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Flights are usually more expensive going to Liberia, due to the landing fees. Also less airlines fly into there.
If you come with a family, and you do not intend to apply for legal residency, you could find difficulties getting your child into school here. Many schools require that you are either ‘in process’ or have already gained residency. You would probably prefer a private school and many of these start at $500 per month.
You will be required to keep exiting CR every 90 days or less to renew your tourist visa and your drivers license, and this is getting much more complicated.
Everything is costing more these days and employers are less likely to employ ‘illegal workers’, even those with Temporary resident status, as the fine is very high…especially when they can hire ‘local’s for the job.
Most of the younger, working expats you have seen, could be married and have had children here, so can legally work. Also once you have gained Permanent Residency, after approx 5 yrs, you can work.Suggest you read the info [url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/Immigration-and-Residency/residency-general-information-and-summary.html]here [/url]and more so, details regarding working in Costa Rica.
[i]’Incidentally, are you aware that Costa Ricans currently contribute to CAJA at higher percentages than do expatriates that apply for residency there?
For a Costa Rican the contribution rate is about 23%, with employers responsible for about 15% and the worker responsible for about 8%'[/i]
[b] This is incorrect![/b]
The [b]employer,[/b] albeit an Expat or Costa Rican citizen, is required to contribute 26% of the salary and the employee 9%, (there may be a slight difference now, but this is what we paid). The employees pension is derived from these deductions, at a later date.
When a ‘regular citizen’ applies as a [i]Seguro Voluntario[/i], CAJA is may be as low as 4-7%, depended on many circumstances. *This does not included payment into a pension.
[url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/Labor-Law/registering-your-employee-with-the-costa-rican-social-security-system.html]Please read [/url] and the rest of the [url=http://www.costaricalaw.com/Labor-Law/registering-your-employee-with-the-costa-rican-social-security-system.html]Labor Law [/url]
I noted the ‘hoped for’ payment too…:roll:
An expat married to a [i]Tica[/i] told me yesterday, that their fee has risen nearly 17% too.His payment was increased, just like others as of 1st January, who were told it was due to ‘costs going up’.
Last year, the increase took place in January, but other years the months varied.Yes, we are now Permanent residents but have been personally asked many time by potential residents [i]”what will we need to pay per month, if we apply under the Investor status, by purchasing a house valued at over $200K”.[/i] I would like to be able to answer their questions, to whether they would be better off financially applying under another status if they were able to do so.
In regards to long term residents paying a lower rate, and now paying ‘catch up’: someone I know was granted Temporary Residency in Dec 2013, and paid his first payment to CAJA, then this week, his second payment had risen by 17%.Scott, do you know what percentage someone, who has applied as an Investor, by way of purchasing a house would be?
Last year the fees also went up, and this year it [i]seems[/i] to have risen 17% of the declared ‘income’ according to other posted increases.
Our friend uses this, and swears by it…but does mention you have to be inline of site. He said the cost is approx $80… [i]if I remember right. [/i]
Read[url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/cfmbb/messages.cfm?threadid=433EE023-24E8-5ED2-F1ADDFC0A4FE9BC1&page=1] these earlier post regarding the cost of electricity [/url]here, and know that it has been announced that the price is going up, and up, and up …
If you end up in an area where AC is [i]needed[/i], your electric bill could be in the $600+ per month range…and the beach areas around Playas del Coco are hot.
We are in the interior of Guanacaste and we currently rent a home in a small rural gated community, the gate being there to keep the escaped horses, in. While we really like the property we wouldn’t buy it for a variety of different reasons.
Take your time to find the place that suits [i]you[/i]…and not what suits someone else.Many [i]Ticos[/i] will place their property for sale, but don’t [b]need[/b] to sell it, so if someone pays the high price they’re asking, good for them. On the other hand, ‘Gringos’ are often desperate to sell, and have realized that to do so, they must ask a reasonable price.
SammyJo, Costa Rica has very bad, if any, sidewalks, so using a wheelchair is often very difficult. Most wheelchairs are actually used on the street due to uneven surfaces on the sidewalks, alongside holes and posts with cables attached in the middle. Houses or apartments too, should be checked out to see if your chair will fit in there too.
Come for a visit [i]prior[/i] to making a major decision.
