If Caye Caulker is your style, you might try the Caribbean coast of CR.... same ish vibe. Cocles beach area is nicest and all you need is a bycicle to see the whole area! Lol The areas of CR are so varied in climate, price and type that you may want to tell us a bit of what is important to you so we can suggest?

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Like the idea of getting around on bikes low key. Our desired budget for monthly is 3500
Thinking rent before purchase
Would like sea view if affordable
Thinking 275k for purchase price. Duable ?

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Check out our website www.gvecr.com

If you send my your email I will send you a copy of my book--The Caribbean of Costa Rica Live and Invest on the Last Frontier.

Gill Phelan
www.gvecr.com
gillphelan@gvecr.com

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I would REALLY advise re thinking about Belize I have had many guests tell me they were Terrified there especially in Belize city...which I read is one of the Murder Capitals of the world including Honduras . Good Luck

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I am interested in your Grand View Estates and the book you talk about. My husband and I are looking to retire in approx. 6 years and would be interested in hearing what you have to say. Thanks...Therese

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I would be happy to send you an ebook and youtube links send me your email please---gillphelan@gvecr.com

www.gvecr.com

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After 10 years in Costa Rica, we returned to the states this past year. Enjoyed most of our time there. But, if you are looking to stretch your retirement dollar, this is not the place. Big caution: Continue your medicare Plan B payments even though you will have no benefits in CR. We turned 65 while in CR and did not realize we had to pay into medicare. We were already paying into the caja. Upon return to the states we were informed we will be making double penalty payments for the rest of our lives! Other returned expats report the same. Medical in CR is great, especially if you have private insurance. We were too old to qualify & with pre-existing conditions. Out of pocket was reasonable. Caja was very good, but be prepared for bureaucracy & waits, Because I did not look carefully at my appt time, I once showed up A YEAR early for my appt. Finally, easy to buy houses, not so easy to sell. Unless you buy a small Tico house, houses can stay on the market for years. Had a great time when we were there. But in hindsight would we do it again, no.

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I guess everybody's idea of what is enough money is different, but my husband and I spend about $1300 per month and have a wonderful life.

To spend a budget of $3500, I would have to drive around in a taxi and throw quite a bit out the window!!!

As far as needing $275,000 to spend on a home, I guess if I was on the coast and needed to several rooms for visitors, and wanted to live in air conditioning and sweating on a bicycle?

For a comparison or option, you could live in 65-80 deg weather without an a/c, and visit the coast often in a car.

As for us we have a gorgeous mountain view and walk to Grecia every day for exercise, and have coffee with Gringo friends every day and a church full f Tico friends who treat us as family..

Just for fun, look up greciarealestate.net and check out the rentals and sale of houses in Grecia.

Good luck in your search for what you want.

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The previous 2 posts present opposing views on retirement in CR. Exactly what is to be expected.

You can drop 20 people off in 20 different places within CR and they will all come back with totally different fotos, experiences, and everlasting remembrances.

So, as a senior who has been VISITING CR for 7 years and who now lives in CR, it is my experience that it all depends on the type of lifestyle you are searching for.

IF you have a lot of liquid income and are able to buy an American quality condo or home, then the remaining expenses will depend on where you are located. Big city, small beach town, in the middle of nowhere, etc. Prices vary for groceries wildly. If you live in a TOURISTY area, expect touristy prices. If you live in a suburb of a large city, you have many more options to save $. Electricity can be pricey. I live in the driest, sunniest part of the country. However, I only use AC when I sleep, if I use it at all.

Restaurants on the whole are cheaper here than in the US, but that also depends. Breakfast in a small town restaurant may cost $3-6 but can be double in a touristy area.

Cars are definitely more expensive but the prices are coming down. Property tax on your vehicle is higher here than in states in the US where such a tax exists. Car insurance is on par or can be cheaper depending on your coverage.

I moved here not so much to save $, but rather to live a longer more productive and healthier life! There is no price you can put on that--priceless. Great climate, great food, great people. Sure, you have to put up with a lot of nonsense like waiting a week for a new car tire or car battery, expecting to wait for any service, but IMHO it is worth it for me.

It is not for everyone, but if you have the $ for housing (whether that be to buy a condo or house, or to cover monthly rent), then I would say that you would find ways to live A BIT CHEAPER (not very much cheaper) here in Paradise.

Pura Vida is worth more than just the $ it cost to live here. LIVE is the key word. In my experience, living here will give you a better quality of life $ for $!

Just my opinions. I am sure others have opinions that may be just the opposite.

Jay

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Lorraine,

Suggest you read this article and watch the video at the bottom.

A good quote stood out for me, "This problem is not new and has been affecting the Guanacaste zone for years, mainly because the Water and Sewerage Institute (AyA) never had a plan for the construction of new aqueducts or the improvement of the existing ones". The second, "

I live in San Jose and we had no water for part of the day today. If this season turns out like last year, we will have many days like today in the months to come.

http://news.co.cr/tourism-sector-in-guanacaste-continues-to-suffer-due-to-problems-with-water-supplythe-lack-of-adequate-water-supply-infrastructure-in-the-province-of-guanacaste-is-taking-its-toll-in-the-touristic-sec/56691/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newscostarica+%28Costa+Rica+News%29

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I live in Guanacaste. There is a water issue--correct. However, the issue as I understand is not on a water Shortage but rather a way to get the water to the areas where it is to be used.

Water studies show that a huge underground supply of water exists for decades of use but do to politics, town petitions and other factors there was an issue with the construction of a pipeline to get the water to people, hotels, etc. Several roadblocks have since been removed and the project is "supposed" to move forward.

Things do move slowly in paradise.

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NothingButNet
I live in Playas del Coco and so far this year we have been OK. Last year they used to shut the water once in a while for 1 or 2 hours but not everyday.
So far we have been having water.
However I read an article Yesterday saying that in the next months San Jose would be without water from 6 to 12 hours which is a lot.
http://news.co.cr/half-a-million-people-in-costa-rica-expected-to-see-water-rationing-up-to-12-hours-per-day/44414/

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I saw on CNN a documentary about this guy who has learned how to save rain water in India.
We had plenty of rain in Guanacaste this past raining season.
Maybe someone should know how to save it too.
https://yourstory.com/2013/09/mechanical-enginee-turned-water-warrior/

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Yep---that is and has been an issue since the crazy development started in around 2004. Pay attention---not fun not being able to flush! The Caribbean has a very nice amount of rainfall compared to the other parts of the country. Check out the weather link on our website.
www.gvecr.com

Gill Phelan

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I almost bought a lot in Sardinal years ago and am familiar with the history there. The developers were collecting money from the people building near the beach---even though many had not proper permitting. God what a rape of the mountains around Playa Hermosa! I went diving after not being there a couple years and about got sick when out on the water I looked back and saw what they did to the beautiful mountains! And they just assumed with the money they collected they would waltz into Sardinal and take the water. Did not work out that way! Anyway--glad the country got smart and put the halt to the craziness but too bad that alot of the damage was done--of course this is just my opinion! In our project the impact was as minimal as possible despite building 10 miles of roads and electric and in reality with what we have planted probably have more trees then when we started.

Gill Phelan
www.gvecr.com

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Once you get in-country and look around some, plan to rent for at least one month in the location of you choice. This will let you get acquainted with the local situation i.e. restaurants, car rental, tv programing, cell phone service, cost of electric (I've know people paying $300-$500 per month in some condos on Pacific coast), etc.

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rghay,
Those people paying that much money in electricity must have huge mansions!
We live in a 2 bedroom condo in Playas del Coco and the reason we paid $50.00
in electricity is because we turn on the AC (one of the splits) for most of the night.
I have neighbors who pay 30.00 and one who just paid 21,00.
In the past we paid as high as 170.00
before we put window screens.

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Hi
I just read this "waiting weeks for a tire or battery" jeez even many years ago here at PriceMart )and other places in Heredia ) they change your tires WHILE YOU WAIT..Same with batteries ..so at the risk of turning Heredia Hills into a "Gringo Gulch" again I say "it DEPENDS where you live .I guess Heredia after living here 26 years is proving to be "the perfect spot" and climate and for cheaper prices... (after living and trying out many. many areas of CR)
For Convenience and cheaper than many places So no wonder we don't want to leave .other areas.. BWARE where YOU choose to live or it MAY apply that you wait weeks for tires, batteries etc...

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FIRST PLEASE research Belize carefully Its Capitol is one of the murder capitols of the WORLD .I think US Embassy still has warnings about Belize Especially "Belize City" t makes San Jose look like a monastery... SURE they speak English but my husband a Tico who travels with his software development company...was scared to travel at any price after a couple of trips to Belize, El Salvador, and Guatemala etc. so do be careful..VISIT long term first. NOT ALL Central america is safe like Cost Rica DEPENDING which areas you choose .We also have areas not safe to be in as do places all over the world,,don't be lured by beaches or "Nice People"

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TRUE Gil more rainfall and danger in Caribbean Coast but there is NO evidence of them collecting the rain for droughts etc....Maybe someday they will utilize the heavy rains there ,,,sure hope so.

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One man's meat..is another mans Poison ....

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Finger crossed we NEVER have had a water nor electric outage except for the VER RARE occasional road repair .Last one was a year ago...again fingers crossed !

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If you cook with gas, it will really lower your electricity bill.

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