OldMark
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum posts
24
About me
American
Registration: 28 September 2012
Activity
Surfboard Rental in Costa Rica
I am planning to rent a surfboard and travel along the coast. Has anyone rented or heard good o bad things about SanJoseSurfboards: Surfboard Rental Costa Rica Read More
How a car accident changed my view on living abroad by justachicaincostarica
Last May I decided to pack up my things and get out of the cold (May isn't really cold, but it isn't always warm either) and head to Costa Rica! I love the beach. I love wildlife. I love nature. So the move wasn't such a hard decision to make. I ...
Great advice!! Read More
restaurants by jerry reid
Will be in Alajuela in Oct., would like the name of a nice restaurant to take my wife for an anniversary dinner. Will be on a Saturday.
No, they are both in the direction of Poas volcano. Read More
restaurants by jerry reid
Will be in Alajuela in Oct., would like the name of a nice restaurant to take my wife for an anniversary dinner. Will be on a Saturday.
Xandari or Mirador del Valle, both offer a nice view. Read More
Caja plan by jerry reidelbach
Hi, my name is Jerry and Iam super impresed on how you guys stick to a budget. We will be retiring there and I hope we are able to manage as well as you do. I have a question about Health Insurance, we are both in our mid 60s and will be applying ...
INS is a good option if you need insurance in Costa Rica. I can just speak from my own experience and I was insured by the CAJA for over a year without having residency. ARCR is a helpful organization, but it is always better to go directly to the ... Read More
Caja plan by jerry reidelbach
Hi, my name is Jerry and Iam super impresed on how you guys stick to a budget. We will be retiring there and I hope we are able to manage as well as you do. I have a question about Health Insurance, we are both in our mid 60s and will be applying ...
From where did you get this assumption , because I do not agree ?It's no assumption! I just went through the whole process and received my residency this year. I was just in the ARCR office and asked this question. I was told I would not be ... Read More
Caja plan by jerry reidelbach
Hi, my name is Jerry and Iam super impresed on how you guys stick to a budget. We will be retiring there and I hope we are able to manage as well as you do. I have a question about Health Insurance, we are both in our mid 60s and will be applying ...
My understanding is that once you get approved for the residency by the immigration department , then you have to join the CAJA . this is the last step to get the "cedula" .You have to join the CAJA befor you can apply for residency! So you cannot ... Read More
Caja plan by jerry reidelbach
Hi, my name is Jerry and Iam super impresed on how you guys stick to a budget. We will be retiring there and I hope we are able to manage as well as you do. I have a question about Health Insurance, we are both in our mid 60s and will be applying ...
can we buy into the Caja plan until we become Residence?Officially not, but it is possible. To be in the CAJA is a requirement when applying for residency, so in reality you can join the CAJA without having residency. Read More
German citizien, currently expat in Hungary, will maybe move to C.R. by Markus1605
Dear All, first of all thank you for spend some time, reading my questions and inputs. I just registerd here and first of all I want to tell you some more details about my person. My Name is Markus from Germany and I am currently living in Hungary, ...
3) I have heard that I have to pay also for health insurance, even if my company would pay for a private health insurance in Europe?Yes, you will have to pay public health insurance. 5) Do I have to pay tax also for my company car and the flat in ... Read More
Moving Help by Bekal848
Hey everyone, I am new here, and hopefully can get some questions answered that Google apparently doesn't like to help me with. I was trying to find hard, legit information on what actual cost of living numbers in Costa Rica Colones might be. ...
Hi Brian, There are several internet and cable providers. Here are the internet rates from ICE, rates are in USD: grupoice.com/wps/portal/kHogar_paquetes_tarifas/#.UI6WB2eh3To An alternative would be Cabletica. Here is a link to their page, you ... Read More
Apostille Acceptance by MississippiBill
In processing for residency, can you totally avoid having to use the local CR consolates in the US if you get all required documents appostillized? Has anyone done this yet? Streamlining is good and I would be interested in your ...
The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry is issuing the Apostille for birth certificates or criminal records from foreign countries. In the past one visited the consulate to get these two documents approved, it is not necessary anymore. Read More
night out on friday? by nickb87
just got here to san jose, looking for some good spots to go out at night!
It's hard to give you advice without more details. Your best resource for nightlife information is the internet: www.whereincostarica.com/parties/ www.la506.com (Spanish) ... Read More
Safety Concerns by Scott365
I've been researching Costa Rica for awhile as my wife and I are considering coming down for a vacation as a first step to possibly moving there as we get close to retiring. The main safety concern I've read about is petty theft. Plus, I'm not ...
Please, do the research and decide for yourself.I totally agree with that. But statistics can lie and in addition to a proper research you should visit Costa Rica for longer period. The homicide rate of Costa Rica is much higher than the one of the ... Read More
Caja: Chicken or Egg by MississippiBill
I have read that to join Caja you must have resident status. I have also read that one of the requirements to get residency status you must show that you are signed up and paying Caja. This sounds like a "catch 22" type of situation. Can anyone ...
Actually you can sign up without having the residency, because this is one of the requirements when you apply for residency. They don't want any members that don't have residency. But it is a loop hole, you can be in the caja for years without ever ... Read More
Safety Concerns by Scott365
I've been researching Costa Rica for awhile as my wife and I are considering coming down for a vacation as a first step to possibly moving there as we get close to retiring. The main safety concern I've read about is petty theft. Plus, I'm not ...
Plus, I'm not really sure what to make of the photo's I've seen of houses with bars on the windows and doors. Is it really that bad?Barbwire, fences, gates, bars on windows are a big part of Central American culture, seems like you have never been ... Read More