The main reason many people considering retirement in another country is the chance to get more for their money. In Costa Rica it is possible to live comfortably on as little as $1,800 to $3,000 as a couple and $1500 as a single monthly. For the retirees living on a shoestring, moving here can afford you a comfortable lifestyle.

The cost of medical care is a fraction of what it is back home. Medical tourism has become a big business in Costa Rica. People flock here for cosmetic surgery, dental work and joint replacement. Medical procedures generally cost half as much or less, compared with the United States. The hospitals are often staffed with English-speaking doctors trained at U.S. medical schools, making Costa Rica the top choices for retirees with ongoing health concerns.

Housing costs are usually the biggest part of any retirement budget. The good news is that in Costa Rica you can reduce housing expenses considerably, especially if you are a renter.

When retiring anywhere in the United States, retirees are compelled to cutting back their lifestyle. In Costa Rica, you can improve your standard of living during retirement.

As a retiree in Costa Rica, might not have to do a household chore again. You can afford not only part or full-time help around the house but also a driver, a gardener and dine out regularly. Full-time household costs a couple of hundred dollars per month.

For most people, the main reason for considering retirement in another country is the cost of living, housing and the chance to start over. But a greatly reduced cost of living could be only the beginning of the payoff from retiring someplace new and foreign. The other big, and possibly bigger, benefit may be the chance to start over in your life.

Health insurance and medical costs are usually a large part of an American retiree’s budget. In Costa Rica, private medical coverage costs as little as $100 a month or less, which for many people is less than the cost of Medicare premiums. Those who use the public system or caja pay less than $60 per month.

If you live in an area that has major snowfalls, extreme seasonal changes or dangerous weather such as hurricanes,you’ll love Costa Rica’s weather. The country’s year-round spring-like climate in the Central Valley is one of the best in the world.

In any country where the media can keep its people informed with sincerity and with respect for the truth, without pressure from the government or any other segment of the population or without threats, the country and everything from the economy to the society benefit.

When the media is free to publish what they want everyone wins. No matter how bad the news may be, it must be published to keep the people informed. In some countries the truth can never be told because there is no freedom of the press. Reporters are often murdered for telling the truth. Mexico is another country where many reporters have been killed for reporting the truth. Fortunately, in Costa Rica this problem does not exist.

The freedom we enjoy here is what sets this country apart from its neighbors, most countries in Latin America and contributes to the country’s stability and good quality of life. It is not not surprising, therefore, that Costa Rica is one of the best choices for retirement and living in Latin America. Many places like Ecuador, Nicaragua and Panama claim to be the next Costa Rica. However, when all is said and done there is only one Costa Rica.

We spent a couple of hours talking at length about Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama the other day. Bob was involved in Nicaragua for a couple of years where he had investments. He told me that one of best decisions he ever made was to sell all of his properties in Nicaragua. He said that it was a pain in the butt to do business there and that corruption was rampant. He told me the story of an American friend that had to be evacuated to the States because of a major medical emergency. He said that his friend almost died while waiting at the airport in Managua because custom officials wouldn’t let the air ambulance depart without paying bribes.

Another big problem in Nicaragua is Ortega’s relationship with Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s crazed president. Ortega has become very dependent on Chavez’s money to pay for Nicaragua’s many social programs. At the same time Ortega has turned down economic support and loans from other countries because of his allegiance and dependence on Chavez’s handouts. Most of Nicaragua’s traditional lenders feel offended by this and probably won’t offer the country loan money in the future. The country has also developed a dependency on Venezuela’s oil and is heavily in debt to Venezuela because much of the oil was purchased on credit.

People may not know that Chavez has terminal cancer. When he dies there is a good chance Venezuela will discontinue or reduce aid to Nicaragua thus undermining some of the latter’s social programs which could mean big trouble as the masses grow restless.

So basically what we have is a possible panorama of social unrest and hard economic times on the horizon.

Why would anyone in the right mind want to retire in Nicaragua given the circumstances above?
Both Bob and Burt think that with a lot of luck and political and economic stability that perhaps in 40 years Nicaragua could come close to being what Costa Rica is at present.

As for Panama my friends think that outside of humid and crowded Panama City, the isolated town of Boquete in the north and some incentives for retirees, the country basically has very little to offer foreign retirees. The quality of life is so much better in Costa Rica.

I couldn’t agree more.

It is truly gratifying to make people happy, help them change their lives and to know that they have all of the contacts and information to retire or live in Costa Rica. Everyone on the tour bonded and became good friends in less than a week. On the last day of the tour the whole group went off on their own for a group breakfast before the tour started. They exchanged e-mails and phone numbers so that they could stay in touch when the returned home.

The tour group was composed of people from different areas in the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian couple was from Vancouver, British Colombia. They said that they wanted to move here because they were sick and tired of the cold and rainy weather. I had two couples from the Pacific Northwest who echoed the sentiments of the Canadians. A single gentleman from Louisiana, a couple from Texas and another from Florida had the opposite problem. They were sick of the hot summers and wanted to live in Costa Rica’s Central Valley because of its year-round spring-like climate.

In short I want to thank, Richard, Tom, Roger and Cindy, Warren and Nancy, David and Dawn, Otis and Rebecca, Donald and Linda and Gerhard and Krystyna for taking my April tour.

During our most recent conversation my businessman friend mentioned that he had just been in Nicaragua to attend a wedding of one of his wife’s relatives (His wife is originally from Nicaragua but has live in Costa Rica for over 25 years). He mentioned that the heat in Managua was unbearable and only after a few days there he yearned for the spring-like weather of Costa Rica’s Central Valley.

My friend also commented that nothing has really changed in Nicaragua since the last time he visited there a few years ago. Granted the cost of living in lower than that of Costa Rica but the quality of life just can’t compare. Nevertheless, Nicaragua still continues to attract backpacking tourists and retirees on a small budget.

Here are some other factors to consider when trying to decide between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for retirement and living.

1. Nicaragua is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere after Haiti.
2. The country has an army which it has to support at the expense of its poor people.
3. The government is left-wing and pro-Castro/Hugo Chavez..indeed a vary dangerous sign. Political stability is in question. Many properties were expropriated in the past by the same people who are in power now.
4. The country’s weather can’t compare to Costa Rica’s climate.
5. Natural disasters, including earthquakes and hurricanes, have devastated the country over the years.
6. Despite having a couple of good hospitals the country’s rich often come to Costa Rica or go to the States to seek specialized medical treatment
7. Nicaragua will never be the “New Costa Rica” as many of the country’s real estate and business people will try to make you believe. The country does not have the same geography as Costa Rica and one-third of it is inaccessible. The only cool climate that is similar to Costa Rica’s is in the north around Matagalpa. Costa Rica has many more places which are suitable for living.
8. The country has a bloody political history.
9. If the country was good, Why have over 500,000 Nicaraguans migrated to Costa Rica in search of a better life?

I rest my case.

Cycling, especially off-road, has really become popular in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, it is still really dangerous to ride on the main streets here because there are no bike lanes or ciclovías. Because of this I converted my mountain bike into stationary bike thanks to a tripod like device I use on the back wheel. It is rather boring pedaling like a hamster on a treadmill but at least I still get exercise and the feel of riding a bicycle. However, all is about to change to make cycling more pleasurable in Costa Rica.

Johnny Araya, the mayor of San José, just announced that a bike path will be built across San José along streets that are less traveled by automobiles, thus making it safer and easier to ride a bike through the capital. The bike lane will extend from the the Law School at the the University of Costa Rica in the eastern suburb of San Pedro to the Sabana Park in the west.

Mayor Araya said that the only thing lacking to start the project is authorization from the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation or MOPT. The cost of the project will be around $1 million.

This project together with the city’s new China Town, the Paseo Colón condominium projects, the proposed Urban Trolley and bus terminals on the outskirts of San José will definitely improve the quality of life in the city.

Many Retirees may reconsider living in or near the downtown area because of these imminent improvements.

Although much of the information is valuable some of it has to be taken with a “grain of salt” because the people who gathered it really have not lived here long enough to understand how the country works nor do they understand the local culture or speak Spanish. Taking their advice can get you into real trouble.

There are a few neophyte websites which tell you how to live cheaply in Costa Rica. Yes, many of these tips can save you money but might also cost you money because the information is incorrect. Usually expats who are really money conscious are those who were never really successful in their home country or knew absolutely nothing about financial planning. Consequently, they are forced to live on a shoestring in Costa Rica.

If they didn’t have the intelligence or know-how to do well in their original country, What makes you think they suddenly became financial geniuses just by moving to Costa Rica? Knowledge is usually based on experience in a particular field and requires a lot of time and effort. Obviously the people behind these websites may have opinions about living here but most are NOT qualified to give good advice.

It is funny how most Americans who move here after one year think they know everything. I have witnessed this situation over and over again. I guess it is called the “the know-it-all syndrome after one year.”

I don’t mean do denigrate anyone but want those thinking of moving here to have the most reliable, correct, time-tested and objective information to ensure their success and reduce the possibility of failure. The bottom line is to look for time-tested experts and information to avoid headaches and not rely on the Internet forums and neophyte websites. If you have a major medical issue I am quite sure you will seek out a doctor with many years of experience in his field. Use the same logic when thinking about living in Costa Rica.

At a cost of just over $3 million the resort promises to be one of the most modern in Central America with two swimming pools (one for adults and another for children), bathrooms, a two-story bar-restaurant, a fast food court, a conference center and a playground for the kids.

The Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura will run the new resort. The company has invested over $500,000 dollars in folding beach chairs, parasols, restaurant equipment and other necessary items. The resort will not be a private beach club so it will be open to the general public. Admission will be reasonable at about 2,500 colones or $5 dollars per person.

In addition to the new resort other improvements are being made to Puntarenas in an effort to restore it to its former glory as “The Pearl of the Pacific” with the goal of attracting more people and improving the local economy. About $80,000 have been spent cleaning Puntarena’s beach which earned it a Blue Flag Rating – the highest honor for a beach area. $200,000 has also been set aside to make other improvements around the city.

If you are retired and living in the Central Valley you can reach Puntarenas by the new Calera Highway in about an hour and one half. Besides the new resort there are a lot of other activities in and around Puntarenas: fishing, sunbathing, savoring the local seafood, walking along the scenic malecón or seaside promenade, taking a day cruise to Tortuga Island or visiting the nearby Nicoya Peninsula.

The first and second day of the tour included the seminar sponsored by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica or ARCR. We are really lucky to have an organization like the ARCR because as far as I know no other country in Latin America has anything similar. This is all the more reason to retire in Costa Rica instead of Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador or Uruguay the other so-called retirement spots south of the border.

A variety of subjects are covered at the seminar from insurance and medical care to how to ship your household goods here. With the information my guests obtain from the seminar and my tour they should almost be able to make the move seamlessly and painlessly if they follow the time-tested advice and use the contacts we provide.

On the third and fourth day of my tour we visit the best places for foreigners to reside in the Central Valley: Rohrmoser, the Sabana area, Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colón, Belén, Cariari, many parts of Heredia, Alajuela, Atenas, Grecia and San Ramón. By the time the tour is over my guests have enough information and contacts to make the move successfully.

During my tours I make sure my clients get a glimpse of what it is really like to live in Costa Rica.

Near the end of the tour when we are heading back to the hotel I conduct a question and answer session and summarize what we saw and did. I was really thrilled this time because after I finished my guests applauded me and told me that they really got their money’s worth.

As you know most Costa Ricans are fun-loving people and like their fiestas (parties). It turns out that such activities often last into the wee hours of the night and can be one of the major causes of conflicts between neighbors. Barking dogs can also cause also be a cause of problems between neighbors.

As a foreigner what can you do if your neighbors make a lot of noise? Let’s suppose that they are having a late-night party and as the night progresses the gathering gets rowdy and the people more and more boisterous. The first thing you should do is approach your neighbor and state in a nice way that the excess of noise is aggravating you. Hopefully, you can speak enough Spanish or your neighbor speaks some English.

If that doesn’t work you can then contact the Fuerza Pública (local police) who will ask your neighbor to tone things down. Although the police show up they cannot force your neighbor to suspend the activity. The job of the police is to act as mediators between neighbors. If the police do come usually most neighbors are cooperative.

My son has a rock band and they rehearse at least once a month at my home. On several occasions an unknown neighbor called the police to complain. Since the rehearsals are in the afternoon all the police could do was ask the boys to town down their amplifiers. However, after 10 pm the police can demand you lower the level of the noise.

What happens if excessive levels of noise turns into a recurrent problem? You can then make a denuncia (formal accusation) with the Ministerio de Salud or Health Ministry. Then one of their employees will then check out the situation to see if the noise exceeds the legal limit permitted by law. If it turns out that the noise is above the legal limit the Ministry can then ask the neighbor to resolve the problem. If the neighbor doesn’t comply then a formal hearing is scheduled between the parties involved to try and resolve the situation.