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This makes sense. $60,000 for a couple would mean an approximate amount of $500 a piece per month. I am sure that is not enough even in Costa Rica and that would explain why the government has changed the rules. I know that much of the Tico population gets by on even less but I also know that, like most north americans, I would be unable to adjust to that life style willingly. I am guessing that a minimal amount for an average north american life style for a couple with a child owning their residence and no debt would be in the range of between $2000 and $2500 per month.
All these numbers change with inflation and other macro economic factors so who knows? In 5 years time, perhaps $3000 a month would not be sufficient.

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I am also curious about these two places. I have visited both and do not know much about them except they both supposedly have higher concentrations of north americans in residence. Other than that dubious distinction, (which probably guarantees higher land prices) I haven;t yet seen much difference between those places and many other Central Valley towns such as Palmares, Naranjo and San Ramon. So why so many americans in Grecia and atenas? It cannot be any small perceived advantage in more english speakers because, let’s face it, eventually expats are going to have to learn a good bit of spanish no matter where they live.

Edited on Jan 21, 2008 08:10

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I always thought the amount for couples would be two times $600 per month, or $600 apiece. I am lousy at catching details sometimes. I was also under the impression that the rentista was required to withdraw and convert $1000 per month…no more, no less.

These amounts, I suspect, reflect what the government considers minimal for self support.I also wonder what the thinking is behind these two different amounts. I find it hard to believe any couple could survive on $600 a month or even $1200 and more reasonable to assume an individual could get by on $1000 per month, although I don’t know if that would be comparable to a North American life style. So why the difference?

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At first, I was also a bit concerned about thievery in CR. I heard and read so many stories. But after a while, I thought more about the subject and concluded that this is more a problem of dealing with an unwarranted fear than anything else. Some people are naturally fearful. Some are naturally inclined towards behavior which invites crime. Again, I think it has more to do with these things than with the country in which you live.

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Almaral,
The only effective solution to crime is education and economic well being. All the police and laws in the world will not do the trick. Ignorance and the frustration of unresolved desire in the face of unfairly distributed wealth is the cause of crime. All the police in the world enforcing tough laws will only channel the frustration and delay the inevitable social explosion. I am sorry, but there is no way to exclude politics from any discussion of crime. If your problem is with the Costa Rican police and lax attitudes towards crime, perhaps staying here in the States is best for you. After 7 years of right wing republican governing. we certainly don’t have any crime problems here, do we?

Edited on Jan 12, 2008 07:17

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well put Maravilla and David. I agree 100% with all you have said here. Even if you are never robbed or assaulted, you can become a victim simply by succumbing to an unreasonable fear of crime.

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I spent a lot of time in Cuba over a 5 year period 30 years ago. I began visiting Costa Rica often a year and a half ago when I bought some property where I intend to retire. I spend a lot of time talking to my friends when I am in Costa Rica, one of whom is a Tico and we have discussed the issue of crime and the perceived danger of crime. I told you right off the bat I was no expert but have you heard from an expert yet on this issue?
Who would that person be? Some one unfortunate enough to have been a victim of crime? Some one who studies statistics? Someone who has lived there all his life but has never been victimized? All of the above? And how would any opinion from anybody else be of any use except as anecdotal evidence that “yes, crime exists in Costa Rica”. How that pertains yo your specific situation is always going to depend on a set of well known parameters such as the specific place where you live and how you behave there. You can find as much peace and tranquility or as much crime in CR as anywhere else.

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I know a lot of reactionary ultra right wing Cubans here in Miami who can say the “I F****D back home in Cuba so let me try the U.S.” Most of them encountered far more crime here than they did back in Cuba, but they adapted. What is happening in Costa Rica, it seems to me, is that since crime is more in the news, the Ticos are having a natural reaction. Peoples’ attitudes follow where the media leads them. This doesn’t mean they are, as individuals, in significantly more danger now than before. They are just more aware of a condition that always existed. I don’t think the increase in reported crime is significant except for a miniscule few unfortunate and unwise tourists and Ticos.

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Maybe the stats are misleading. Or maybe your land is in a very crime active area. have you had any personal experience with crime in CR?
I do not spend much time there (yet) and I only am familiar with one area, but I am careful not to become the typical fearful american based soley on what I read. I see enough unwarranted fear here in Miami and the rest of this country regarding terrorism and crime. Our government has become adept at keeping the population scared and off balance. I don’t want to carry that culturally instilled fear forward to Costa Rica when I move there. I find it difficult to believe that there would be more violent crime in Costa Rica than in Venezuela and Peru.

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It is human nature to put a spin on things. If you are poor, why then, “Money can’t buy happiness”. If you are not particularly attractive, then “ beauty is only skin deep”. If you are an expat in Costa Rica, you may be well positioned to benefit from a harsh recession in the U.S. After all, money has to park itself somewhere. If investment opportunities are slim in the States, then they may well be much better in Costa Rica. The deeper the recession, the longer the recovery, the more wealth might be transferred to little Costa Rica, where many of us own land. I get the impression there may a bit of wishful thnking on the part of some who predict a falling sky. Others in that camp may be influenced in their analysis by their political philosophy. There are bears and there are bulls and there are conservatives and there are liberals and there are chicken Littles and there are Pollyanas.

History is used often, like statistics, to back up particualr points of view and to make predicitions. And like statistics, history can be bent and interpreted to fit whatever thesis is being presented. After all, how many times throughout history has Chicken Little taken to the streets? And how many times have we seen self fulfilling predictions come to pass in the panic after she puts on her show?

Humans are pack animals. We follow leaders. I have no idea if we will end up following Chicken Little and end up in a deep, long recession, or if we will follow Pollyana this time and have a short recession. We are in a recession but I can’t tell which camp is the largest. But I am not going to panic.

I am keeping my head up and I am listening and watching closely. I have put my portfolio into a 40% cash position, divested out of financials and consumer discretionary companies and moved more money into tech, energy and foreign companies .But I am NOT buying gold, burying cash in a hole in the back yard and storing canned food in a shelter. I remain mostly plugged into the U,.S. for the time being with a tentative foot in the Central Valley where I hold a piece of property. The best tactic to survive anything is to avoid following the crowd…especially if that crowd is intent on running over cliff…

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I am no expert on life in Costa Rica. I am learning. But I do have the common sense to take most of what I read about crime in CR with a grain of salt. It may be statistically on the rise, but however much increase there may be, there is no reason to suppose it is a dangerous place to live. It is human nature to accent the rare scandal and ignore the ubiquitous good that keeps human society functioning and as far as I can see, Costa Rican society is doing just fine. Americans are notoriously a fearful people and should stay clear of crime stats. They have enough false fear on their plates right now with which to deal.

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“NOBODY VISITS COSTA RICA ONLY ONE TIME”
I have some pretty strong positive feelings about Costa Rica. After 4 visits in the last 17 months and a property purchase, not a day goes by that I do not think of the place and the people. All things being equal, I also find it strange that anyone would voluntarily leave Costa Rica to return to live in this circus in the States. Of course, all things and all people are not equal.

Edited on Jan 04, 2008 13:31

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this is interesting. I am a licensed U.S. Customs Broker and when imports come into the U.S., the importer MUST declare a value for all personal effects. Personal effects must have been used for at least one year and then they are duty free. Otherwise, new items listed on the mandatory import invoice must have a fair market value listed for each one. Customs here will not do estimates for importers. I am amazed that CR agentes aduanales would do such a thing. Removing price tags and all labels is, of course, a ploy to enter the goods as personal effects. I’ll bet Customs inspectors just automatically assume the importers are doing whatever they can to circumvent duties and so they rate electronics as dutiable and new regardless.
And, by all means, ship container loads. Loose cargo is much more expensive for freight and also more liable to be pilfered whether on pallets or not.

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So any foreign national can come to Costa Rica and earn an income form working? Aren’t there restrictions?

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I am more worried about lack of control than too much control. Somebody has to keep an eye on corporations. Corporations have no morals whatsoever. The same could be said about many governments but at least the good of the people is in the charter of governments. Corporations exist only for one purpose and it has little to do with the common good.

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