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Hello All!
I’ve found this website very helpful and interesting thus far, thankyou to Scott! I’ve read articles and the forum and feel ready to make a post of my own, please take it easy on me it’s my first 🙂 but likely not my last as questions abound!
I’ve got it loud and clear that it’s best to visit and rent for a time before considering living or investing permanently. My family and I are willing to take the time to get to know Costa Rica but it must be done on a small budget. This forum certainly gives the impression it will be an adventure full of ups and downs!
My husband and I plan to visit for 10-14 days soon. (dates are flexible) In that time we will explore Guanacaste and the Nicoya Penninsula, and hopefully find an area suited to our lifestyle, where we will seek out long-term rental beginning in May (also flexible) for us and our 2 children (11 and 2).
We will need to make an income at some point if we decide to stay permanently. My husband is a chef and I’m a preschool teacher and doula. We’re avid outdoor enthusiasts.
So my questions are:
1. Is anyone interested in showing us the ropes of Costa Rica? Care to put up some good Canadian travellers for a reasonable rate and offer your local expertise? With (or without if that suits you) the potential for long-term rental.
2. How the heck (besides as realators) do expats make money in rural Costa Rica? Are foreign teachers aloud to work? What are rural birth traditions like? (a doula aids women during birth)
Thanks in advance for your responses!
Hello Sunshine. You sound very excited about costa rica. I think you need to do quite a bit more research before you come. First of all , you can not legally work in costa rica at a job that might take wages from a costa rican. You can own a business that employs Ticos but you can’t work in it.Please use the search functions on this site and others to learn more about this aspect. good luck
It’s also important to understand that, whether you work legally or illegally, wages in Costa Rica are a mere fraction of what you would expect to earn in North America. Whether you would be comfortable with the lifestyle which Costa Rican wages would buy should be a real consideration for you. That’s especially true since you have two young children to feed and clothe.
Hello Sunshine,
I live in Guanacaste, near the Tamarindo/Flamingo area. If you do decide to visit, I have some rentals here which are quite affordable and very nice. I am sure I will have time to explain what its like living here and show you around.
Yes, its very true that you will not be making a salary like compaired to the US.. Your husband would not either (unless he was a specialized chef, and found a very high class restaurant to work at). As a teacher (given you find a job and are given a work visa), you could make around 800 – $1000/month at a Private bilingual school here. In the teaching profession here, at private schools, work Visas are given as many American teachers offer what “locals” do not, which is fluent (and I mean fluent) english language skills.
In our area there are at least 3 Private Biligual American Prep Schools, which is more then anywhere else in Guanacaste.
Now the best you can do is prepare a few resumes, and while you are here visit possible schools, talk with people and pass out resumes. In two weeks you could get a feeling what “life” in Costa Rica would be like, see what your cost of living could be, where you may find work, etc.
Don’t forget the cost of giving your children a American style education. Private schools can run way over $3,000 a year so keep that in mind when you are planning finances.
Nobody here can tell you if life in Costa Rica will work or not. It all depends on the skills you possess, your personality and ability to adapt to a new country, your financial state, etc. But if you are thinking about it, the best you can do is come and check it out.
A preschool teacher may find it harder to find work, than a teacher of elementary-high school.
Midwifery is not common, here as locals get free birthing at the CAJA hospitals and most ex-pats use the private hospitals.
*As an added note, I knew an American woman who is a [i]doula[/i] and she had to obtain additional certification here and be fully bilingual before she could practice. She delivered, maybe, 1 child per year over the 3 years I knew her.Thankyou for the specific advice especially caliskatari and costaricafinca it is what I’m looking for on this site. I’m not looking to start my life over again I’m looking for a new life, I don’t expect to live in Costa Rica as I have in Canada nor do I want to. We would like to immerse ourselves in the local culture and make connections as our research, the internet can only get you so far and we have been given the time to do it.
Tamarindo is an area we are interested in seeing, thankyou for the offer, can you give or pm me some more info on your location and ammenities? Are there daycare centres in your area?
I’m open to similar offers from other areas of Guancaste or Nicoya, even just a nice description of what a typical day is like in…Paquera or Santa Cruz or Ostional etc…
[b]sunshine9557[/b] life here is very far removed from the ‘normal’ Canadian lifestyle. We are Canadian, and I had a preschool/daycare for over 25 years, so I know a little of your possible routine. There are a day care centers here, but nothing like you probably have have experienced before. Unless you are in the bigger cities or where many expats live, there will not be English speaking workers. This link, [url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/Schools_In_Costa_Rica__Blue_Ocean_Bilingual_Academy.cfm]Preschool info[/url] was added recently, and is more the North American style. The author is expecting a baby soon, and I am sure she can provide more information regarding life in her area, and possible rental accommodations. Again schools, unless private, will not offer the education you want for your family, and it is not cheap but they are, few and far between.
You will not find jobs easily unless service oriented, and there are many looking for these positions.
FYI new rules go into effect, regarding legal residency here, on the 1st March.
We live in the interior of Guanacaste, and life is slow…Here is some more information about the rentals:
https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/Costa_Rica_Vacation_Rentals_Near_Playa_Grande__Champagne_Upon_Arrival.cfmWithin 20 minutes from our place are the sizable towns of Flamingo, Brasilito, Tamarindo, and Playa Grande. I know most of them have private school, daycare centers or preschools. Also a 40 minute drive is Playas del Coco & Hermosa and I am pretty sure there are some schools there as well.
In regards to daily lifestyle here. Weather is fantastic Decemeber – May, and from May – November theres a bit of rain, nothing like other parts of Costa Rica. Lots of activities to do and places to go, many beaches, volcanos, lakes, hiking, waterfalls, etc.. Of course your idea is to work and make a living but you have to mention the reasons one lives here.. is to enjoy being here. Things can be slow at times, when trying to get things. Depending where you live, you can live in a peaceful, quiet and safe area; or in a more congested beach town where life will be a bit more action packed.
Food is pretty affordable and healthy.. lots of supermarkets around now days with most things you could need.
Though expensive the private schools here (from what i’ve heard) are pretty good. They offer shuttle/bus service and offer a lot of after school activities, sports, etc.
Of course your children will become bilingual quick and will learn not just another language, but of another culture. They will have activities and sport options, of course surfing as well.The problem for most new here is 1) making a living and 2) adjusting to the cultural differences 3)learning the process in which to get things done, and not to mentioned 4) getting used to living in a spanish speaking country.
Though with the help from others who have lived here making that transition and learning those things can be done pretty quickly.
Some of the negative things like the horrible roads, lack of services, lack of schools, are no longer a problem. In terms of “Standard of living”, things here in Guanacaste have gotten a lot better in the last few years.
Hello sunshine,
Just saying the word “sunshine” makes me wish for a little more of it here in T.O. You are doing well to visit first and then plan for a longer stay that may lead to permanent residence. I encourage you to visit the areas and not just do a “drive through”. Each area has its pros and cons and there can be enormous changes that occur over the course of the “seasons”.
We came in Dec 05 and fell in love with Playa del Coco. Since our friends had built here, we decided to purchase a condo. We have returned yearly and at times twice a year. I have put together a small info package on the area for friends who have rented our condo –will share it willingly. What I love best, in Coco, is the fewer tourists, good infrastructure, quiet safe area and beach (if you don’t mind the “golden-brown sand”) and its location to Liberia airport. The town has plenty of shops, grocery stores, great restaurants, and attractions. Using our condo as a home base, we make day trips out to neighbouring beach towns such as Ocotal, Costa Blanca, Flamingo, Conchal, or into Liberia etc. easily. We also all love to just lazy about on Coco’s 3km beach –quiet and peaceful and with very few sunbathers, vendors, etc. We love the area but as a tourist. Our plans are to “finish” our working life and then make the move. To make a life here, as many have already stated, is a different “bowl of soup”. So while visiting, do look past the beauty and think objectively about “living” in the area, day-in and day-out.
Pura Vida may be a fantastic lifestyle, (but not an easy one).
JoeGreat to get some perspective from a fellow Southern Ontarian. Yes I picked that moniker as a teenager (too many years ago haha) I’ve been dreaming of a sunny lifestyle for a long time! I’d love to read your info package. That is the same area as caliskatari it sounds very nice and definetely worth a visit. I really appreciate the specific info I know over this forum it can come off as impulsive but really I’m just trying to get some of our ideas on eventually getting to Costa Rica permanently out there for feedback. I’m a methodical person and of course will take everything into account before making permanent decisions. We’re hoping to make our first visit in March and will take it from there. Does anyone know about:
Availability of natural health products ie; vitamins, homeopathics, chiropractic, naturopaths etc..
Montezuma? (it comes up often in searches as a great little hippie town)
Soya products, milk, tofu etc..
I’m vegan and have a gluten allergy which is why I like Costa Rica and their rice and bean lov’n, do you see wheat flour often?
Again, thanks to everyone for your info!!Not much in Montezuma in the way of Vegan items. For Chiropractic in Montezuma? you might have to settle on getting someone to walk on your back. No tv station either. Laid back style with lot’s of college kid travelors
There are about a dozen chiropractors licensed in Costa Rica. You’ll find them clustered mostly around the greater San Jose region.
There are macrobiotic/naturopathic product stores in some towns, and some pharmacies carry homeopathic products.
Soy milk is available at PriceSmart and maybe AutoMercado, both in and around San Jose. Can’t say about tofu.
You may find your ‘food items’ at some of the more expensive supermarkets either in the SJ, Escazu or some larger beach towns but don’t don’t presume them to be here.
You would be better of in town than in the beach areas, though. BTW PriceSmart is like ‘Cosco but from the beach areas, it is about 3-4 hours away depending on which beach of course..
Again, nothing like the variety you would get ‘back home’ Problem is, you can possibly get it one day, and then not see it again for months.In terms of chiropractic’s, we know of a great one in the town of Huacus, which is about 5 minutes away from us. They can be found, you just need to ask around.
Regarding Soy Tofu, milk, etc.. Like everyone said here, with some luck you will find some of those items in the larger supermarkets. My Mom drinks a lot of that stuff and just brings it down with her when she comes.
Are you a Vegan or a Vegetarian? Vegan meaning you don’t cook any food as well.. meaning you just soak your rice and beans?
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