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I met a few US expats in Boquete, Panama on a visa run a couple of years ago. They had been living in Costa Rica before moving there and had very few nice things to say about retirement in Costa Rica. I for one was impressed with how cheap it was to eat and drink beer there. Almost 50% the cost of what it is here in CR. The hotels were even half the cost of what it is here in CR. It was also shocking to see how people left their brand new cars and pickups parked in the street all night without any worries about thieves. For those considering retirement in Central America with no strings attached to Costa Rica, I’d say Panama should be a serious contender in your search for a place to live.
[quote=”F.A Skippy”]Don’t forget the dippity doo so you can spike your hair up and look like a rooster.Gotta ” fit in”:wink:[/quote]
LOL
[quote=”moonbanks”][quote=”PuraVidas”][quote=”moonbanks”][quote=”costaricafinca”][b]soldier[/b], thanks for your reply. Again, it is good to hear that you did take the time to check things out, and hopefully you have found your [i]’paradise’.[/i][/quote]
I visited costarica for 5-6 years trying to get a feel for the country..explored the whole pacific coast north to south..way to hot for me even though I love the beach..not the utility bill..Have lived in Atenas full time for the past year.I started in a gated community and really did not like it at all..Moved to a tico neighborhood and have met many people who are great and have had no problems what so ever..I hope it continues. My wife is very active in the community and we have adjusted nicely..
I like being close to the city if I need a change of scenery,food,amenities, etc. I also love living in the country away from traffic,less crime, easy living..
realistic budget of 3500.00$ a month that covers everything..rent,food,utilitys,trips,entertainment,car,caja,medical,etc…its not cheap to live here..
we dont plan on moving back to the states but never say never….tks[/quote]Wow, I could live like a true king on $3,500 per month. My wife and I survive on $600 per month living in the country and $1,000 per mo. when staying in San Jose. That includes everything… rent, food, utility, trips, entertainment, motorcycle, caja, medical, etc. Heck our rent is only 75,000 colones per month in a house with a cold water shower and our idea of entertainment is sitting on the beach with a six pack of cold Imperial and a surfboard. I guess it just depends on what “standard of living” you find acceptable.[/quote]
my question to you is simple…How old are you??how many kids do you have back in the states..what is your medical condition…I live in a tico house,drive a tico car,…I did the surf thing with the beer and no money 40 years ago..work my ass off had 3 heart attacks and got out of the rat race..believe me my budget is yes bigger than yours but I have a lot more expenses than you..I wish I could live on $1000.00 a month..Its not possible..but who cares…puravida my friend live the good life…..[/quote]
I’m in my mid 30’s and have zero kids or debt to support(gracias a dios). We luckily got out of the rat race stateside before it consumed our lives. We are in decent health and actually work and survive on the local economy here. I didn’t mean to come off ugly in my last comment to you. Maybe I’m just jealous that you have a $3500 per month to blow. I could really live it up on that kind of budget.
[quote=”moonbanks”][quote=”costaricafinca”][b]soldier[/b], thanks for your reply. Again, it is good to hear that you did take the time to check things out, and hopefully you have found your [i]’paradise’.[/i][/quote]
I visited costarica for 5-6 years trying to get a feel for the country..explored the whole pacific coast north to south..way to hot for me even though I love the beach..not the utility bill..Have lived in Atenas full time for the past year.I started in a gated community and really did not like it at all..Moved to a tico neighborhood and have met many people who are great and have had no problems what so ever..I hope it continues. My wife is very active in the community and we have adjusted nicely..
I like being close to the city if I need a change of scenery,food,amenities, etc. I also love living in the country away from traffic,less crime, easy living..
realistic budget of 3500.00$ a month that covers everything..rent,food,utilitys,trips,entertainment,car,caja,medical,etc…its not cheap to live here..
we dont plan on moving back to the states but never say never….tks[/quote]Wow, I could live like a true king on $3,500 per month. My wife and I survive on $600 per month living in the country and $1,000 per mo. when staying in San Jose. That includes everything… rent, food, utility, trips, entertainment, motorcycle, caja, medical, etc. Heck our rent is only 75,000 colones per month in a house with a cold water shower and our idea of entertainment is sitting on the beach with a six pack of cold Imperial and a surfboard. I guess it just depends on what “standard of living” you find acceptable.
[quote=”sstarkey”][quote=”maravilla”]it certainly is true that some people will never adjust to the differences in culture in a latin country if they have only ever lived in the united states. but it’s not just latin countries that are hard to live in — anywhere that has a different language will be a real test of one’s mettle. i lived in paris and i met plenty of people who fled there too and went home to the comfort zone of the familiar. [/quote]
Agree completely.
Costa Rica will be my 6th country, (when I get settled). I feel up to the challenge, am excited about it and hope I’m not being too optimistic.
In my view, a key success factor is to NOT go to a new country to ‘escape’ problems (real, or imagined) one has at home.
Bad marriages WILL get worse under the stress of living in a foreign country. Social misfits will find it difficult to fit in anywhere they go and are easy marks to get into trouble by looking to solve their relationship problems by ‘adopting’ a new culture. People who can’t manage money at home won’t suddenly become solvent in Costa Rica. Militant government-haters will find something new to hate in their new surroundings and will likely poison their new relationships with their negativity.
While moving to a new country is a great chance to re-invent oneself, one’s core strengths and weaknesses may likely be magnified in the new environment, sometimes with unexpectedly disappointing results.[/quote]
Shit. What happened to just going with the flow?
A close friend of mine drove an RV from Canada to Costa Rica. He claims that it was a wonderful experience. Only problem is that he can’t afford the taxes on his RV, so he only drives after 4am and before 7am. Good thing it takes about 3 hours to get anywhere in CR by car.
Monge furniture is crap and overpriced. You’ll be lucky if a sofa lasts more than 2 years. Do whatever you can to avoid buying just about anything from them unless they have a big sale. Take a road trip to Sarchi and pay for delivery.
You can sell it on http://www.craigslist.com
Maybe it has something to do with sales. But since I joined a week ago, I guess I’m not an authority figure.
Check out http://www.crautos.com and have an engine compression test done by a mechanic before you buy anything.
I appreciate everyone’s opinions, even if I don’t agree with them. It appears there are two ways to build a prefabricated home in Costa Rica. Your first option is to use a company like Facoli or Prefaconstucciones and let them deal with everything. Or you can choose to buy the materials yourself, hire your own maestro de obra and engineer and have a go at it yourself. We love the idea of doing it ourselves, but it honestly scares the shit out of us. Today we had our first mano de obra bid. 4,500,000 colones for a 52 square meter completed Tico style home of either regular standard block or prefabricated slabs. Materials should cost anywhere between 3,770,000 – 4,250,000 based on the quotes we recieved at the Belen housing Expo in Herredia the other day.
How much do you guys pay per hour for a bulldozer to get the site ready?
[quote=”caliskatari”]David.. I don’t know where you are getting your numbers. Are you in the construction business and when was the last time you prepared an actual cost estimate to build a home similar to the one PuraVidas is asking about?
I own a Construction company in Guanacaste, and I am preparing a budget for a similar home’s construction as we speak. So the numbers I am using are recent.
$50/square foot should build you a pretty decent Tico home if done by a qualified contractor who is not charging more then 20% to manage the project:
– 6″ Concrete block wall construction with concrete columns and bond beam, as required on any legal set of construction plans in Costa Rica.
– Paint Finish on both interior and exterior (no stucco on exterior, no plaster on interior).
– Steel or Wood framed roof structure with Plain Zinc metal roof.
– Plumbing and Electrical work to CR (and US) standards including mid range value toilets, sinks, faucets, and vented plumbing.
– Gypsum Ceilings (green gypsum in outdoors), some wood accents, with paint.
– Tile Floors (C5,000 per meter price) and standard bondex (not super bondex)
– Cabinets in kitchen and bath made from Melina wood, stained, with tiled coutertops. Doors made of Melina, Pine or teak.
– Wood framed windows assembled on site.
– Affordable Ceilings fans ($100/ea) in each bedroom and in the living room.
– 1 Hot water tank and hot water in kitchen, bath and showers.
Like I mentioned before that does not include blueprints, site preparation, permits, taxes, insurance, furniture or appliances. In a house like this that could add an additional 30% (Approx) if done on a budget like the home’s construction.[/quote]
Thanks for the honest answer David. Your estimates seem a little more reasonable for the type of home we are preparing to build. I will continue to update this thread with our construction progress.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”PuraVidas”]$1,000 per square meter?? That is almost double what my Tico friends pay . . .[/quote]
The two questions I would raise are: When did your Costa Rican friends pay $50 per square foot?
[b][i]They paid roughly $350 per square meter about a year ago.[/i][/b]
And . . .
Are you actually prepared to settle for the type of construction and finish that they’ve done? For instance, are you prepared to forego cabinetry in the kitchen and bathroom?
[b][i]Yes, I would rather wait and hire a local craftsman on his day off at half price.[/i][/b]
Are you willing to forego insulation in the roof. If yes, have you ever been in an uninsulated, metal-roofed house in a downpour?
[b][i]Yes, I have been living in one for the past 3 years. Don’t try and watch TV or talk on the phone. Reading a book and making love to your wife can still be enjoyable and help pass the time in a downpour.[/i][/b]
Are you prepared to do without window screens to keep the crawlies out?
[b][i]I am quite skilled in the art of making screens. It’s actually a simple process.[/i][/b]
Are you prepared to go with a single bulb hanging from the ceiling in each room and a single electrical outlet (or not) in each room?
[b][i]Yes, I’ve been living in a home like this for the past 3 years. I prefer to have at least two bulbs hanging from the ceiling and not just one. Although, I plan on putting fixtures up after adding wood paneling to the inside of the ceiling.[/i][/b]
Are you prepared to go without hot water?
[b][i]We’re talking about Esterillos not Coronado. I can install my own suicide shower head. Electrical tape and all.[/i][/b]
Are you prepared to walk on very inexpensive, very slippery, and therefore very dangerous floor tile?
[b][i]Nope, I’m going to leave a slab at first and do it myself or find a skilled Nica to do it for me after the “gris” phase is complete.[/i][/b]
And are you prepared to skimp on some of the hidden, but nonetheless important, construction details that go into making a house earthquake-resistant?
[b][i]It will be up to code. A student of mine is a structural engineer and will make sure there are no shortcuts made.[/i][/b]My guess is that you can, indeed, enclose space and roof it for around $50 per square foot, but will the result be someplace you’re comfortable to live?[/quote]
[b][i]Yes, but I’m going out on a limb and guessing that you won’t want to come over and spend the night in our guestroom.[/i][/b]
