Buying a home is one of the largest investments you make during your lifetime. Some expats who relocate to Costa Rica choose to become homeowners. Those who are among this group should definitely have full insurance coverage to protect their investment. Let’s see why this so important. Getting over the […]
It is very easy to look at the negatives in Costa Rica when one is comparing the country with the United States or Canadá. They are too completely different countries and, above all, cultures. It is really easy to distort the facts when one does not understand a country. This […]
Tamales are a typical dish at Christmas time in Costa Rica but also available year-round. They are similar to Mexican tamales, however there is one big difference: the Mexican ones are wrapped in corn husks but Costa Rica tamales in banana leaves. There is a joke about Costa Rican tamales. An American comes to Costa Rica […]
Costa Rica is a popular destination when it comes to health tourism. People from all over the world flock here for joint replacements, cosmetic dentistry (Implants) and plastic surgery. Regarding the latter, both female and male expat retirees can indeed find the “fountain of youth” while living here. Most of […]
Every year thousands of tourists flock to Lake Arenal. This perfect cone-shaped Arenal Volcano is one of the main attractions in addition to a whole gamut of adventure sports and numerous hot springs. When there are no clouds, the volcano is an imposing and breathtaking sight rising high above the […]
I just spent three weeks in Washington State visiting my sister. A few days after I arrived I fell ill with an intestinal malady. I tried to treat the problem myself with Pepto Bismol, a lot of Gator Aid and a bland diet but my condition only got worse, so […]
Part 3 In Parts 1 and two of this series, I went into different aspects of the cost of living in Costa Rica and how to save money. This article will deal with monthly budgets. I will provide a couple of sample budgets below in order to break down basic […]
Part 2 In part one of this series I made it clear that how much you spend in Costa Rica really depends on one’s lifestyle. I went on to include the cost of items based on recent data found at number.com, which has the approximate cost of living in most […]
What you spend really depends on your lifestyle. Some live for as little as $1500 monthly while other spend two and three times the said amount. I would say that the for between $1,500 to $2,700 per month you can have a comfortable lifestyle, and splurge occasionally. Remember if you “go local” […]
Alcoholism is a serious problem among some Costa Ricans and expats here. Unfortunately, as many ticos say, “We have a very deeply-rooted guaro (drinking) culture.” This really comes as little surprise since drinking establishments are found on what seems to be almost every street corner. The nation’s main beer company, […]