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[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Earning a living here is a very difficult undertaking. Many have tried and most have failed. The best advice is to bring your money with you. That’s why the majority of expats other than Latin American workers are retirees with stable unearned incomes from Social Security, pensions, or savings.
Too, Costa Rica is cracking down on “perpetual tourists” who leave the country every ninety days to qualify for a new tourist visa. To be safe, you should fully understand the requirements for legal residency and be prepared to meet them. Meeting with a knowledgeable Costa Rican attorney who specializes in residency matters would be a wise move if you are seriously considering living here.
As for the cost of living . . . Well, it all depends on what you need, what you want, and (maybe) what you can live without. Many things are cheaper here than in North America, but that is not universally true. Your best bet would be to carefully consider the lifestyle you want to lead here and to price it out on your first visit. Then decide if you have the necessary resources. Only you can tell what your costs will be.
Yep, good advice David.
I have an uncle and aunt on my mom’s side who were born in Costa Rica and both are retired with great pensions. I venture to say that between both they probably take in $5 to $6 thousand per month. They live in Ontario CA in a nice track home, and they visit Costa Rica at least once a year. Funny thing is that my uncle related to me that when they were in C.R. last year, they visited a nice resort, and the gringo manager after getting acquainted told my uncle: What! You mean to tell me that you prefer to live in California and both of you are also Ticos? That’s crazy! I’m a gringo and I prefer to live in Costa Rica!:D
[quote=”elindermuller”]The subject and the question was if legalizing drugs would be cheaper for Costa Rica (and other countries I suppose).
I will answer with a question : Other (legal) bad substances (alcohol, smoke, sugar and other bad food .. causing diabetes, cancer, heart problems, overweight etc. etc.) are causing huge costs for the countries health systems, so why are they legal ?
Where is the limit of “substance A is more damaging than substance B” ???? The number of autistic babies born by pod smokers ? Or the number of smokers who die from lung cancer ? Or people killed by drunk drivers or alcoholics killed by cirrhosis ? Or fat people killed by diabetes and heart attacks (after years of expensive treatment) ???[/quote]
Good points Elin.
Again, is it cheaper to give that poor addict free drugs so that he won’t attack a citizen or tourist for the cash to buy the drugs, or will legalizing the drugs put the dealers out of “work” and they in turn will attack the citizens?
Another question is why doesn’t the US government just buy the whole crop of drugs from the cartel, and give it away for free. If it’s cheaper, and it saves money for the state, that would be the benefit. After all, the main market seems to be the United States.
Has any country done a cost analysis on the subject of legalization?Perhaps certain people in governments won’t get their cut of the narco traffic profits…. if drugs are legalized.8)
[quote=”maravilla”]That is such great news! I hope you have a beautiful wedding day and a hundred years of happiness.[/quote]
A hundred years Maravilla? Maybe I’m just a cynical SOB. I was guided by an uncle on my mothers side that told me the intelligent man doesn’t marry. He was married to a Costa Rican gal that had 2 kids by another man, while married which he raised, while he in turn had a son with a prior gal that he never acknowledged as his son. He treated the sons he didn’t father better.
But who knows, maybe, just maybe, Scott will have a happy marriage. Me, I’m just looking at my receding hairline and plucking away at my white hairs, which seem to be popping everywhere.:Dhttp://www.thedailybell.com/28774/Paul-Craig-Roberts-The-Missing-Recovery
It’s all about the banksters Victoria, and they are creating inflation that is eating away at your savings. Why save when the true inflation rate in the US is 5 to 7%? You are losing money by saving. While making the banksters richer.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”VictoriaLST”]Hey Scott, what is the “United Zionist Police State” thing?[/quote]
It sounds like what it sounds like, Victoria.
I don’t think Scott’s reply meant to be anti-semitic. From where I stand, there’s a difference between Zionists and Jews.
I wholeheartedly agree as I have a particular attachment to Costa Rica. After all, I was born there, and have a lot of family from my mother’s side living in Costa Rica. And as some of you know I have the choice of dual citizenship which I will be exercising hopefully within a few years.
😀[quote=”maravilla”]Is the US a narco state? you bet your sweet bippy it is.[/quote]
This morning I left my driveway on Red Hill in Tustin California, and while waiting for the red light to turn green I noticed the 5 North entrance on the right, the 5 South entrance on the left, the amount of cars behind me, and to the left. And for a moment I was like in a frozen state. And I asked myself what the hell I was doing here. Wouldn’t it be better to be walking the fine white sand of Cahuita Beach, or swinging from a hammock in a Guanacaste beach? I’m running out of options, but I just don’t like living in the United States anymore. It might take a couple of years to leave, and I’m counting the days. Even Ecuador is on the table.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]Reading more info on this resort, it says it is located on 250 acres, which leaves it very susceptible to anyone going being able to go over the fences…
If the guard was located at the gate at the entrance, this doesn’t offer much ‘protection’ to either hotel guests or the houses there, just someone to sign people in and out.
Unfortunately not only those are involved with [i]’narcos'[/i] are affected by robberies.[/quote]The question that should be on the minds of the President and the Assembly is when will Costa Rica be labeled a narco state? Perhaps when one of their own diputados is kidnapped or decapitated? Will they wait until Costa Rica turns into a little Colombia?
If you don’t hold it, you don’t own it! Thanks Scott!
It’s interesting that while the Chinese are encouraging their citizens to buy gold and silver, the Western European countries and in particular the United States are doing just the opposite. You even have Ben Shalom Bernanke telling us that gold is not money. That gold is a relic of the past, yet the banksters sure fill those bank vaults with gold all the way to the rafters!
As a metals investor, I note that the prices are deliberately being driven down by the Wall Street Banksters, and some fools are selling their gold and silver. Hmmm, they are up to no good. Don’t panic, and buy! Buy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESBORwT0haU%5Bquote=”johnnyh”%5DI hear a lot of good things about Atenas. A lot of gringos are retiring there. Go to Google maps and you will be able to see that it is in a great location to drive west to the beaches of Puntarenas province, and close to the International airport in Alajuela and not too far from San Jose.
If you don’t mind living under the Arenal volcano which is still active, well, why not. Personally I was in C.R. back in 1962 when it exploded suddenly and killed quite a few people. At that time it was mostly farmers. The next time it will be expats! Take a risk? But then I’m a cautious person. I won’t bungee jump, or skydive or sky in the snow. I won’t even skateboard. I do ride a touring bike, and I just had an operation to repair a separated shoulder due to an accident I had in the strand close to the Huntington Beach pier back in the year 2000. I had the operation December 24th, and right now I have a stainless steel plate with screws and a hook. Even now is still hurts! And it’s not over, I have to go back sometime in June for a second operation to remove the dam*d thing. Ouch.
Me, I’m thinking of the Caribbean Coast where It’s more laid back, and not as overbought as the Pacific side. There are some smaller but yet beautiful beaches towards Cahuita-Puerto Viejo-Manzanillo area. And they are really far from the San Jose congestion.oops, Arenal exploded 1968!
I hear a lot of good things about Atenas. A lot of gringos are retiring there. Go to Google maps and you will be able to see that it is in a great location to drive west to the beaches of Puntarenas province, and close to the International airport in Alajuela and not too far from San Jose.
If you don’t mind living under the Arenal volcano which is still active, well, why not. Personally I was in C.R. back in 1962 when it exploded suddenly and killed quite a few people. At that time it was mostly farmers. The next time it will be expats! Take a risk? But then I’m a cautious person. I won’t bungee jump, or skydive or sky in the snow. I won’t even skateboard. I do ride a touring bike, and I just had an operation to repair a separated shoulder due to an accident I had in the strand close to the Huntington Beach pier back in the year 2000. I had the operation December 24th, and right now I have a stainless steel plate with screws and a hook. Even now is still hurts! And it’s not over, I have to go back sometime in June for a second operation to remove the dam*d thing. Ouch.
Me, I’m thinking of the Caribbean Coast where It’s more laid back, and not as overbought as the Pacific side. There are some smaller but yet beautiful beaches towards Cahuita-Puerto Viejo-Manzanillo area. And they are really far from the San Jose congestion.This is what I think, and by the way, this has been a most excellent thread as it applies to all of us. As I’m going to be 64 this coming July I will be heading to the local social security office soon. A lot of you already know the condition of our Dollar, and agree that it’s on its last legs.
We have an enormous debt with China and the Chinese are not dumb. They realize they are holding a lot of depreciating Dollars and that’s why they are buying gold, as well as natural resources throughout the world. They are buying a lot of the good old USA as well. Sort of like reverse colonialism, if you know what I mean. I think the US government is going to default vis a vis China. nd this with Chinese support. We are about to take a hit in that our mighty Dollar will be devalued. We might even become the modern day coolies. Oh, things will not change, we will still get our money, it’s just that you will have to pay more for things that are more costly, including food.
I think the Fed has had it and will be replaced by something new, still controlled by the money power, and we will go back to a gold standard. Some of us that bought into the metals will get away like bandits, and most like I said before, will lose more than half their savings due to devaluation.
But as Paul Craig Roberts said, you’ll walk into Walmart and think that you are inside Neiman Marcus!
By the way, have you noticed that gold and silver have gone down? It’s the big white shoe boyz manipulating the metals to have some dummies panic sell. They want that gold! They don’t want us to have that gold and silver. In the meantime, if it goes down even more, the more I will buy. You should too.[quote=”elindermuller”]I know that there is a Dell Dealer in Costa Rica but they do not MAKE the computers. I asked them a few questions about guarantee etc. and a “sales person” answered my e-mail, not answering my questions at all but telling me that when I order a computer online through them (no store to look at models etc.) they order it in the U.S. and it will be delivered to my door (??), to their price off course.
Import tax on computers in C.R. is only a 13 %.
I have been comparing laptops for the last 2 weeks, C.R. vs. U.S. Not only that many models in C.R. are more “primitive” (Windows 7 home basic, made for 3rd world countries 👿 ) but they still cost a hell more.
I have been investigating on the internet and I found a statement that said “the smaller the market, the higher the prices” . Don´t they think that a small market could grow by paying lower prices ? The average Tico buys most of his stuff on credit (Gollo etc.) and at the end he pays twice the cash price (or four times compared to the U.S. Prices). So maybe, if the price was lower at the beginning, those people would have the chance to save money and pay cash, and this way buy better computers and other stuff more often ? Plus have money left to not only eat rice and beans …
End of the Story, I ordered a Laptop with a friend in the U.S. and he will bring it next week 🙂 not without a test run in the U.S. to make sure it is not dead or crashing (blue screen…) the very first day (had that happen before).
[/quote]
Have your friend bring 2 laptops. One on top of the other, no boxes, manuals in another suitcase. Sell one at a profit, but cheaper than at a C.R.store!
