’t live in luxury nor do they live like paupers. Typically, they do not own an automobile and rely exclusively on public transportation which is very affordable. They don’t own a home and rent small apartments. They do part of their shopping at the local weekend farmer’s markets where they can stock up on a lot of fruits and vegetables like many Costa Ricans do. Some buy their clothes at second-hand stores. When they eat out they tend to eat breakfast and lunch one of the small cafes or Sodas in Heredia’s Central Market. They go to bargain matinees and seek other inexpensive forms of entertainment. For health care they belong to the Caja or public health care system which costs them $50 dollars or less for complete health coverage. They use an Internet cafés at less than a dollar an hour instead of owning a computer.

Most of these people are very happy with their simple lifestyle which they could never have in the States for the same price. When you take into consideration that most Costa Ricans earn far less than $1000 monthly and get by easily you can see that with $1500 monthly you will be able to live well. In States or Canada a person would be below the poverty line with that income. I have actually met retired foreigners who live in less than $1000 per month and seem to live well.

On my monthly retirement tours I give people additional advice and methods on how they can live affordably in Costa Rica. After almost 30 years of living here, I know how live well and save money.

Here is an example of a budget for a single person who has no more than $1500.

Rent $200 to $300
Electricity and water $20
Cable TV $25
Monthly Transportation $50
Monthly public health insurance (medicines included) $50
Food $200
Entertainment $100 -$150
Misc. $200

How to Live Like a King or Queen on $3,000 or  $4,000 a Month

When you read the title of this article you will  probably think that it is impossible to live so cheaply and so well. This  especially true if you reside in an expensive area of the U.S. like  California. You could probably scrape by on a few thousand dollars a month up  north but you certainly wouldn’t be living in luxury.

Let’s see why the  title of this article is true. A couple who owns a $150,000 home (three  bedrooms and three baths) free  and clear and has a car will probably  have the following monthly expenses in Costa Rica.

Private medical  insurance $200
Dental care $50 per month
A part time maid $100 to  $150
Part time gardener $30
Beauty parlor $75
Food including  inexpensive fruits and  vegetables form a
Farmer’s market and many  imported American products $500 per month
Entertainment (movies,  socializing) $200- $300
Dinning out a couple of times a week  $300
Private gym $50 – $100 per couple
Country Club (after you pay  initial fees) $100 to $200 per month
Car insurance for a relatively new car  $100
Utilities (water and electricity) $100
Telephone (using Vonage or  Skype for long distance) $75-$100
High speed Internet $50
Cable or  satellite TV $50
Car repairs $50
Garbage $40 per year
Property taxes  on your $150,000 home $20 per month

Misc. expenses $300

Other  possible expenses
Travel to U.S. or other countries $3000-$5000 or more per  year

Really your lifestyle determines what you will spend here. You can  choose to spend a lot more money if you are a high roller or yuppie type   or substantially less if you wish to live modestly. I know single people  who live for less than $1000 per month and others who have expensive tastes  who spend what they would in the States. Nevertheless, you can live very well  on the budget above. I should know because I have lived here almost 30 years  and buy and do everything I want for under $4,000 monthly.

The people that lives in Costa Rica have one of the highest longevity rates in the world.

You’ll probably think I am off my rocker by making this statement. When I travel to the states to see my family and friends they all remark about how well I look. I don’t see any difference in my appearance but I guess I look very good to them. I guess the Costa Rican lifestyle is good for my well-being.

I have a 75-year-old friend by the name of Joe B.  He moved here about eight years and remarried. He has told me many times that if he had stayed in the States he would be dead by now. He claims the lifestyle here has done wonders for him.

Another friend, Bob S., claims that Costa Rica’s excellent doctors are responsible for his good health at almost 80 years old. He told me that his cardiologist does special tests along with his annual physical to look for any hidden conditions Bob may have.

Costa Rica is indeed a healthy country. It is documented that if you are a Costa Rican and live to eighty you have more of a chance of reaching ninety that any other place in the world  The Costa Ricans who live in the Nicoya Peninsula have one of the highest longevity rates in the world. There are scores of centenarians living there. In fact, the life expectancy of all Costa Ricans is as high if not higher than that of most first-world countries. Costa Ricans are entitled to cradle-to-grave health care by birth. Foreign residents are also eligible to join the health care system for around fifty dollars or less per month. On top of that ALL pre-existing conditions, medical visits, medicines and hospitalization are included.

I am sure the country’s excellent climate and variety of fruits and vegetables are other factors that contribute to the healthy lifestyle and longevity rate here.