car lease

Yes. Many of the banks offer leasing and traditional financing to finance the purchase of a new vehicle. Having said that, the structure of the lease is not like in the USA. Most of the leases that I have seen are structured exactly like a loan except they are on a lease contract which gives the Costa Rican tax payer a tax deduction. The largest “residual value” that I have seen on a lease of an auto in Costa Rica was 20% at the end of 36, 48, or 60 months. So one of the biggest benefits of leasing, a much lower payment and a shorter term, is side stepped by the structure.

I have been involved in the leasing industry in the US for many years. I hope to start a leasing company in Costa Rica in a couple of years and offer all of the benefits of a properly structured lease to Citizens and Residents alike. I might even have a program for perpetual tourists. As you may know, vehicles hold their value exceptionally well in Costa Rica so a conservative residual value could generate a much lower payment than is currently offered in the market.

Have you checked into qualifying for the financing of a vehicle in Costa Rica? Most of the programs that I reviewed required you to have a costa rica credit file and/or a large down payment. They are designed for citizens and have some provisions for residents.

My suggestion would be to go to the next “auto expo” where all the cars and banks are on display. At the auto expo, there is lots of information on leasing and financing and it is much easier to compare vehicle prices since all of the vehicles are in one place. Maybe someone else can comment on when the next Expo is scheduled. Good Luck, Jerry