I’m in Playa Negra, on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast, in a house in the jungle. The black sand beach, empty save for a few guests from a nearby hotel lounging on beach chairs, is a five-minute walk down the trail.
When expat Gloria Yeatman needed surgery in May 2010, money was not a worry. This U.S. expat, who lives just outside the Central Valley town of San Ramón, did have to chip in $55 for an ultrasound, $40 for a visit to the doctor…and then there’s that $42-a-month fee she and her husband Paul pay for medical care in Costa Rica. But that was it. And that’s from the initial doctor visit to the eventual surgery and recuperation.
There’s something about having that paperback on the bus or on the beach that a gadget can’t replace. Sure, Kindles and iPads are handy, but nothing beats the smell and sensation of pulp. I know plenty of travelers must feel the same way, because expat Troy Fuss makes his living selling books to them in Granada, Nicaragua’s historic colonial city.
It was hard to tell over the phone. But I think my mother was in tears when I broke the news that we were moving to Costa Rica. Most of our friends were shocked. Others just couldn’t understand why anyone would want to live outside the United States. In short, everybody thought we were crazy for trying to make a new life overseas.
Whether it’s as a place to retire or just vacation, if Costa Rica is on your list, then at some point you’re likely to find yourself in San José, the country’s bustling capital. It’s a major transportation hub and the nation’s main international airport is just outside of town. It also has the best public and private medical care in the country. With beach and lakeside towns and cool highlands to chose from in Costa Rica, San José is not likely to top your list as a place to live, but it definitely has some worthwhile diversions to recommend it.
At 6,000 feet, Costa Rica’s tropical climate has given way to cool. Temperatures are generally in the 60s F year-round, 50 F on a cold day. Yet Sara Clark, who lives on Poas Mountain above the Central Valley towns of Grecia and Sarchí, calls her homestead paradise. “I live up in the clouds with the angels,” she says. “My family always prided itself on self-sufficiency and Yankee ingenuity,” explains Sara. She’s brought both with her to Costa Rica, where she’s content among the few families who live on this part of the mountain.
A comprehensive look at what makes this country appealing to anyone considering calling Costa Rica home, including cheap healthcare, bargain real estate, low cost of living, natural beauty, a relaxed lifestyle, and, of course, friendly people.
Costa Rica is a small country, but it has a wide variety of climates and landscapes within its borders. Want to live on the beach? How about in the mountains...or the jungle...or in a bustling market town? Get all the details in this presentation.
A comprehensive look at what makes this country appealing to anyone considering calling Costa Rica home, including cheap healthcare, bargain real estate, low cost of living, natural beauty, a relaxed lifestyle, and, of course, friendly people.
A comprehensive look at what makes this country appealing to anyone considering calling Costa Rica home, including cheap healthcare, bargain real estate, low cost of living, natural beauty, a relaxed lifestyle, and, of course, friendly people.