The famous American Dream is becoming more expensive than ever. A recent analysis by Investopedia, reported by USA Today, estimated that reaching the eight pillars of the American dream — from owning a home to raising children and retiring comfortably — now costs more than 5 million dollars over a […]
Moving to Costa Rica is an exciting adventure, but one of the most important steps in the transition is understanding the residency and visa process. While many expats live in Costa Rica on a tourist visa, securing legal residency comes with major benefits, including access to public healthcare (Caja), the […]
Are you dreaming of retiring in paradise? Costa Rica continues to attract retirees from around the world, thanks to its warm climate, stunning landscapes, and affordable cost of living. From vibrant beach towns to peaceful mountain retreats, this Central American gem offers something for everyone. Let’s explore the best places […]
As one of my clients once stated, “Costa Rica is a user-friendly country for Americans.” You may ask why? Americans have always been welcome here since the first expat boom started in the 1980s. Do you know that there are more Americans living here full and part time proportionately than […]
Costa Rica is a great place for veterans to live. The country boasts the largest percentage of expats in Latin America, almost ten percent of the country comes from other places. Costa Rica has year-round spring-like weather, a stable democracy (the oldest one in Latin America), good healthcare, a multitude of outdoor activities, and a relatively low […]
Let’s look at Mexico: Supposedly, over 1 million Americans are living in Mexico many of whom are retirees from the U.S. and Canada. Although very few are victims of violent crime, they live in a country where wanton violence is an everyday occurrence. More than 500,000 people have died as […]
Costa Rica versus Panamá Shakira is a world-famous Latin American singer from Barranquilla, Colombia. Recently she broke up with her soccer star husband Gerard Piqué because he had an affair with a younger woman behind her back. Still recovering from the break-up, Shakira vented her feelings about Piqué and his […]
I always do a fly-over of the topic of renting in Costa Rica in my presentation at the ARCR Seminars, but because I know quite a few El Residente readers are renting, as will many future ARCR members, I decided to write this more in-depth article. Now you probably say […]
A couple of weeks ago I published an article about how a single person can survive on $1,200 per month. Indeed, it is possible with a little self-discipline. The article below exemplifies how a couple from the States and their children can live in a tropical setting with less and […]
Yes! I know many foreigners who are doing it. The most important factor in living on a low budget is knowing how to do it. Numbeo is the world’s largest cost of living database. It collects crowd-sourced data that accumulates into insights into various aspects of life in different cities […]