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I am from the US, but currently live in Dubai. I am relocating and am considering CR, as I do not want to return to the US. I keep reading that the cost of living in CR is less. However, most websites I look at show a typical apartment is $900-$1300 (same as US), cars are more expensive than US, gas is about the same, Internet/Cell about the same (but less reliable and slower) so where does the savings come from, compared to the US? I understand quality of life is better, but what about financial?
Jack… Housing rentals can be had for much less than the numbers you’re looking at. Unless of course you’re looking at high end living or a rather expensive area of CR. Utility bills (Electric/phone/water) will be less than the states. Internet is about the same… cellphone service costs are less but can be spotty in areas. Cars cost more in CR (purchase) but the annual cost (insurance/inspection/repairs) will be less. Gas is more expensive than the states… but depending on how much driving you’ll be doing it’s not a big issue. Food will cost less if you shop and like fresh local produce. Prepared and other American type foods are about the same. Dining out will be less if you know where to go and enjoy home cooked food. Labor cost are a lot less should you need to hire help.
So where are the BIG savings… taxes for one. Medical and dental care are a lot less… and the service is very good. Overall you’ll find that you’ll be able to make your money go a lot further and live very well. And that’s not even touching on the climate and quality of life.
Everyone will have there opinion… this is just a brief answer.
So how did Dubai stack up as far as cost compared to living in the US? And why the exit?
Edited on Apr 11, 2009 10:38
Costs in Dubai? Astronomical. A typical, small (895 sq ft) apartment is US$3,000 per month. Quality of fruits and vegetables are fair, but expensive; bacon is $7/lb; gas is $1.40; dining out is costly (alcoholic drinks are $15, cover charge at clubs $50, trendy restaurants will be $110 for an entree with less trendy restaurants at $30 per entree). Summers are hot (usually 120+ degrees in Aug/Sept, but winters are great). Labor costs are cheap (e.g., my secretary works 55 hours each week for $550).
Why the exit? I am a real estate/construction/corporate lawyer and things are slowing here. I have decided to turn a very profitable hobby (Forex trading) into a living and move to a more enjoyable quality of life; CR seems to offer that possibility. In addition, Dubai seems glamorous until you have to live and work here every day.
Thanks for the reply.
Imxploring’s experience does not exactly mirror our own.
Cars are much more expensive to buy, own and operate here because so much of what’s involved is imported. We pay four times as much in car insurance for one three year-old SUV as we paid on the beach in North Carolina for two similar vehicles. And the annual marchamo (what you pay each December to keep it on the road) is $800US.
Electricity rates are climbing and close to a par with what we were paying in 2005. Cell and landline phones are much, much cheaper. Internet access depends on how you do it. Postage is cheaper than in the U.S., even for mail to the U.S. (go figure).
Anything that originates in Costa Rica (food, especially) will be much cheaper but anything imported (food, especially), toiletries, appliances and imported furniture, imported tires, electronics including computers and printers, printer ink cartridges, shoes and other clothing, will be more due to Costa Rica’s high import duties.
Housing prices are all over the place. You can probably spend a million dollars on a high-end condo (if you could get the financing) or fifty thousand for a Costa Rican-style home that may keep the rain out but which you’ll find otherwise to be none too comfortable.
The cash cost of medical and dental care is ridiculously cheap. Enrollment in the state-run CAJA medical system is startlingly cheap. A private insurance policy from INS will be much more expensive (especially if you’re older and/or have any pre-existing conditions, which INS probably won’t cover) but it will afford you more freedom of choice of care providers and more timely access to care.
Costa Ricans work for a minor fraction of what Americans work for, so you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at what having things done for you will cost. And generally the quality of the workmanship is pretty good. And you’ve not previously met such industrious workers.
Real estate taxes are absurdly low, but there is a national 13% sales tax applied to virtually everything. And American citizens continue to be liable for income taxes in the United States regardless of where they live. There is, however, a foreign earned income tax exclusion which may provide some relief.
Edited on Apr 11, 2009 12:33
David… I guess everything is relative… My home state of NY (Eastern Long Island) is the basis of my comparisons. Car insurance on Long Island is some of the highest in the country. And the repair cost (hourly) at the dealership/mechanic is over $100/hr!!! Homeowners/flood insurance are also WAY up there. So for us CR is a deal.
As for electric/phone… once again… LI NY has some of the highest rates in the country… so CR is once again a deal.
I guess we’d agree on some of the other expenses… it’s all relative depending on where you’re coming from!
If Jack was able to make it in Dubai… I’m guessing he’ll be thrilled with the cost of living in CR…. unless of course he’s looking to shift gears in life and attempt to live as a minimalist…
According to La Nacion this morning there are over 900 centenarians in Costa Rica. That’s all the reason I need to live in Costa Rica – a long and happy life – away from all the stress of North America!
One of four “blue zones” in the world with an unusually high concentration of centurians – Nicoya, CR, Loma Linda, California, Okinawa, Japan and can’t remeber the 4th at this moment, but I would guess Sardinia.
Edited on Apr 12, 2009 18:37
Edited on Apr 12, 2009 18:38
Hi Jack
Just curious, are you still in Dubai? my husband and I also live here and we are planning to visit CR next May on a fact finding mission to ascertain whether or not it is somewhere we would like to live in the long term.
I am keen to know if you are still planning on moving to CR and whether or not you have made any further in roads with regards to relocation.
We all know about cost of living in Dubai so I wont even bother to go there.
We’ve been here for over 5 years now and have seen a number of things change dramatically, however the slow down in the economy seems to be slowing down the pace.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Imxploring’s experience does not exactly mirror our own.
Cars are much more expensive to buy, own and operate here because so much of what’s involved is imported. We pay four times as much in car insurance for one three year-old SUV as we paid on the beach in North Carolina for two similar vehicles. And the annual marchamo (what you pay each December to keep it on the road) is $800US.
Electricity rates are climbing and close to a par with what we were paying in 2005. Cell and landline phones are much, much cheaper. Internet access depends on how you do it. Postage is cheaper than in the U.S., even for mail to the U.S. (go figure).
Anything that originates in Costa Rica (food, especially) will be much cheaper but anything imported (food, especially), toiletries, appliances and imported furniture, imported tires, electronics including computers and printers, printer ink cartridges, shoes and other clothing, will be more due to Costa Rica’s high import duties.
Housing prices are all over the place. You can probably spend a million dollars on a high-end condo (if you could get the financing) or fifty thousand for a Costa Rican-style home that may keep the rain out but which you’ll find otherwise to be none too comfortable.
The cash cost of medical and dental care is ridiculously cheap. Enrollment in the state-run CAJA medical system is startlingly cheap. A private insurance policy from INS will be much more expensive (especially if you’re older and/or have any pre-existing conditions, which INS probably won’t cover) but it will afford you more freedom of choice of care providers and more timely access to care.
Costa Ricans work for a minor fraction of what Americans work for, so you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at what having things done for you will cost. And generally the quality of the workmanship is pretty good. And you’ve not previously met such industrious workers.
Real estate taxes are absurdly low, but there is a national 13% sales tax applied to virtually everything. And American citizens continue to be liable for income taxes in the United States regardless of where they live. There is, however, a foreign earned income tax exclusion which may provide some relief.
Edited on Apr 11, 2009 12:33[/quote]
I know this is an old blog but wanted to share our experience with comparing price with that of Atenas to that of chapel Hill North Carolina. I’m quoting David because He seems most on target for what we have seen based on location. but here are some further details.
The Farmers market fruits and vegetables are 1/3, process foods, sodas etc. seem to be slightly more expensive in Atenas. Don’t know the price of beef as we don’t eat it, we eat very little chicken and typically at a restarant, not sure the cost difference other then do say chicken in Costa Rica is more tender and taste great. If you do things legally (INS rates etc.) hiring people to do general office staff (considering taxes etc.) you can hire 3.5 Atenas workers for 1 chapel Hill worker. Car Insurance is 4x as high in Atenas, Real Estate taxes are about 10x lower in Atenas, Homeowers insurance is about 40% of that in Chapel Hill. Electricity at the low usage is the same per KW at higher usage Atenas can be significantly more expensive, however, over all Electricity tends to be cheaper as no need for A/C or heat.
A session of Physical Therapy is $32 (including all modalities, ultrasound, electric simulation) at CIMA. In Chapel Hill, charges are $100 for the same treatment without the modalities. The Caja is extremely cheap but won’t pay in the private hospitals like CIMA. The INS regional plan (accepted at CIMA) (our age 39-43) is about 10 times less then our BCBS policy, the INS international plan is about 40% of the same policy. Not sure though how good the INS pays it claims or their denial rate or the red tape to get reimbursed. Gas is about 35% higher in Atenas. Laptops 2x higher in Atenas, most other electronics 50-75% higher. There is Gringo pricing, meaning Gringo pay higher in many stores. This can be expected in stores that don’t have prices on their items. Send a TICO (which is what we do for almost all our major buys) and you will save. Here is an example, the price for a wireless router decreased in the same day by over 10,000 colonies when we send in a Tico to buy it. Of course you can experiment for yourself, we have been using Tico friends for such stores, Of course don’t let the store keeper see you with the Tico. For DSL in Chapel Hill $35 for 3M down and .5 up. Atenas Cable Tica, for cable internet 4m down and 1 up $130. Yellowstone National Park $25 per car or $12 per bike or walker. Manuel Antonio $10 for non residents, significantly less for residents.I find the above to be accurate and a good sumation of what to expect living cost to be here. The only thing I can add is the quality of items, service and labor is [u]usally[/u] below ones expectations, that is unless you have been living here so long that the bar has been drastically lowered. With lower expectation you will find yourself at times plesantly surprised. Anyways it a good coping mechaniam.
It will be what you want it to be (cost of living in CR).
If you need a 1,000 watt microwave, 30 cubic foot fridge, hot water for the whole house, plasma TV, Central AC for the house, 2,000 square foot house with all the US ammenities, then you will be at a 75% rate more than what the CR nationals live.
But if you go “Native” just like Miguel or Juan lives, you’l be OK. Not a Spartan way but reasonable.
warren
I don’t know who Miguel or Juan are because I’m new to this forum, but that is exactly what I am looking for. A place that I can learn and enjoy the people and live as one of them (simply). I don’t want to bring “America” with me. I am a simple person with very simple needs. My dream has always bee (Now don’t laugh!) A thatched roof house (or hut) in the mountains (because of the lack of bugs and the temperate weather)., I want to see animals in the roads; and eat food that was picked the same day (not a month ago and then sprayed with poison to make it look good). Mingle with the locals, learn their language (we are in their country), Ride a horse or a mule around instead of a car. I can’t afford to live like that in the US but the more I read about CR, I believe that I could have that here.
Any feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated!
Most of our forum members who live in a hut in the mountains will tell you it [i]gets cold up there![/i]
Not too many of them have internet access there, either…
You would need to come and search out your[i] ‘Shangri la'[/i] as it probably here, somewhere , but I think the dream would ‘get old’ fast.
Plus you would still need to apply for residency the same as everyone living here, so you may want to read the info, [url=http://www.therealcostarica.com/residency_costa_rica/costa_rica_residency.html]The Real Costa Rica[/url]
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