Costa Rica vs. Colombia (Medellín) as a Retirement or Relocation Destination

– basically, you get what you pay for.

Costa Rica has been “the” expat relocation haven for more than thirty years and for good reason. But Medellín, Colombia has become the “new kid on the block “for some expats. Why?

First and foremost is the cost of living in Colombia, which is about 35 – 40 percent lower than Costa Rica. Many of my friends who used to live here, relocated to Colombia for that very reason. The issue is that they equated affordability with the quality of life and get lured into a false sense of security.

Since its inception as a country Colombia has been plagued by violence. The country has never really been at peace with itself. Fast forward to the year 1948 when Liberal presidential candidate Eliécer Gaitán was shot to death. This event is referred to the Bogotazo and virtually plunged the country into an undeclared 10-year civil war between the Liberals and Conservatives. Colombians have never really figured out how to heal their wounds. As a result, between 100,000 to 200,000 people died during this time which is often referred to as the La Violencia (The Violence).

As if things were not bad enough. Colombia has always been one of the poorest countries in Latin America which led to the birth of three left-wing guerrilla groups in the 1960s: The FARC, ELN and M-19. In Colombia the upper class has always exploits the poor. So, more people became disenfranchised, economic times worsened social inequities and fueled more discontent.

A couple of these groups have disbanded but some their remnants, right-wing paramilitary groups and the Colombian army are still fighting today in three areas of the country.

Over 250,000 combatants and civilians have died in Colombia as a result of the country’s continuing armed conflict. Land mines are still being cleared in some areas.

Couple all of the above with the rise of the drug cartels who in the 1990s kidnapped, bombed and killed to stay in power. In those days Medellín was considered the most violent city in the world due to its homicide rate — an unprecedented and chilling 381 murders per hundred thousand. Most of the original founders of the drug cartels are dead or in prison, but Colombia continues to be the world’s largest exporter of cocaine, despite failed efforts to eradicate it.

In general, Medellín is a lot safer than it was and has attracted many expats because of its rich culture and beauty.

However, danger is always looming. In the last few years around 50 expats, mostly who were in search of good times, have been murdered in Medellín. Almost everyone who lives there has thick metal security doors in their houses and apartments to protect against burglary.

The following reflects the safety factor in my opinion. A couple of years I was visiting Medellín doing research and while there I dropped by a used car dealership to look at the prices of vehicles. When approached by a salesman, the first words out of his mouth were, “Do you want an armored or regular vehicle.” That statement reflects Colombia’s and Medellín’s safety in a nutshell.

There is a Colombian saying which refers to the country’s on-going armed conflict. “God made Colombia so beautiful, so rich in natural resources and so spectacular in every way that it was unfair to the rest of the world. So, God evened the score. He populated Colombia with the most-evil race of men.”

Costa Rica does not have endemic violence like Colombia. The last armed conflict during the 1940s let to the abolition of the armed forces.

Unfortunately, the worst of Colombia has affected Costa Rica. In the last couple of years drugs from Colombia have been shipped through Costa Rica to the U.S. and Europe. So, the country has become a main transit point. This has led to the birth of local drug gangs who fight for the control of territories and shipping routes. Fortunately, since this phenomenon is confined to certain parts of the country, no foreigners have suffered collateral damage.

The homicide rate has risen here to 12.1 per 100,000, but is higher in areas where the gangs are located.

The Costa Rican government is now formulating a plan to control this complicated problem.

I have lived here for over 40 years and have never been a victim of a crime. I have a family and if I thought it was too dangerous, I would relocate. Really, Costa Rica is a lot safer than the United States due to its strict gun restrictions. Costa Rican citizens and residents can only own a maximum of two hand guns.

I didn’t mention Mexico which is even more violent than Colombia. Just read the newspapers or watch the news to see the blood bath between the cartels who are vying for power.

PS I’d like to add that some Americans who become residents of Colombia can have their U.S. income taxed by the Colombia government if they reside in the country for more than six months a year. This is not the case in Costa Rica.