International Living Community

Here in more info about different visas: https://internationalliving.com/countries/costa-rica/visa/

And now in CR, you can legally stay in the country for 180 days, so this is a great option especially for snow birds who want to enjoy the warm weather for more than 3 months.

The United States and Canada are included on the list of group one countries eligible for the 180-day visas.

However, the Traffic Law states that foreign drivers holding a valid foreign driver's license who are in the country as tourists or in transit are authorized to drive the same type of vehicle as permitted by their license for a period of three months.”

Therefore, it's important to note that if you stay in Costa Rica for 180 days, the foreign license will only be valid for the first three months (90 days).

Hello!

The postcards section at IL shares the experiences of others who have made the move and is a great way to check out success stories. https://internationalliving.com/category/daily-postcard/

I met three people living in the Atenas/Grecia area on my last editorial trip in April 2024. Karen lives on $2000 a month, Mike on under $1400 a month (he spends six months here as he is Canadian), and Lynda spends about $1500 a month. This shows that living in Costa Rica can be affordable, hopefully giving you peace of mind about your financial situation.

I suggest posting in Facebook groups to ask questions and get more on-the-ground information. I post in the groups in the areas I will visit to connect with people for my editorial trips and find specific places to visit. Most of the time, people are very helpful.

I am not sure which areas you are most interested in, but you can start by checking out these groups:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/209258083597577
https://www.facebook.com/groups/128010388878472
https://www.facebook.com/groups/579515763190243
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178568066214136
https://www.facebook.com/groups/450171628439598

I suggest searching Facebook for the town/city you want to visit to see what results appear. Facebook is widely used down here for community sharing and support.

This is also an awesome opportunity!
https://www1.internationalliving.com/test-drive-your-dream-life-overseas.html
Maybe you can win the opportunity to spend on month here in Costa Rica with IL covering the costs! Imagine the adventures and new experiences you could have in this beautiful country. It's a chance to step out of your comfort zone and embrace a new way of life.

Good luck. If you come to the Tamarindo area, feel free to reach out. You can send me a WhatsApp, and we can meet for sunset. 011 506 8962 9593

-Bekah Bottone, IL Costa Rica Correspondent

Hello.

I suggest spending a month and staying in each of the places to really get a feel for them and check out the vibe for yourself. I recently visited Atenas and Grecia in the Central Valley and you might want to check them out if being close to health is necessary. I will be talking about them at the San Jose Conference in July 2024. Are you planning on joining us online or in person?

The best healthcare is in the Central Valley, so keep that in mind. The best equipped hostpitals and most specialists are there. Often times, a specialist will visit a clinic in Guanacaste once a month. So it isn't as conveninet.

An important factor to consider is the weather. What temperatures do you prefer? It rains everywhere, yet some places have more rain than others.

• The beaches

1. Hot and humid, and I love them!
2. Guanacaste is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific receives more rain.

• Lake Arenal

1. Cooler (temperature) than the beach.
2. Nuevo Arenal gets about 50% more rain than Tronadora, located just across the lake.
3. Tronadora is much windier.
4. La Fortuna and the surrounding towns like Chachagua are drier and warmer.

• The Central Valley

1. Cooler temperatures - especially from the variety of elevations available.

I always recommmend reaching out to FB groups and asking questions. I use those groups to learn about differnt areas and connect with new people all of the time. FB groups are very active here and worth using as a resource.

These FB pages might be a good start:
Arenal
https://www.facebook.com/groups/712758082803982
https://www.facebook.com/groups/270122543035935
Guanacaste
https://www.facebook.com/groups/297720547030161
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3442610169117243
Jaco
https://www.facebook.com/groups/290260966853843
https://www.facebook.com/groups/711552235579574

There are lots of expat groups too:
search 'Expats in... '

As for budget, $1,000 a month is possible, yet not as likely in big tourist- like in Tamarindo. The best thing in my opinoni is to talk with peopel currently living in the area. You can find expat meetups in FB groups. For example, this group posts about a women's would be a great place to get insider info. https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197

Many people find staying in an Airbnb a good way to check out a community, more so than a hotel.

I talked with Nick when in Nuevo Arenal and he rent out an Airbnb.
https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/ (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/40036748?source_impression_id=p3_1719933875_P3ic3CyJiPWB-oYF)

Good luck on your travels. Let me know if you have any more questions.

-Bekah, IL Costa Rica Correspondent

Personally, I have some people I trust that stay in my house while I am away. There are many people looking for these opportunities in Facebook gorups in Costa Rica, so that might be one place to start. I would also try TrustedHousesitters.com. Good luck!

A few years ago, there was a lot of volcanic activity in the Central Valley. My friends that have respiratory issues had problems during that time. Where I am in Guanacaste, the closest volcano is 100 km from me. We haven't had any issues. Yet we do feel earthquakes often.

I will talk with some friends and learn more about the volcanic activity the expereince in the Central Valley and share more about this at the conference in May-- and will post about it on the IL Costa Rica Community page too.

-Bekah Bottone, IL Costa Rica Correspondent

Hello.

I suggest spending a month and staying in each of the places to really get a feel for them and check out the vibe for yourself. I recently visited Atenas and Grecia in the Central Valley and you might want to check them out if being close to health is necessary.

The best healthcare is in the Central Valley, so keep that in mind. The best equipped hostpitals and most specialists are there. Often times, a specialist will visit a clinic in Guanacaste once a month. So it isn't as conveninet.

An important factor to consider is the weather. What temperatures do you prefer? It rains everywhere, yet some places have more rain than others.

The beaches
Hot and humid, and I love them!
Guanacaste is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific receives more rain.

Lake Arenal
Cooler (temperature) than the beach.
-Nuevo Arenal gets about 50% more rain than Tronadora, located just across the lake.
-Tronadora is much windier.
-La Fortuna and the surrounding towns like Chachagua are drier and warmer.

The Central Valley
Cooler temperatures - especially from the variety of elevations available.
I always recommmend reaching out to FB groups and asking questions. I use those groups to learn about differnt areas and connect with new people all of the time. FB groups are very active here and worth using as a resource.

These FB pages might be a good start:
Arenal
https://www.facebook.com/groups/712758082803982
https://www.facebook.com/groups/270122543035935
Guanacaste
https://www.facebook.com/groups/297720547030161
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3442610169117243
Jaco
https://www.facebook.com/groups/290260966853843
https://www.facebook.com/groups/711552235579574

There are lots of expat groups too:
search 'Expats in... '
You can find expat meetups in FB groups. For example, this group posts about a women's meetup that would be a great place to get insider info. https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197

Many people find staying in an Airbnb a good way to check out a community, more so than a hotel.

I talked with Nick when in Nuevo Arenal and he rent out an Airbnb.
https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/ (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/40036748?source_impression_id=p3_1719933875_P3ic3CyJiPWB-oYF)

Are you coming to Costa Rica in May for the IL conference? It's a great time to get info and learn more.

Good luck on your travels. Let me know if you have any more questions.

-Bekah, IL Costa Rica Correspondent

Hi! I have a cat and dog and have never had any issues with wildlife (knock on wood).

Yet, there is a lot of wildlife, and I have heard of some issues here in Guanacaste. I love close to Playa Tamarindo. For example, frogs are poisonous when licked. My dog is a beagle, so she prefers to point out wildlife rather than touch it.

In addition, we have lots of snakes and scorpions. I think my dog had gotten stung by a scorpion before as she swelled up, but she was okay. Vets have some antivenom. If a rattlesnake bites your dog, you must get it to the vet immediately. It's the same protocol for people in the area.

Skunks are my main issue at my house. They often come into my yard at night and drive my dog crazy!

In Costa Rica, the monkeys don't tend to bother people or pets. They often keep their distance and stay in the trees.

I believe there are fewer issues with wildlife in the city.

Tick fever is also common in my area. If infected, dogs get lethargic and need medicine. It is different from the States, as people don't get Lyme disease here.

Check out these articles to learn more: https://internationalliving.com/countries/costa-rica/move/
https://internationalliving.com/how-to-travel-with-pets-to-costa-rica/ (this information is a bit older, but share some personal experiences that may be interesting)

I was just looking on GOOGLE FLIGHTS and I would search flights Avianca, Spirit, Delta, Copa Airlines, and America. Those were the airlines with only one layover.

I also looked up JET BLUE as that is who I always fly from Liberia to NYC for usually $500 or less. And it looks like JETBLUE flies from Washington to SJO. I see flights for between $325 to $550 on their website.

I always try to avoid overnight flights too. They are really exhausting.

Hi Kathy. How exciting to come visit Costa Rica.

What part of Costa Rica do you plan on visiting?

I live in Tamarindo and can give some recommendations in this area for rental companies: https://rpmvacationrentals.com/, https://tamaluxury.com/, and https://www.stayintamarindo.com/.

Most expats I talk with say that they prefer using Airbnb to find rentals. So you might want to look here too: https://www.airbnb.com/tamarindo-costa-rica/stays. At Airbnb, you often get lower rates when you stay for a month or more.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions or if you know which part of Costa Rica you want to visit. When you come to Costa Rica, you can fly into Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste or into the Central Valley (SJO) depending on where you want to spend your time here.

I am starting a collaboration with Keller Williams and would love to see if I can help you find something.
https://kwtamarindo.com/
Feel free to send me a WhatsApp +506 8962 9593 and we can talk more. We can be neightbors in Tamarindo.
See above comment for more ideas.

You can also look at Vrbo.

This has retnals-- but I think more long term options: https://www.point2homes.com/

As for Facebook Groups, I would look for specific smaller groups in regions, like these: https://www.facebook.com/groups/puertoviejovacationrentals
https://www.facebook.com/groups/756500642604738
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1990512857886393

To be honest, for short notice, a few days short term rentals, I would use Airbnb and Booking.

Are you heading over to the Tamarindo area? Feel free to send me a message on WhatsApp if you are +506 8962 9593 and we can meet up for a sunset.

I love the views in Grecia and the cooler temps, yet I was not a fan of the steep, winding roads. Yet the higher you go, the cooler it gests. This is pretty much the case all over the Central Valley. Highs can be in the 80s and nights can drop to the 60s-70s, depending on where you are.

I stayed here in Grecia (https://www.tierranuevacostarica.com/) and absolutey LOVED the esperience. The food at the restaurant was so delicious and the owner personable and able to share a lot of info. There is also a weekly expat meet up on Wednesdays at 12 pm at Los Jardines Vivero y Café (https://www.facebook.com/losjardinesgreciacr/?locale=es_LA) -- I would just call to confirm with the restaruant in case the day/time changes.

I stayed here in Atenas (https://hotelcolinasdelsol.com/). It was fine yet a plus was its central location. There is a woman's group in Atenas who has a weekly meet up (https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197?locale=es_LA) and I think the husbands also have a men's meet up.

I consider Atenas and Grecia more expat hubs. I never stayed in Heredia, yet I seem to always drive through it.

I find Facebook groups very helpful when I need to learn more about an area. You also might want to ask questions in these groups:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/128010388878472
https://www.facebook.com/groups/425764764900687
https://www.facebook.com/groups/620448778305789
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517401048358283

I suggest joining us at the CR conference in May this year. It is held in Escazu and contains a wealth of information. And then you could explore the other areas a few days before or after. I find that visiting and meeting people is the best option. Almost everyone I meet who has relocated tells me that they just knew when they visited a certain area that is would be home. Good luck and how exciting! Costa Rica is paradise for many. Come see what you think about it for yourself!

How exciting... welcome!

I suggest visiting before signing any agreements or making any payments. Also staying in an Airbnb in 2 different areas might give you a chance to checkout the areas and then find something while here.

I am starting a collaboration with Keller Williams and would love to see if I can help you find something.
https://kwtamarindo.com/
Feel free to send me a WhatsApp +506 8962 9593 and we can talk more. We can be neightbors!

I would also start by following some FB pages to see what is available in general.

Tamarindo/Guanacaste
https://www.facebook.com/groups/756500642604738
https://www.facebook.com/groups/758481256210621
https://www.facebook.com/groups/564241092568201
https://www.facebook.com/groups/costaricapropertiesforsale
https://www.facebook.com/groups/356524978864654

Jaco
https://www.facebook.com/groups/367192627123252
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705626296211566

Here are some other rental offices I found online that you can contact too.
Tamarindo area
https://flamingobeachrealty.com/long-term-rentals-costa-rica-tamarindo/
https://tamaluxury.com/long-term-rentals/
https://rpmrealestatecr.com/oceanfront-luxury-condos/
https://costaricadreamsrealty.com/18-long-term-rentals
https://www.realtor.com/international/cr/guanacaste-province/rent/

Jaco
https://jacobeachrealty.com/listing-type/long-term-rentals/?sortBy=priceLowToHigh
https://jacorealty.com/listings/long-term-rentals/

I would love to help you find a rental in Atenas. I have a contact at Keller Williams. Do you want to send me a message on on WhatsApp +(506) 8962 9593 and we can chat about what you are looking. I was in Atenas last year and really liked it.
I also recomend this group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197
They have weekly morning meet ups that are a great way to meet new people!!!!

Have you visited Lake Arenal? I love that lake.

Check out these articles I wrote about areas around the lake:
https://internationalliving.com/six-properties-and-under-4000-property-tax-total-in-trondara-costa-rica/
https://internationalliving.com/a-simple-caring-life-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/
https://internationalliving.com/natural-beauty-and-a-500-rent-by-lake-arenal/
https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/

There are some contact links in those articles if you are interested in staying in any of the cabinas or Airbnb.

Rio Celeste is a gorgeous river that runs through Guanacaste. There are a lot of farms area near Rio Celeste and Volcan Ricon de la Vieja. So you may want to look for properties with a river.

Are you looking to buy a property or rent? Feel free to send me more details; I would love to share more.

Mel has been to a few conference in San Jose to share about life on the Caribbean Coast in Costa Rica. She is a wealth of info and a fun person to hang out with too!
https://www.yougotmelandmey.com/

I wrote a profile about her a while back too: https://internationalliving.com/caribbean-chill-and-850-rent-in-costa-rica/

She also shares more in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUI44ksSOzg

I have not been to the Carribbean Coast for many years, yet I hope to take an editorial trip there in 2025 so I can bring back even more first hand info! It is so beautiful and relaxing, a much slower placed life than Guanacaste (where I live), in my opinion.

Good luck and Pura Vida!!!

-Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Correspondent

My contact in that area is Carol Prado - KW | Costa Rica.

You can send him a message on WhatsApp message (‪+506 6345 7251‬) or email (Carol.prado@kwcostarica.com) to connect with him.

Are you looking for a developer to build a house? I don't have anyone at this time, but I can ask around and see if I find any reocmmendations.

How exciting! Good luck. If you head to the Tamarindo area, feel free to send me a WhatsApp (+506 8962 9593).

Personally, I have heard of more gun violence in the news in the past year or so in the country. A few years back, we had very few shootings--I do see a rise in general. I don't notice it as much as violence in tourism, yet we must always be vigilant and pay attention.

I am grateful for my community and neighborhood and love where I live. Feeling safe in my home is always my number one priority.

I always use Enterprise, not sure why, but I had a good experience the first time and just kept going back.

-Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Corresspondent

We had a great conference last weekend. I met lots of people interested in Costa Rica. Remember you can email me for more info or with questions or post right here to chat and share with others! I am here to help you.