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Where do Most American live in Costa Rica?

I live in Hawaii, but would really like to live in Costa Rica....How?

  • Hey everybody, I really want to move to costa rica. I love surfing and I know that Costa Rica is great for that. I have a couple questions... Since Im american can I work in Costa rica? I have a masters degree in Business-would this help me at all down there? I hate the big city-prefer to live by semi touristy places (I find that they are a lot more fun) and being single doesnt hurt much either. What areas should I be looking to move to? Places with great surfing, and clubs and etc. How much does it cost to live down there? Is it expensive? Could I buy a house or a condo for around 100k? Thanks for all your help guys Jeremy

  • Answer:

    Before you move there, I would suggest that you first take an extended trip (for at least 3 months) to see if you'd like it. And I would NOT buy any property there without first living there (renting) for a year. Honestly, you really should not be buying any property there at all, the laws are so weird that you can end up losing your house. For example, you meet a "nice" girl. You decide to move her in to your house. One day, for whatever reason, she calls the cops and tells them that you have hit her. Guess what, the cops will come and remove you out of YOUR house. She will then move in her Tico (Costa Rican) boyfriend and you'll be out on the street while they enjoy their new house. Another crazy law is "squatter's rights". If somebody moves in (i.e. breaks in) to your house while you are away, it eventually becomes their property. It would have to be for a while, not just a few days, but you get the point. The laws there are so skewed, it's scary. LOL Oh, and lets not forget all the real estate scams that go on down there. You better have 2 lawyers when you do a deal. An American lawyer and a local lawyer who speak English. My buddy (a dumbass) sent $20,000 deposit on a condo that was "being built", without even seeing it. Surprise, surprise, 6 months later, he was notified that the project will not be finished because they could not obtain the right permits, and his money was already spent on materials, so tough luck. There are so many scam artists down there (Sadly, most are Americans). The whole country is completely corrupt, starting from the government down to the police. A bribe will get you anything you need (permit, license) or get you out off just about anything. Are you still ready to move there? As far as working there... only legal residents and citizens are allowed to work. The average salary there is about $100/week. Foreigners with no papers can work illegally, mostly in casinos and sportsbooks. As you can imagine, it's very hectic. I'd want more stability then that, especially if I own property there (that's another reason I would not buy). The cost of living is low, if you live like a Tico. That means eating a lot of rice, beans, eggs, potatoes, vegetables, and maybe chicken. If you are used to American products, they are twice the price that it costs in the states. There are some good surfing places, but the 2 most popular ones have documented water contamination. In Jaco and Tamarindo, there is human fecal contamination. So basically, you are swimming in sh*t. I guess the tourists don't know because they go by the thousands each year. It's not something the Costa Rican tourist board will announce publicly. The local English papers do have stories occasionally, but they get buried quickly. Oh, I didn't mention the crime. Homes and cars get broken into daily. Armed robberies are on the rise. If you have a nice car, you are in trouble. Petty (and not so petty) theft is the 2nd national sport, after soccer. A woman I know had 3 guys with guns force their way into her home, beat her, steal everything that wasn't nailed down, and then one tried to rape her but she fought back and luckily they decided to just leave. Could've ended worse. Look, it's a fun vacation spot, but as for living there... HELL NO! Maybe when I retire, and don't need to work, and can live comfortably off my savings.

jeremy w at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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The best thing for you to do to get CR out of your system is go for 3 months and take at least $1200 spending money a month. And for good surf go to Playa Dominical. That is a true surf town Even local kids teach people how to surf there. Its a nice place with good energy. As for buying a house. Properties are very expensive in Dominical, like in the $500K's. IN CR it just depends where you buy the property. You can find property starting from 5k but you might only get water twice a day or you can find property from 10 to 15k or already built houses for $30K and there is no limit on how expensive a property can get there. It just depends where and who you buy it from. If you buy it from a Costa Rican then you might get a better deal but if you buy it from a American that bought it in the past and is now selling it to invest then you might pay a lot for it. Also you do have to be very careful because there are a lot of real estate scams there. You need to make sure you do your home work on the laws there and find a good lawyer that will not lie to you and rip you off (which is not that easy to find in CR). So yes it would be a good idea for you to first live there at least for a year and get to know how things and real estate laws work over there so that no one can rip you off. You can easily find a place to rent for between $150 to $300 a month. As for getting a job, there are already a lot of Americans, Canadians and Europeans working illegally in CR but your salary will most likely be 4 to 5 dollars an hour if your lucky. Its better to just start your own business out there, like a surf shop or a scuba dive store or any business that can make you a profit. You'll be better off than working for someone out there.

Travel Lover Man

@Travel Lover Man Actually, most Costa Ricans price their houses and properties MUCH more expensive then foreigners. And it IS NOT illegal for a foreigner to work in Costa Rica, it is illegal for a foreigner to work without permission from the authorities & a work visa. Obviously, how else would teachers for schools like Country Day, European & Marian Baker be hired?

Tamale

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