My husband and I and our Autistic adult son live permanently as residents in Costa Rica. We did our homework and knew we wanted to immerse ourselves into the people, culture, history and food. We have no Expectations and we are guests in this Beautiful Country. We love our lives here and would never go back to USA. We shop at our local Farmers market and support our Locals. All our friends and neighbors are locals. Location was huge for us so we rented all over including beaches the first year living here then we purchased our home in an all local neighborhood in Barva Heredia in Central Valley up in the mountains with the coffee plantations. No need for AC and we have the best temperatures. Being near Medical and emergency services were very high on our list because we are retired and we have a special needs Son. We live rural but can get to anything within 15 - 30 minutes. La Fortuna is beautiful but too hot and humid for us and we wanted to be near services and we didn't want to rely on AC We don't like living in touristy areas. We love the people, culture , food and we are always trying to better our Spanish. We love the Pura Vida lifestyle and we live simple and i have better friends here in the Locals than i ever had in the states !!!
Hi Sandy, Zach here. Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing that! I'm so happy that you've found a home you love here in Costa Rica. I think your story could be really inspirational for others to hear. Are you by any chance open to speaking with me? I definitely understand if not, but if you are, please reach out to me directly at zach@startabroad.com Thank you!!
Great video and very informative. Yes, hospital access is important. I bought a condo on the first floor even though I wanted to be on the second floor of our complex, but having friends with mobility problems made me consider my choice. I chose the coast because I love the hot dry Guanacaste weather. I may change my mind when I’m retired and spending 6 months there, but I can always sell or rent my place and head for the hills. As far as banking, DON’T wait in line if you are going to use the bank machine - the line is most likely for the tellers inside the bank. lol (Learned that the hard way.) I just needed a letter from my lawyer to open a bank account, was an easy process, but choose a national bank. Even though I’m Canadian and use Scotiabank here in Canada, I’ve been told to avoid it in Costa Rica. As far as moving furniture, as a Canadian, it was not even a consideration because the cost would be prohibitive. I did bring down my Instant Pot, Fancy two door Air Fryer Oven, electric kettle and nice blender - one item on each trip. I bought all the big furniture in Costa Rica. Yes it is a bit more expensive and the quality-price is not like at home, never mind the selection, but that’s living abroad.
Thank you for sharing your insight, Terry! That will be really helpful for others to see. I'm wondering if you would be open to speaking with me and maybe doing a similar type of Q&A about your experience? We haven't spoken with a Canadian yet, and I think that it could be really valuable for others to learn from.
Bravo for adventurous spirits! In time there will be the fragrance and beauty of the place and all the wonderful people you met. I think it is hard for many Americans to remain away from home.
I personally love for people coming to visit my beautiful country and having the best of times, but I don’t encourage no one coming to live here first it’s hard for you, and second the gentrification affects us, that’s something I sadly suffer, having to move from my town because of people from North America and Europe coming to live here made it very much damaging to us locals that have always lived here
Ugh, please get rid of the music, I had to turn it off two minutes into it. It can be very difficult to have music AND someone talking, it is frustrating to try and tune out the music to hear what is being said. It became apparent that what was being said must not be very important because it was being drowned out by music, so I will continue to search for expat experiences to help me decide.
I lived in Costa Rica for 14 years, and in 2016 my family and I moved back to the US. I love CR, people are nice but the truth is I like it only for vacation. Retiring in CR was a thing in the 80s, but not anymore because it is THE most expensive country in Central America. I rather going to Colombia is better and way cheaper! I had a blast! I was a "permanent resident" and worked for a US company with offices in CR. I'm only 56 but personally, I don't see myself living in the states when I retire so, I'll be only my wife and I. 😉
My wife is Nicaraguan. Her family is about 50% in CR and 50% in Nicaragua. We lived in Costa Rica about 25 years ago. We are two weeks away from retiring a little young (55and 60). We plan to travel from Mexico to Argentina, but we will start in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. CR is fairly expensive and not even on our top 10 list of possible retirement countries. TICO TIME is all over Latin America. Be patient ! 😃
If you are going to live as a tourist, of course, it is expensive, if you just want to live like another Tico, no. Costa Rica is the best country in the world once you live here, climate, beach, mountains, volcanoes, people, there is no army, health and education services are among the best in the world... But if you retire without much budget, and you don't want a high quality of life, you can go to a cheap country like Nicaragua.
I don't believe this gentleman when he says he came here so often before deciding to move. If he asked any gringo here about the bank he would have known what a pain in the ass it can be. If he did any research he would have easily seen how far away hospitals were from where he was thinking of living. What he may not have known wirhout asking people is the time to travel 20 miles, which can be an hour here. He couldn't have been much of a family oriented person in the US if he didn't know he would want them more later. Not a fault of Cista Rica. He is saying no one told him things, but on his trips here did he ask anyone?
Hi Annie, of course we're biased as we live in Costa Rica, but I think that you find challenges even moving down the street in the US or Canada, and that moving abroad can be especially challenging regardless of which country. Everything -- from car purchase to construction to even how grocery stores work -- are very different from what we're used to, so it takes time, patience, and knowledge to manage the process. I'd be happy to connect if you have any particular concerns about Costa Rica that you would like honest feedback on.
Not surprised that he went back his search was superficial and he did not search the most important 1- housing procedures and 2- banking procedures and rules. The House Registrar in CR is a mess. Get 3 lawyers told me a Spanish friend who lived there ages , one to say yes, the other to say no and the last one to decide you. Renting a car is fraught with uninsured crappy procedures etc. Be polite, be patient , smile, and speak Spanish. This is not America.
Hi Dovy, thank you for your message! That's a big question, and the answer will be very specific to what you are looking for, how you think about nice-to-haves vs. need-to-haves, etc. I could provide you better feedback if I understood your situation better. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at zach@startabroad.com and we can have a conversation!
@@startabroad4592 I guess part of the issue is that the new regulations require a much higher monthly premium for the CAJA except for pensioniistas .... which also doesn't clarify if it is one premium per person or per couple.
@@dovygoodguy1296Hey Dovy, yes, the Caja prices have spiked, and it's particularly onerous for single applicants. But it's the same payment whether you apply as a single or with dependents. So it can actually be a great deal if you're applying for multiple family members.
@@startabroad4592 So the new higher premium under the Rentista arrangement is a premium for a couple or family, not per person? What is the situation for people over 65 for CAJA coverage and medications, and whatever was "preexisting" from before arrival?
This shows how much research one needs to do before moving overseas. I can’t believe this guy didn’t realize a hospital wasn’t close after visiting so often. Did they not stay for longer periods of time?
Funny he thinks he researched it. Nothing he states as a surprise was a surprise to me, as my researched uncovered all of his problems. Maybe he should have spent less time with volcanos I ended up in ecuador, with costa rica being second choice. No "surprises" yet
@@dovygoodguy1296 been to Costa Rica twice, 9-10 weeks total, ecuador 7 weeks. I just felt better in ecuador. I can tell you why with logical reasoning, it just felt right. I'm in loja, 6700 feet, and I haven't experienced altitude sickness like when in aspen during my youth. But then again I haven't gone above the tree line and skied black diamonds either. It did take some time to acuminate. Not saying it's for everybody, but forme. Not every area of ecuador is for me either
I’m planning on moving to Cuenca next year. I’ve already checked where all th hospitals are. I’ve started learning the language. I know all my expected costs, I’ve even looked up how to open a bank account. What research did this guy even do?
It's an Island. What does he expect. They like the island environment but don't want the inconveniences. It's common sense to know where the nearest hospital is in any country you visit or want to move to. I knew this from I was 2 years old but I'm an island girl. Lol I see people living in their mcmansions in the USA and they are 20 mins or more from a hospital. They are clueless how long EMT will take to get to their home until they need them and it's over 10mins especially in gated communities. The stuff people do to have a "high" life then ended up frustrated when their choice becomes a nightmare 😁😁😁😁. People the key to living a stress free life any where in the world is to find where the nearest air port is, find any locations no more that 1 hr drive from the airport with public access available to the airport. Look within those areas for the best hospital then choose a location not more than 5 mins from the hospital. You have a higher chance of surviving a heart attack or stroke the closer you live near a good hospital. Speak the language of the country you move to. If you have health problems don't move to a third world country. If you move there find a good doctor and see if your doctor at home will communicate with him/her on your care.
I spent 4 months in costa Rica loved the nature. The people on the other hand. not to much. All the Americans clown there looked like they were fleeing someone or something. plus you had a gringo tax.
The issue is BRAINDRAIN , any one with any intelligence training or professionalism has left and gone to the US or UK or Germany for a good paying job, the people that remain can not be relied up on, you cant count on them as they are in capable and incompetent. Thats it in a nut shell. So unless you have your own tools handy man and mechanic skills and nursing skills and are healthy in shape and able bodied and completely independent stay home because "its not right for you" ! There are ZERO '0" retirees that fall into the category that this is right for them because the nature of a retiree is to need to employ the help and professional services of other qualified people and there are no such people left in this country.
Costa Rica is not for everybody a lot of people come with the idea this is magic land ! that their problems are going to disappear here ! and it is not like that , and almost everything is very expensive here , very .
Im sorry but this is a complete lie...I live in NYC and ppl that dont even make that much and survive here. I keep hearing ppl saying Costa Rica is expensive but i think these ppl are either just saying this b/c others have said it or they are going where other Expats are living. If you are in an Expat area then it might be expensive (still no where near $6K to $9K a month) b/c the very same Expats are making the prices go up in those areas. They are in high tourist zones and close to beaches where ppl with money go and stay. Basically they are not living where Costa Ricans live but rather where Expats/tourist live. I plan on moving to Costa Rica and im looking into San Ramon, Palmares, Alajuela and most central valley areas. These places are not expensive at all and they are close to major Hospitals.
My husband and I and our Autistic adult son live permanently as residents in Costa Rica. We did our homework and knew we wanted to immerse ourselves into the people, culture, history and food. We have no Expectations and we are guests in this Beautiful Country. We love our lives here and would never go back to USA. We shop at our local Farmers market and support our Locals. All our friends and neighbors are locals. Location was huge for us so we rented all over including beaches the first year living here then we purchased our home in an all local neighborhood in Barva Heredia in Central Valley up in the mountains with the coffee plantations. No need for AC and we have the best temperatures. Being near Medical and emergency services were very high on our list because we are retired and we have a special needs Son. We live rural but can get to anything within 15 - 30 minutes. La Fortuna is beautiful but too hot and humid for us and we wanted to be near services and we didn't want to rely on AC
We don't like living in touristy areas. We love the people, culture , food and we are always trying to better our Spanish. We love the Pura Vida lifestyle and we live simple and i have better friends here in the Locals than i ever had in the states !!!
Hi Sandy, Zach here. Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing that! I'm so happy that you've found a home you love here in Costa Rica. I think your story could be really inspirational for others to hear. Are you by any chance open to speaking with me? I definitely understand if not, but if you are, please reach out to me directly at zach@startabroad.com
Thank you!!
Great video and very informative. Yes, hospital access is important. I bought a condo on the first floor even though I wanted to be on the second floor of our complex, but having friends with mobility problems made me consider my choice. I chose the coast because I love the hot dry Guanacaste weather. I may change my mind when I’m retired and spending 6 months there, but I can always sell or rent my place and head for the hills. As far as banking, DON’T wait in line if you are going to use the bank machine - the line is most likely for the tellers inside the bank. lol (Learned that the hard way.) I just needed a letter from my lawyer to open a bank account, was an easy process, but choose a national bank. Even though I’m Canadian and use Scotiabank here in Canada, I’ve been told to avoid it in Costa Rica. As far as moving furniture, as a Canadian, it was not even a consideration because the cost would be prohibitive. I did bring down my Instant Pot, Fancy two door Air Fryer Oven, electric kettle and nice blender - one item on each trip. I bought all the big furniture in Costa Rica. Yes it is a bit more expensive and the quality-price is not like at home, never mind the selection, but that’s living abroad.
Thank you for sharing your insight, Terry! That will be really helpful for others to see. I'm wondering if you would be open to speaking with me and maybe doing a similar type of Q&A about your experience? We haven't spoken with a Canadian yet, and I think that it could be really valuable for others to learn from.
Which coast?
Great video. I learned a lot. Thanks. ☘️
Thanks Patrick!
Bravo for adventurous spirits! In time there will be the fragrance and beauty of the place and all the wonderful people you met. I think it is hard for many Americans to remain away from home.
I personally love for people coming to visit my beautiful country and having the best of times, but I don’t encourage no one coming to live here first it’s hard for you, and second the gentrification affects us, that’s something I sadly suffer, having to move from my town because of people from North America and Europe coming to live here made it very much damaging to us locals that have always lived here
Ugh, please get rid of the music, I had to turn it off two minutes into it. It can be very difficult to have music AND someone talking, it is frustrating to try and tune out the music to hear what is being said. It became apparent that what was being said must not be very important because it was being drowned out by music, so I will continue to search for expat experiences to help me decide.
Not the end of the World if you move back . four years of living in another Country , Congratulations , that's wonderful .
Nice video but that background music is a bit distracting.
I found Costa Rica to be an expensive country . I believe is the Most expensive in the Central American region.
Hola saludos desde San Ramón de alajuela costa rica pura vida brother 🇨🇷
I lived in Costa Rica for 14 years, and in 2016 my family and I moved back to the US. I love CR, people are nice but the truth is I like it only for vacation. Retiring in CR was a thing in the 80s, but not anymore because it is THE most expensive country in Central America. I rather going to Colombia is better and way cheaper! I had a blast! I was a "permanent resident" and worked for a US company with offices in CR. I'm only 56 but personally, I don't see myself living in the states when I retire so, I'll be only my wife and I. 😉
My wife is Nicaraguan. Her family is about 50% in CR and 50% in Nicaragua. We lived in Costa Rica about 25 years ago. We are two weeks away from retiring a little young (55and 60). We plan to travel from Mexico to Argentina, but we will start in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. CR is fairly expensive and not even on our top 10 list of possible retirement countries.
TICO TIME is all over Latin America. Be patient ! 😃
If you are going to live as a tourist, of course, it is expensive, if you just want to live like another Tico, no. Costa Rica is the best country in the world once you live here, climate, beach, mountains, volcanoes, people, there is no army, health and education services are among the best in the world... But if you retire without much budget, and you don't want a high quality of life, you can go to a cheap country like Nicaragua.
@@Shevedan
We’ll just have to agree to disagree. Different strokes for different folks. Best of luck to you.
Wow, he was really unprepared/uninformed. Most of his ‘issues’ are all over the internet, best wishes
Basic research. How far are you from a hospital.
I don't believe this gentleman when he says he came here so often before deciding to move. If he asked any gringo here about the bank he would have known what a pain in the ass it can be. If he did any research he would have easily seen how far away hospitals were from where he was thinking of living. What he may not have known wirhout asking people is the time to travel 20 miles, which can be an hour here. He couldn't have been much of a family oriented person in the US if he didn't know he would want them more later. Not a fault of Cista Rica. He is saying no one told him things, but on his trips here did he ask anyone?
Funny he did research before moving and then surprisingly discovered that hospital is far… this sounds pretty Comic 😂
right? going 2x a year and 'researching' 3 hours a day? I would guess they were not really doing anything but vacationing and dreaming.
Every road has its bumps, head knowledge can never replace experience, so you learn along the way!
I have heard that Costa Rica is a pain in the rear for expats.. so I have been looking at Panama, Mexico, and Ecuador.
Hi Annie, of course we're biased as we live in Costa Rica, but I think that you find challenges even moving down the street in the US or Canada, and that moving abroad can be especially challenging regardless of which country. Everything -- from car purchase to construction to even how grocery stores work -- are very different from what we're used to, so it takes time, patience, and knowledge to manage the process. I'd be happy to connect if you have any particular concerns about Costa Rica that you would like honest feedback on.
Mexico has a lot of the same problems with bureaucracy. I’m thinking I may as well stay in California and just visit these places.
Not surprised that he went back his search was superficial and he did not search the most important 1- housing procedures and 2- banking procedures and rules. The House Registrar in CR is a mess. Get 3 lawyers told me a Spanish friend who lived there ages , one to say yes, the other to say no and the last one to decide you. Renting a car is fraught with uninsured crappy procedures etc. Be polite, be patient , smile, and speak Spanish. This is not America.
I will stick to just a vaction there lol, I rahter just do the 6 month thing visit and back home
Zack, what's your approach to dealing with the issues mentioned in the video interview?
Hi Dovy, thank you for your message! That's a big question, and the answer will be very specific to what you are looking for, how you think about nice-to-haves vs. need-to-haves, etc. I could provide you better feedback if I understood your situation better. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at zach@startabroad.com and we can have a conversation!
@@startabroad4592 I guess part of the issue is that the new regulations require a much higher monthly premium for the CAJA except for pensioniistas .... which also doesn't clarify if it is one premium per person or per couple.
@@startabroad4592What do you think about the issue of the new premium as an obstacle for rentistas?
@@dovygoodguy1296Hey Dovy, yes, the Caja prices have spiked, and it's particularly onerous for single applicants. But it's the same payment whether you apply as a single or with dependents. So it can actually be a great deal if you're applying for multiple family members.
@@startabroad4592 So the new higher premium under the Rentista arrangement is a premium for a couple or family, not per person? What is the situation for people over 65 for CAJA coverage and medications, and whatever was "preexisting" from before arrival?
Nonstop music loops become irritating and distracting.
This shows how much research one needs to do before moving overseas. I can’t believe this guy didn’t realize a hospital wasn’t close after visiting so often. Did they not stay for longer periods of time?
I think they went back mostly to be close to family. They could've moved closer to a Hospital if need be.
Funny he thinks he researched it. Nothing he states as a surprise was a surprise to me, as my researched uncovered all of his problems.
Maybe he should have spent less time with volcanos
I ended up in ecuador, with costa rica being second choice. No "surprises" yet
What made you choose Ecuador? Cuenca? Any altitude issues there?
@@dovygoodguy1296 been to Costa Rica twice, 9-10 weeks total, ecuador 7 weeks. I just felt better in ecuador. I can tell you why with logical reasoning, it just felt right. I'm in loja, 6700 feet, and I haven't experienced altitude sickness like when in aspen during my youth. But then again I haven't gone above the tree line and skied black diamonds either. It did take some time to acuminate.
Not saying it's for everybody, but forme.
Not every area of ecuador is for me either
@@silentlurcker How does Ecuador compare to Costa Rica, Panama or Mexico? Besides being less humid and hot!
I’m planning on moving to Cuenca next year. I’ve already checked where all th hospitals are. I’ve started learning the language. I know all my expected costs, I’ve even looked up how to open a bank account.
What research did this guy even do?
@@DessertcrazyEcuador What exactly are you asking, Candice?
A lot of reasons never to leave US
It's an Island. What does he expect.
They like the island environment but don't want the inconveniences.
It's common sense to know where the nearest hospital is in any country you visit or want to move to. I knew this from I was 2 years old but I'm an island girl. Lol
I see people living in their mcmansions in the USA and they are 20 mins or more from a hospital. They are clueless how long EMT will take to get to their home until they need them and it's over 10mins especially in gated communities.
The stuff people do to have a "high" life then ended up frustrated when their choice becomes a nightmare 😁😁😁😁. People the key to living a stress free life any where in the world is to find where the nearest air port is, find any locations no more that 1 hr drive from the airport with public access available to the airport. Look within those areas for the best hospital then choose a location not more than 5 mins from the hospital.
You have a higher chance of surviving a heart attack or stroke the closer you live near a good hospital.
Speak the language of the country you move to.
If you have health problems don't move to a third world country. If you move there find a good doctor and see if your doctor at home will communicate with him/her on your care.
Very similar in Mexico! The government sucks!
I spent 4 months in costa Rica loved the nature. The people on the other hand. not to much. All the Americans clown there looked like they were fleeing someone or something. plus you had a gringo tax.
😁😁😁😁😁😁
Have you been to South east Asia region .
The issue is BRAINDRAIN , any one with any intelligence training or professionalism has left and gone to the US or UK or Germany for a good paying job, the people that remain can not be relied up on, you cant count on them as they are in capable and incompetent. Thats it in a nut shell. So unless you have your own tools handy man and mechanic skills and nursing skills and are healthy in shape and able bodied and completely independent stay home because "its not right for you" ! There are ZERO '0" retirees that fall into the category that this is right for them because the nature of a retiree is to need to employ the help and professional services of other qualified people and there are no such people left in this country.
Only 50 per cent of gringos make it here in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is not for everybody a lot of people come with the idea this is magic land ! that their problems are going to disappear here ! and it is not like that , and almost everything is very expensive here , very .
Why the music overlay??!! Isn’t your content good enough on its own?!! Thumbed it down, and didn’t subscribe.
your problem was choosing a place too far from the central valley, most of your trubles came from that
Something about many Latin American nations, is not right!
Costa Rica is VERY VERY expensive. If you don’t have $6000 to $9000 net monthly income, don’t waste your time.
6k to 9k really ? That expensive?
Im sorry but this is a complete lie...I live in NYC and ppl that dont even make that much and survive here. I keep hearing ppl saying Costa Rica is expensive but i think these ppl are either just saying this b/c others have said it or they are going where other Expats are living. If you are in an Expat area then it might be expensive (still no where near $6K to $9K a month) b/c the very same Expats are making the prices go up in those areas. They are in high tourist zones and close to beaches where ppl with money go and stay. Basically they are not living where Costa Ricans live but rather where Expats/tourist live. I plan on moving to Costa Rica and im looking into San Ramon, Palmares, Alajuela and most central valley areas. These places are not expensive at all and they are close to major Hospitals.
I was attacked with a machete and then came home 😂🎉