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Both my sister and myself were born in Costa Rica of an Connecticut father and a Costa Rican mother.
We both live and have lived in California since the early 1960’s. Recently I found out that I’m also a Costa Rican citizen by birth, and that all I need to do is apply for a cedula and then a passport at the LA Costa Rican consulate.
I have thought about moving to Costa Rica in the future with my soc security benefits, and also the possibility of working as well as a Costa Rican. But enough about me.
My sister’s benefits from her ex husband will be cut from $4500 to $2000 to maybe $2500 if we include soc security that she might get from the US government.
One of our Costa Rican female cousins has already offered my sister a room in a house she rents for $300.
This would be in barrio Mexico. Knowing how finicky my sis is, she might want to live in a better neighborhood.
I have checked apts for rent in La Nacion and they go for anywhere from $500 to $750 which I think are decent.
The question is:
Would she be able to realistically live in San Jose by herself and 2 dogs and still have cable tv, internet, and a decent lifestyle on $2000 a month?
Every time this question comes up, whether you’re talking about one person living on $2,000 per month in San Jose or a six-person family living on $5,000 per month in a beach community, the answer is the same.
It all depends on a combination of individual circumstances, individual needs and wants, and what you mean by a “comfortable lifestyle”. One person’s comfortable lifestyle consisting of three meals of rice and beans a day would be untenable to another. Needs and wants are individual.
The best answer anyone can offer you is that your sister come for an extended visit without cutting all her ties to wherever she’s living now and try it out. She alone can answer your question.
The question is:
Would she be able to realistically live in San Jose by herself and 2 dogs and still have cable tv, internet, and a decent lifestyle on $2000 a month?
[/quote]The answer is: Yes. Lots of good stuff out there.
I agree that one person can live very well for $2000 a month.
Two people could live ‘pretty good’ for this amount.
But whether or not she will [b]like living in Costa Rica,[/b] only time will tell.
You mentioned that she ‘will get benefits’ and to get residency she is required to already in receipt of a guaranteed pension of $1000, minimum. Of course, if she is also a Costa Rican citizen, this is a moot point.As I think I mentioned before, her ex is retiring in May of next year, and his payments to my sis will be reduced to $2000.00 per month, maybe, just maybe $2500.00 in total.
She currently pays $1400.00 for her apt in Ontario, and believe me, the apartments that I have seen in La Nacion classifieds look much better! I’m talking about a range of $500.00 to $750.00. Quite decent.
Reality is that there is just no way she can live here in California on just $2500.00, when she can’t even do it on $4500.00. I had to give her $1800.00 to move out of her gorgeous house that she foolishly lost due to her own stupidity. But that is another story.
Could any of you tell me what average expenses would be for food, utilities, cable tv, internet, seguro social, etc would be? I’m not talking about filet mignon here, but a balanced meal, but not quite just rice and beans alone. I think she can do without a car.
She can also live with one of our female cousins in Barrio Mexico, who only pays $300.00 for her rental house, while my sister decides what to do.You haven’t responded to the main question, is she a Costa Rican citizen too? Will she be applying for residency as a [i]Rentista[/i] which requires $60K be placed in a bank for her monthly expenses, where $2500 a month, will be placed into a separate account for the first two years? After another $60K is deposited to continue to support her for the second 2 years. Or [i]Pensionado[/i] which requires a pension from a guaranteed source or SS with a minimum of $1000. This [b]cannot[/b] be from alimony.
For $1500-$2000 per month she can live well in a decent home or condo with the all the utilities and payments you mentioned although maybe not running and maintaining a car, if she wants to continue living and spending as she did in the USA. This will really depend on where and how she choose to live, and how she manages her funds.
If she is a citizen, then she will live well on her alimony.
Please read the info on [url=www.residencyincostarica.com]Residency in Costa Rica[/url] which will explain it, better than I can 😉
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