Robert S. Says:
How hard would it be for a person using a wheelchair and electric chair to get around Costa Rica? Would it be possible to get a caregiver to help make things easier?
IL Costa Rica Correspondent Bekah Bottone Says:
Hi Robert,
This depends a lot on the part of Costa Rica you wish to spend time in.
Recently, the Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network has been working on environmental and social responsibility projects related to making the country more accessible. But some places are seeing more impact from this than others.
In San José, the capital, city buses are wheelchair-accessible, and most taxis can put a folding wheelchair in their trunk. The national airline, Sansa, can take passengers using a folding wheelchair; however, they require everyone to be able to board and deplane by themselves.
Roads and sidewalks in other parts of the country could prove challenging, as many are in poor repair.
Some expats laud Tamarindo as a good place for people with mobility issues and seniors because of its easy access to the beach and town, plus the prevalence of sidewalks. Its central location is great for seniors, however, in my opinion, there are not many sidewalks that are wheelchair friendly.
Speaking of beaches, the first beach that was made accessible in Jan 2021 was Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste. This beach has a 52-meter retractable walkway to the sea, a couple of amphibious chairs, and other facilities.
In June 2022, Playa Herradura, just north of Jacó, became the13th accessible beach in Costa Rica. So you can see that there has been a recent push to expand access even though there is still work to be done.
In general, I would suggest staying closer to San José, perhaps somewhere in the Central Valley.
One thing is for sure: it is easier to get around with disabilities in the US and Europe than in Costa Rica. I would contact the hotels and activities in the area I plan to visit to confirm accessibility before booking a trip.
Options to hire personal caregivers in Costa Rica are plentiful. And I have had some friends hire live-in help for their parents. The most important thing to consider is hiring from a reputable source to verify certificates and get recommendations.
You can find the list of minimum salary amounts in Costa Rica here. A personal home caregiver in the Central Valley has a monthly salary of about $700, much lower than U.S. prices.
I hope this has been of some help! You can get much more detail about life in Costa Rica in our Escape to Costa Rica guidebook.
Got a Question?
Send your thoughts to mailbag@internationalliving.com. We’ll post and respond to as many of your emails as we can right here in the e-letter.