Despite the pandemic Costa Rica is still Latin America’s number one retirement haven. We are slowly catching up on vaccinating the rest of the population. Because of the high education level of the country’s people, in most cases the protocols are being followed. Just look at the mortality statistics below. […]
This comes as no surprise because year after Costa Rica has been at the top or near the top of the list due to its friendly people, its near perfect year-round weather, unequaled lifestyle, lack of a military, good healthcare, proximity to the U.S., an abundance of activities for expats […]
This is a subject that I have written about repeatedly and can make the difference between success or failure while living here. During the last 41 years I have had the chance to observe many North Americans who pass themselves off as experts on Costa Rica. Most work in real […]
International Living’s annual Global Retirement Index compares, contrasts, ranks, and rates 25 countries across 10 categories. “All over the planet, we’ve identified friendly, good-value, warm-weather escapes where you could effectively upgrade your life—places where it’s possible to live better, but spend less. For many expats, that’s the end goal. “Even […]
Puntarenas, “La Perla del Pacífico” (Pearl of the Pacific) or “El Puerto” (the Port”) as it is more commonly referred to by the locals, is getting spruced up for tourism. Puntarenas has always been a day trip destination and a favorite vacation spot among Costa Ricans. Before the beach areas […]
New immigration law to attract retirees Recently, a modified version of the country’s former Pensionado Law was proposed to attract more expat retirees. The government realizes that currently retirees contribute around 500 million dollars annually to Costa Rica’s economy. So, it is in the country’s best interest to attract more […]
The world-wide pandemic has devastated the world’s health care systems. Poorer and underdeveloped countries have specially been hit hard by the current health crisis. For years relocation organizations have been promoting Panama as a retirement haven. Panama’s drawing card is its low cost of living and perks that it offers […]
Part of this article is from a previous piece I wrote about 7 years ago. If you listen to the news in Spanish or know enough of the language to read the Diario Extra, La Teja or La Nación newspapers, you may have seen or heard the word “farándula.” La farándula” is a group of local characters consisting of figures […]
During the 41 years I have lived in Costa Rica I have had the opportunity to observe expats in a variety of different situations. Most Americans, Canadians and Europeans who relocate are honest hard-working people who are living their Costa Rican dream. However, a few “leave their brain on the […]
Costa Rica was placed in the first place as a destination for retirees in 2021, according to the annual ranking of the International Living.com publication, surpassing countries like Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Portugal. According to the 2021 Global Retirement Index, which has existed since 1979, Costa Rica advanced, as it was in third place […]