Properties in Costa Rica Blog

Monthly Archives: February 2013


Cost of Living in Costa Rica

February 20, 2013

Properties in Costa Rica

The cost of living in Costa Rica is a popular topic among those considering it as a retirement location or for those moving down with their family.  Everyone wants to know how far their Dollar or Euro can stretch; which depends a lot on your life style.  If you have an affluent lifestyle where you are from, you will also have that type of lifestyle here, just for a bit less.  If you can live modestly using mostly local products, then you can save a lot.  More importantly no matter what your spending habits are, the quality of life here is so much more than anything I experienced in the U.S. with beautiful natural scenery, pristine beaches, clean rivers and waterfalls, fresh fruits and vegetables, locally caught fish, and the “Pura Vida” laid back lifestyle.  In this Blog I will attempt to portray some common expenses that the average retiree or person living in Costa Rica can expect.

Food and Entertainment

Food products and restaurants can be much less than the States or Europe and by how much really depends on how you live.  If you eat out a lot and buy American or European imported food items it can be expensive by Costa Rica standards.  However, if you buy local fruits and veggies at farmer’s markets and local food products at the supermarket it can be much cheaper.  Also there are local restaurants called “Sodas” that have a daily “Casado” for $5 to $7; which is a typical dish of rice and beans, a salad, usually another side, and a choice of fish, thin steak, chicken, or pork.  Even at high end elegant restaurants the prices are less than the same quality restaurant in a big city back home.

Entertainment is also more affordable whether going out to the movies, a bar and night club, or even attending a play (mostly in San Jose).  Although beers and drinks can be expensive, they are still less than what you are used to at a night club or bar.  Many beachside bars around here offer a drink special for happy hour and to watch the sunset.  Also there is tons of free daytime entertainment from hiking in the jungle to surfing or strolling local beaches.   Plus once you are a local you can receive discounts on the tour activities such as: zip-lining, rafting, sport fishing, and more.

Health Care

Health care, even private health care is much cheaper here.  When my wife gave birth to our last daughter it was around $3,500 for the C-section with doctor’s fees, medicine, and 1 night stay at the private clinic all included.  Dental care is much more affordable, as well as, minor and even major surgeries.  Medical Tourism is a becoming a very popular trend in Costa Rica with World-Class medical facilities like CIMA, Clinica Biblia, or Hospital Catolica in San Jose.  More and more foreigners are coming to have plastic surgery, dental implants, and all types of joint and even back surgery at a fraction of the cost.  Then the patient can recover in a lush tropical resort close by and be attended to their every need.

Services

Services like house cleaning, gardeners, and cooks are also very affordable at $2 to $4 per hour.  You can afford to have a full time employee in order to spend less time on household chores and more time enjoying life in paradise.

Imported Items

Cars and electronics like TV’s and cell phones are all much more here because of import taxes associated with them.  Diesel and gas at $5.50 to $7 per gallon respectively, along with car maintenance will be one of (if not) your biggest expenses here.  The mechanics are reasonable and parts are comparable in price, but there is more wear and tear on vehicles here depending where you live and what kind of road access it has.   A good 4×4 SUV or truck is the way to go and most people prefer diesel engines for better fuel efficiency and price at the pump.

Taxes

Property taxes are 0.25% of the registered property value, so for example a $100,000 house or property pays $250 per year in property tax.  There is a fairly new luxury home tax for homes over $200k and that is about $2,500 to $3,000 per year.  Additionally a new annual corporation tax implemented in 2012 is equal to approximately $180 for inactive corporations and $360 for active corporations.  There is currently no capital gains tax in Costa Rica; which is beneficial when selling personal property investments.

Costa Rica and specifically the Dominical area is a great option to retire or raise a family.  The lower cost of living and much higher quality of life make this a place to truly consider for your next full time or part time residence!!

Written by Joshua Kanter, Agent with Properties in Dominical

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The Two Seasons of Costa Rica

Properties in Costa Rica

The weather in Costa Rica is warm and tropical all year round and depending on which part of the country to visit the climate can vary in temperature, annual rain fall, and humidity.  The Guanacaste in the North can be really dry at times and gets winds every March; where as the Central Valley can be cool in the high elevation mountain areas around San Jose.  No matter where you are though there are only two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season.  In this blog we will discuss the typical weather patterns of the Southern Zone and the Costa Ballena area.

The Dry Season

Our dry season typically begins in late November or early December and lasts until May, when the afternoon showers begin to return.  Although we can still get an occasional rain storm in the dry season it is usually sunny days and starlight nights.  I have even seen it go over a month with no rain before, which is rare.  The dry season is also known as the high season for tourism and many visitors come for the holidays of Christmas and New Year’s and during the week of Easter; which here is called Samana Santa.  March is the height of the dry season and a good time to experience the area at its hottest and driest time.  Even in March we are blessed that this tropical jungle never turns brown and keeps its lush green foliage year round.   Many tourists decide to visit in the dry season in order to enjoy the beaches and adventure tours without much chance of rain.  However, the rainy season can be a great time to visit as well and there is plenty of sunshine too.

The Rainy Season

Also known as the green season (even though it is always green around here), the rainy season usually starts at the end of May and goes through most of November.  It is a common misconception that it just rains all the time in the Dominical area during the rainy season.  Typically the day starts out sunny until about mid day or even later and then begins to cloud up leading to an afternoon or evening shower.  Sometimes it can drizzle most of the night or there can a shorter sustained heavy down pour.  September and October are the rainiest months and during that time you can experience a few days straight of grey clouds and off and on drizzle to steady rain.  In July we usually receive a mini-summer of about 2 weeks of dry season type weather.  Although the daytime temperature does not vary much between seasons, it can be slightly cooler during the rainy season and the afternoon showers cool everything off for the evening and rest of the night.  Also the rainy season is the best time to plant and you can basically take cuttings of most any plant, stick it in the ground, and wait for it to grow.  As far as adventure tours for visitors, you can enjoy zip-lining, hiking, fishing, ATV riding most of the day and not to mention white-water rafting is much better in the rainy season due to higher river levels and more intense rapids.  Plus for surfers there tends to be bigger waves and more frequent swells in the rainy season.

No matter when you plan a trip to Costa Rica you will have lots of fun and experiences of a lifetime.  If you are considering buying property and living here part or full time it is always a good idea to visit during the hottest and wettest times of the year before you make your decision.

*** Written by Joshua Kanter

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Surfer’s Paradise in the Southern Pacific Zone of Costa Rica

February 5, 2013

Properties in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the top Surfing destinations in the world. Thousands flock to its beautiful rich coast every year to take advantage of prime breaks. Playa Hermosa just South of the city of Jaco is a popular destination for many surfers. But did you know that the area from Dominical to Pavones boasts some of the best surf and untouched beaches in Costa Rica?

The surfer town of Dominical has grown to become a affordable stop on anyone’s surfing
tour. Known as the most consistent surf spot in Costa Rica, Dominical is a must stop on any experienced surfers trip. Note that this beach is not at a beginner level, the high tides are powerful and the currents strong and low tide is shallow! Dominical is not recommended for swimming and never leave anything of value in your car.

Many surfers have relocated to the Dominical area and now call it home. This has drawn
attention to the town and brought a number of surf events to its beaches. In May 2012
Dominical hosted the 4th circuit of the Copa Quicksilver Olympus 2012 National Tour. One important difference at Dominical is that the beach has lifeguards, which the community have worked hard to keep over the years! Annually there is a local surf competition to raise funds for the lifeguards as well as other fundraising events. To find out more about supporting these hard working guys visit www.dominicallifeguards.org, you can also find daily surf reports for Dominical Beach here!

A short 2 km drive South of Dominical brings you to the cove of Dominicalito Beach. Dominicalito is a great place for beginner level surfers. The cove is rocky, so high tide is best for surfing since one doesn’t have to battle past the rocks. Dominical Surf Adventures surf school about lessons and tours! The point at Dominicalito provides advanced surfers with taller walls at low to mid tide with SSW swells, waves break on a shallow rock ledge. Dominicalito is a stunning cove to enjoy at low tide, with beautiful rock formations and perfect sunset views.

10 km South of Dominical brings you to Playa Hermosa, not to be confused with Playa Hermosa South of Jaco. Hermosa is a 2km long stretch of palm tree lined beach and serves as a great surf spot for beginner to intermediate surfing. Beginners can take best advantage of mid to high tide.

Advanced surfers usually group at the North end near the point. It remains a favorite among those living in the area. The beach has ample parking and usually remains a safe option. Playa Hermosa is a must stop for any South Pacific trip to Costa Rica; uncrowded, clean, beautiful, what more could you ask for?

The town of Uvita is home to the Marino Ballena National park, host of the famous Whale’s Tail sand bar. This coastal town has grown to provide all the basic services and necessities one might need, along with boasting some of the most beautiful beaches! With calm snorkeling and whale watching boat tours, it is a must stop. At Chaman beach one can find some of the best beginner surf in the area during mid to high tide. High tide is also prime for intermediate surfers who want to experience a tranquilo surf. There is ample parking, though again you do not want to leave anything of value in your car. The Flutterby House Hostel is nearby and provides cheap backpacker accommodations. Don’t forget to visit Playa Ballena where the Whale’s Tail is located for a beautiful beach destination, there you can also snorkel and walk the sand bar at low tide. Visit www.enuvita.com for more information on businesses in the area.

10 km South of Uvita is Playa Arco. This is best accessed at Villas Leonor restaurant
(purchasing of a meal is required). Arco is practically untouched and is never crowded. The surf is good for beginner. Another 3 km brings you to Playa Ventanas. Seeming like something out of Jurassic Park movie, this beautiful cove beach is a great beginner surf spot. The waves are best from low to mid for learners. Ventanas means “windows”, visit the 2 caves to the North of the cove, at low tide you can walk through them. Parking is located on the property adjacent to the beach, a $1 fee per person is charged for access. Again, do not leave anything valuable in your vehicle.

150 km South of Uvita is the small town of Pavones – it is the hidden gem of surfing in Costa Rica. This is surfers paradise! www.crsurf.com says this about Pavones “One of the longest lefts in the world. With a double overhead southwest swell it can break for 600-700 meters, two minute rides. When there is no swell, it can go flat, with surf maybe waist high with a rising tide. Best tide is around high tide so the wave breaks in deeper water and one can make more sections. At low tide there are lots of slippery barnacled cobblestones to walk over to get to the wave. Can get very crowded with over 100 surfers on it when it is good. And many of them are locals so give respect and wait for the right peak to take off on. The drift also helps to spread out the lineup.”. Pavones itself is undeveloped, there is no bank in the town, so bring necessities and cash with you. If you are a advanced surfer, Pavones is sure to find a place in your heart, as it has for many!

There are also a number of other surf spots located along this section of Costa Rica. Playa
Matapalo, Rio Terraba, Punta Banco, to name a few more.

The South Pacific zone of Costa Rica is a rich coast. Rich with wildlife, waterfalls, jungle,
untouched beaches and some of the best surf in the world. You do not want to miss out on this stretch of Surfer Paradise!

by Zoe Longworth

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