1) Choose a retirement tour and relocation service legally approved and licensed by the Costa Rican government’s tourism department (ICT). In order to obtain the approval of said entity, all applicants have to have an unblemished criminal record, the nature of their particular business has to be investigated and studied and the tourism department’s legal team has to approve the company. The whole process can take over a year in order to ensure that the applicant is reputable.

NOTE: The company’s owner also has to be a Costa Rican or resident with permission to work in order to conduct tours legally.

2) Experience is everything. Would you select a surgeon with only a couple of years experience to operate on you and/or give you advice or one who has over twenty years in the field? So, experience is everything and Christopher stands out above the crowd.

Christopher Howard has lived in Costa Rica for 30 years and in Latin America for over 40 years. He he has written and published 15 previous editions of his perennial best-seller, “The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica.”

3) Christopher invented and pioneered the concept of retirement in Costa Rica and put the country on the map for baby boomers with his books and tours. Because of this success, his tours and books have been imitated but never equaled by anyone.

4) In addition to his 30 years in Costa Rica, Christopher has a Masters Degree in Spanish linguistics and therefore understands Costa Rica, the Latin culture and mindset better than any other foreigner in Costa Rica. He has written the only Spanish guide to help beginners learn Costa Rican slang. The book has already helped thousands master the basics of the local language. Knowing Spanish will save you time and money.

5) NO other retirement tour guide has the the range of contacts that Christopher does. He has personally met with Costa Rica’s Nobel Prize winning president, Oscar Arias, on several occasions. On Christopher’s tours you will make the connections you need to be successful in Costa Rica. You meet lawyers, moving specialists, medical experts, the best contacts in the field of real estate, and people who have actually moved here successfully.

Christopher is also an advisor along with the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) to the Costa Rican government on matters concerning foreign retirees.

6) Christopher is the most read authority on living in Costa Rica and has appeared on the NBC Today Show, CNBC World News and other television and radio programs because of his extensive knowledge and experience living in Costa Rica. In addition, he is the only author of guides about living and retiring in Costa Rica who lives in the country full time. Thus, he stays up-to-date on everything that affects foreigners living in Costa Rica. This ensures that the information you receive on the tour is accurate and current.

7) No other tour or relocation service has been in business over six years no mater what they advertise. Some of the guides who lead other tours have only lived in the country a few years! How can you become an expert retirement guide or offer relocation services in such a short time? One tour is even led by a travel agent who is not even a relocation tour guide. Just moving to Costa Rica and spending a few years here does not qualify them to impart three decades worth of knowledge and experience.

Over the last two decades Christopher has personally helped thousands of people relocate to Costa Rica and live their dreams. Nobody else can make this claim. You could not be in better hands and could never learn what you do from Christopher on your own. Christopher takes great pride in helping his clients find happiness in Costa Rica.

9) Christopher has a successful investment portfolio and will share his methods of how to profit by investing in Costa Rica, if you so desire.

10) Christopher’s tours are the ONLY ones recommended and marketed by the Association of Resident’s of Costa Rica. They are the only organization of the kind in Latin America.

I just read an article entitled “How much money do you need to feel rich in America?” It really started me thinking about how much you need to feel rich in Costa Rica. The answer is, “Not much.” This is especially true when it comes to retirement.

The standard definition of wealth is: being able to live a comfortable life without having to work. This definition is subjective and depends on the individual.

In the article I read the answers ranged from “I’d like to have enough money so my family and I wouldn’t have to work anymore or worry about the necessities, and maybe travel a bit” to “I’d need about one billion dollars.” One young person who wanted to retire early at 35 wanted an annual income of $300,000. It was pointed out that you’d need a nest egg of around $12 million to generate said income. On the other hand, I know a single person who moved to Costa Rica around 25 years ago with an income of around $1000 monthly and has lived very comfortably all of these years.

I know people who have moved to Costa Rica and lived on budgets from $600 to $5,000 per month which is fraction of the cost you’d need in America. Most of these people seem very happy and don’t feel they are missing out on anything by living here.

It really boils down to what your personal needs, lifestyle and spending habits. One thing is for sure: you can enjoy a quality lifestyle for far less than you would in North America. This is what is making Costa Rica so popular for retirees.

To answer the question at the beginning of this article: I feel wealthy due to the fact that I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and have the free time to do whatever I want. Time is our most precious commodity.

According to the Central American Population Center of the University of Costa Rica, Costa Ricans who live in the Nicoya Peninsula and who reach 80 years of age, have a life expectancy of 8.2 years more. That is to say the live to be 88.2 years old. The area is considered one of the most healthy spots in the world because of its dry climate, the healthy diet of its people, family ties and the tranquil environment.

The Nicoya Peninsula is also a potential retirement mecca because of its healthy lifestyle. So, if you decide to move to Costa Rica you might consider settling in this part of the country. The areas of Hojancha, Carrillo and Cóbano are very popular with foreigners.

Most Americans I know, who have moved to any area of Costa Rica, have added life to their years and years to their life because of the country’s healthy lifestyle. Friends and family back home are usually amazed by how good people look after living here for a while.

On my monthly relocation/retirement tours I always talk about the great lifestyle the country has to offer.

Yes it is true!!!! I am always asked questions by the people on my monthly relocation/retirement tours about what it is like to live in Costa Rica. One of the topics I always talk about is personal freedom.

We have so much more freedom than in the U.S. I just returned from there and felt very uncomfortable. Don’t get me wrong! I have nothing against the place but as many will agree, it is rapidly becoming a police state.

Supposedly America is the “home of the free and the land of the brave.” I agree with the latter and not the former. America is one of only two countries that taxes its citizens who live outside of the country. That’s right! You do get a $91,000 tax exemption on your active income (salary) but have to pay taxes on your passive income (investments). In Costa Rica we have to pay taxes but nothing like in the U.S.

Costa Rica has NO military or external enemies, so there is no threat of terrorism. This adds to the sense of more freedom.

Prostitution is permitted here, so the government doesn’t have to waste money and resources busting the prostitutes and their customers.

In general the police are much more courteous and less oppressive than the counterparts in the U.S. Here you can urinate behind a tree without going to jail for indecent exposure like in the U.S.

In general the government is much less intrusive here and the laws are not as oppressive. However, labor laws and children’s welfare laws are stringently enforced to benefit both groups.

I have a crazy gringo friend who is a “freedom freak.” There are laws for littering here but they are not enforced as much as in the States. My friend says that once in a while he will throw a piece of paper on the ground intentionally just to feel the sense of freedom he never had in the States.

We do pay the price fro so much freedom in Costa Rica. It is called inefficiency. It takes a lot of time for many things to get done here and the bureaucracy and the Latin mindset can drive an American crazy. However, this is the price we pay for the freedom we enjoy here.

I just returned from spending almost one month in the U.S. visiting friends and relatives. My first stop was Seattle where my sister Sallye lives. She retired there about 10 years ago. The area is absolutely beautiful. Everything looks fresh and green with spectacular Mont Rainier looming in the background. Seattle is a very nice city with friendly people. Places like Pike’s Place Market make the emerald city unique.

The summers in are generally warm and the days are long with the sun setting around 9 o’clock. However, the rest of the year leaves a lot to be desired. As much as I love this beautiful area, the cool raining weather, cloudy skies and long dark winter days would make it impossible for me to live there.

After being in Seattle for a couple of weeks I traveled to my old stomping grounds, San Francisco. I lived in San Francisco for many years before I moved to Costa Rica. I remember vividly discovering Costa Rica while living there. As much as I enjoyed the lifestyle of the Bay Area I felt compelled to move because Costa Rica offered so much more for me.

I make it a point to visit San Francisco almost every summer and always have a fantastic time there with my old friends. As nice as it is I feel completely out of place. I guess I have become more Costa Rican than San Franciscan. The city is a lot nicer than when I lived there and there are more things to do, but honestly I have a much better life in Costa Rica. I cashed in my chips, moved from San Francisco, followed my dreams, have been very successful and have had a fairy tale life in Costa Rica.

Many Americans who move to Costa Rica to live or retire have similar experiences. Costa Rica isn’t for everyone but if it “gets under your skin” you won’t want to move back to the States for”all of the tea in China.”.