Costa Rica is known for having one of the best climates in the world. Specifically, year-round spring-like weather in the Central Valley. However, during the green or rainy season there are some precautions that everyone including expat retirees should follow to deal with the wet weather. It is imperative to […]
By Rico Occasionally, I come across good articles about living in Costa Rica that are written by insightful and knowledgeable expats. This one is from my friend Rico’s column TICO BULL. Retirees who live in Costa Rica are quick to notice these cultural differences and find most of them hard […]
Cost-conscious expat retirees can now save money by taking advantage of ‘free’ Internet access in many areas of the country. The Costa Rican government is in the process of installing wifi in parks, plazas, train stations, and 61 public libraries. In addition, 100,000 thousand university students will have access to […]
Since I am in the relocation business I deem it necessary to paint a realistic picture of how things really are here. I try not to sugar coat anything as many retirement organizations and those with a hidden agenda tend to do. Costa Rica’s saving grace is that you never […]
One of the guests on my April 2019 relocation/retirement tour asked me many questions about electric vehicles in Costa Rica. At present there are only around 500 electric vehicles in all of Costa Rica. The goal is to have 100 million of these vehicles on the road worldwide by the […]
In case you don’t know the term “pulpe” is short for pulpería. The latter is a type of traditional mom and pop corner grocery store in Costa Rica. In recent years large supermarket chains like Walmart, MaxiPali, Más por Menos and Automercado, as well as independent supermarkets and mini-supers together […]
Americans and Canadians tend to complain about the cost of clothes in Costa Rica. Here are a couple of solutions. I always try to give tips about how to save money in Costa Rica. One way is to find businesses that can repair broken items inexpensively. In the U.S. people […]
Buying a home is one of the largest investments you make during your lifetime. Some expats who relocate to Costa Rica choose to become homeowners. Those who are among this group should definitely have full insurance coverage to protect their investment. Let’s see why this so important. Getting over the […]
It is very easy to look at the negatives in Costa Rica when one is comparing the country with the United States or Canadá. They are too completely different countries and, above all, cultures. It is really easy to distort the facts when one does not understand a country. This […]
Tamales are a typical dish at Christmas time in Costa Rica but also available year-round. They are similar to Mexican tamales, however there is one big difference: the Mexican ones are wrapped in corn husks but Costa Rica tamales in banana leaves. There is a joke about Costa Rican tamales. An American comes to Costa Rica […]