pjPuraVida
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum posts
19
About me
American
Speaks I Speak US English, and am conversational in Spanish and German - improving Spanish every day!
Registration: 01 February 2023
Activity
Where to start housing and paperwork to become resident by oooriginals
I'm traveling to Costa Rica in three weeks, and I am wondering where to start. I want to check out spots where I can live but not be too far away from neighbors. I will be living on a pension, I'm 74 and Female. I'm not handicapped in any way and ...
@oooriginals - Hi Olivia. I think the challenge here is to think that there is an expat area. Expats are across the country and it really depends on what you are looking for in terms of lifestyle, access to a myriad of things (ex: ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Costa Rica forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
@stevendsmallwood - welcome! Have you found your place? Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Costa Rica forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
@Henrych - so sorry for delay, this got missed somehow. Here is our website for your review: *** We hope to help those looking to move, as well as those already in country. Read More
Money & ATMs & extra charges etc by Michael Trainor
If I plan to visit CR for 90 days then leave for a week and do that 3 or 4 times in order to make a decision on whether to apply for pensionado visa, can I just use my Bank debit card for everyday living at ATMs or at stores etc like I do in the US ...
@Michael Trainor - my recommendation is to find a credit card that does not have a conversion fee for international transactions. My bank cards do and after a while it adds up. So I typically put it all on one card and then transfer funds from my ... Read More
Accommodation and meat cost by praxiswebcam0r
Hi everyone. I am exploring different countries to retire to and Costa Rica is one. And while everyone raves about the low cost of fruits and vegetables, I am more concerned with the availability of meat from ruminates (cow, lamb etc) quality and ...
@praxiswebcam0r You really need to come scout: explore some areas that are high on the list. I came 3x before we bought. Spent time in each place I was interested in: to see cafes, stores, where expats hang, etc. That's truly the only way you can ... Read More
Accommodation and meat cost by praxiswebcam0r
Hi everyone. I am exploring different countries to retire to and Costa Rica is one. And while everyone raves about the low cost of fruits and vegetables, I am more concerned with the availability of meat from ruminates (cow, lamb etc) quality and ...
@praxiswebcam0r - nice to connect. On the meat side, I for one do not find the meat here that good. The beef isn't from a cow breed we are used to in the US/Canada/Europe. If you can get Nicaraguan or American beef (many butchers have it) it is ... Read More
Thinking of retiring to Costa Rica by GuesTPoster1307233
Hi All,My name is Millie and my husband and I are thinking of moving to Costa Rica. We are planning to travel there soon to scout places to live. We are interested in renting for now. Any advice on where the safest urban locations to look ...
@miligo63 - Love to help you! We've built a survey that can help you refine what is really important to you (vs. what seems like fun). Feel free to send me an email and let's connect! ***Excited to have you join us in Costa Rica! Read More
Day one of planning by Ken Mack
Hello all,Please explain what most people do about vehicles?Do you buy there? If new and paid for do you ship it and register it in Costa Rica?BestKen
@Ken Mack - personally I bought new. It was roughly 20% more expensive than in the US but it is (a) under warranty, and (b) has a service protection plan. Before I moved and purchased my vehicle I asked more than 20 people (expats and Ticos alike) ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Costa Rica forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
@Henrych - I unfortunately am not allowed to post my site on Expat (I can understand why) - but here's our site: *** - love to connect! Read More
We are now looking at a long-term rental by Alikat23
I'm Kathryn, a (semiretired) technical editor and science writer. My husband is Mark, a retired toxicologist/ecologist. We've been to CR several times and sold our home in California and moved here with our two cats 3 weeks ago. We've been staying ...
@Alikat23 - finding a good realtor that has a listing of longer-term rentals is key. You can go on the larger sites to look (think Point2Homes) but I find that lots of that is outdated. Happy to help put you in touch with some in the region. Read More
Looking into to retire is CR by oshudofsky
Hello everybody,I am a Dutch single mom and will be retired at the end of 2024 and one of the countries I am looking into to retire is CR. Despite the great weather, nature, animals, etc. also because I will have just a not to large pension and the ...
@oshudofsky - I know a very large Dutch expat community in Atenas and my business partner (who is also an incredible realtor) is Dutch! I'd love to introduce you! reach out. Read More
Can I have a felony and still be allowed to live in Costa Rica by heathq21
I have a felony DWI from 10 years ago. My wife and I are considering living as expats in Costa Rica. Will I have a problem getting a visa?
@joannecruz294 - I hate that you even have to say "I'm a good person" - OF COURSE YOU ARE! But I get it - been there too... My recommendation (if you can afford it) is to hire a residency attorney as they know the best way to position it all. ... Read More
Moving to Comunidad by thurpa
My wife got a teaching position, so we're moving to the Comunidad area in August. I'd like to tap into a network of expats/ticos in northern Guanacaste. The school is helping with her extended visa, but for our initial arrival we'll have to get the ...
@thurpa - Congratulations! So pretty! You don't need to "get" a tourist visa, it is automatic. Yes, you do need to leave every 90 days (border crossing) but from where you are it's going for lunch in Nicaragua, or for me, that's when I plan my ... Read More
Pool/Patio Furniture by GuestPoster256
Any suggestions on where to buy patio and pool furniture between San Jose and Uvita area? I need some standard pool lounge chairs, but also looking to buy some more unique pieces. Always interested in purchasing locally crafted or from smaller ...
@PhaedraDel - Bali (balienlinea.com/nosotros) is pricey but has some of the best quality for outdoor furniture. And in both Escazú and Tarcoles is El Bodegon de Asia which has some nice unique pieces. And of course there are all the ... Read More
Moving dogs from USA to costa rica by laurenqmeeks
Hello all, hubby and I are trying to spend an extended period of time in Costa Rica and would like to bring our dogs along for the adventure. We have two large German shepherd mixes that are not service animals. the hitch of everything is that none ...
rules changed extensively during COVID. you are right most airlines do not accept dogs in cargo hold (other than military relocation and some special circumstances). we are using a private service. It's $3000/dog but they do all the work other ... Read More