Having spent five weeks there I can agree with the speaker that Costa Rica is not cheap. There was no discount for groceries, transportation, restaurants, rentals, or excursions relative to California prices. I got a full service hotel in Santa Elena, the heart of tourism in Monteverde, for half the price of my minimalist long-term flat in Nosara. Nosara offers first world prices with second-rate infrastructure. Nosara developers could invest in their streets. It had the worst streets of all the Costa Rican towns that I visited. There was a building boom in Nosara, developers building their villas, 7 days a week, starting at 5:30am every day including Sundays, but zero work done on the streets. The town is not walkable. It was inconvenient to get from north to south Guiones, or over to Playa Pelada. The cross-town walking trails were impassable without hip high mud boots. One of the cross-town streets has potholes so large and deep that it is not even passable by foot unless you are wearing wading boots. Visiting there for more than a few days without a rugged form of transport is a pain. They could also encourage more business establishments that cater to the traveler that does not want to live in an all-inclusive villa, like grocery stores, pharmacies, basic supplies, in north Guiones, because otherwise the nearest such services are miles away. Not to mention the daily power outages. I loved every city and town that I visited in Costa Rica (Santa Elena, Liberia, Samara, and others). Nosara did not live up to the hype. Just my two cents.
Well no he's wrong is not that doctors aren't telling you the important stuff is just that you need to learn spanish because English fluency is rare pretty much anywhere you go even professionals might not be able to express themselves in a way that is accurate they just don't understand the nuances of the language you know English isn't hard to pick up but to express yourself like a native speaker is quite hard.that being said I know for a fact you can trust the health care system in Costa Rica as long as you're wealthier than the average costa rican.just to clarify I'm costa rican born and raised I've been living in the states since 2018
This is a great interview. I was planning on moving to Costa Rica with a family I had befriended on the internet thru a plant site. For six months we discussed everything and I was feeling very comfortable with a decision to move there. In come my friends with their fear based language and constantly telling me all the horrible things that could happen to me because of crime and violence. I have not had good luck finding out about the town of Alajuelita. Do you know if this is a risky town to live in. I would be living on private property and not doing risky things. Thank you for any information.
Why do people move to new cultures and still want to be spending time with people they left behind? How about immersing in the culture and local community, not surrounding yourself in a mini expat world.
B Stone, You make a good point. I think that many of us move to a new country it is because we want to immerse ourselves in the new culture, however, we still enjoy connecting with people from back home. I find that people that don't make friends with locals in the community and don't connect with the culture usually leave and go back home within a few years. Ticos are some of the friendliest people anywhere in the world so making friends in Costa Rica is very easy and rewarding.
hello, I will be visiting Nosara and the surrounding areas this January. My first time in CR. I'd love the name of your company and contact information, if you don't' mind. Thank you, Eve
18:17 "...in the southern US..." - I always smile when gringos think the rest of the world listening is also gringo. But great questions, nice answers. I feel CR is "out". 25 years ago CR and the DomRep were hip for Europeans - nobody goes there anymore... CR is supported by foreign sources, so way too expensive. I like to go to places after the crash, not before the crash. The west goes into depression, money spigots are drying out, I would expect a 70% drop at least. On his informative page the median price for a house is 400k USD in CR - the average income of a tico is 12k a year? (yes I know median is not average, but it should be close) So a tico would need 33,3 years savings - normal is 10 to 12. This brings prices to 133k, but in a depression are no buyers as credit is gone...
Good observations. Thanks for taking the time to share. Like you, I prefer to go to places early but due to covid I will likely be wherever is open close to the USA for a while.
This is honestly the best interview I have seen so far about Costa Rica. Straight shooter, no lies. Well done.
Agree
My thoughts exactly
Having spent five weeks there I can agree with the speaker that Costa Rica is not cheap. There was no discount for groceries, transportation, restaurants, rentals, or excursions relative to California prices. I got a full service hotel in Santa Elena, the heart of tourism in Monteverde, for half the price of my minimalist long-term flat in Nosara. Nosara offers first world prices with second-rate infrastructure. Nosara developers could invest in their streets. It had the worst streets of all the Costa Rican towns that I visited. There was a building boom in Nosara, developers building their villas, 7 days a week, starting at 5:30am every day including Sundays, but zero work done on the streets. The town is not walkable. It was inconvenient to get from north to south Guiones, or over to Playa Pelada. The cross-town walking trails were impassable without hip high mud boots. One of the cross-town streets has potholes so large and deep that it is not even passable by foot unless you are wearing wading boots. Visiting there for more than a few days without a rugged form of transport is a pain. They could also encourage more business establishments that cater to the traveler that does not want to live in an all-inclusive villa, like grocery stores, pharmacies, basic supplies, in north Guiones, because otherwise the nearest such services are miles away. Not to mention the daily power outages. I loved every city and town that I visited in Costa Rica (Santa Elena, Liberia, Samara, and others). Nosara did not live up to the hype. Just my two cents.
Well no he's wrong is not that doctors aren't telling you the important stuff is just that you need to learn spanish because English fluency is rare pretty much anywhere you go even professionals might not be able to express themselves in a way that is accurate they just don't understand the nuances of the language you know English isn't hard to pick up but to express yourself like a native speaker is quite hard.that being said I know for a fact you can trust the health care system in Costa Rica as long as you're wealthier than the average costa rican.just to clarify I'm costa rican born and raised I've been living in the states since 2018
Great interview. Very informative. Thank you :)
You guys should look at a channel; called Salty Palmtree adventures, a couple that building their surf bungalows in Nosara Costa Rica, great channel!
This is a great interview. I was planning on moving to Costa Rica with a family I had befriended on the internet thru a plant site. For six months we discussed everything and I was feeling very comfortable with a decision to move there. In come my friends with their fear based language and constantly telling me all the horrible things that could happen to me because of crime and violence. I have not had good luck finding out about the town of Alajuelita. Do you know if this is a risky town to live in. I would be living on private property and not doing risky things. Thank you for any information.
Why do people move to new cultures and still want to be spending time with people they left behind? How about immersing in the culture and local community, not surrounding yourself in a mini expat world.
B Stone, You make a good point. I think that many of us move to a new country it is because we want to immerse ourselves in the new culture, however, we still enjoy connecting with people from back home. I find that people that don't make friends with locals in the community and don't connect with the culture usually leave and go back home within a few years. Ticos are some of the friendliest people anywhere in the world so making friends in Costa Rica is very easy and rewarding.
Great interview. It was very helpful.
lots in costa rica.. gulf views 1.3 acres 65k. golfo duce heights
hello, I will be visiting Nosara and the surrounding areas this January. My first time in CR. I'd love the name of your company and contact information, if you don't' mind. Thank you, Eve
Love it!
What you thinks about investing in Playa San Juanillo?
Well, in a marriage you can leave anytime you want, as well. It's just more costly than moving to Costa Rica!
- RunningWithScissors -, Yes indeed.
Is your channel name a reference to postal 2 ?
wonderfull
18:17 "...in the southern US..." - I always smile when gringos think the rest of the world listening is also gringo. But great questions, nice answers. I feel CR is "out". 25 years ago CR and the DomRep were hip for Europeans - nobody goes there anymore... CR is supported by foreign sources, so way too expensive. I like to go to places after the crash, not before the crash. The west goes into depression, money spigots are drying out, I would expect a 70% drop at least. On his informative page the median price for a house is 400k USD in CR - the average income of a tico is 12k a year? (yes I know median is not average, but it should be close) So a tico would need 33,3 years savings - normal is 10 to 12. This brings prices to 133k, but in a depression are no buyers as credit is gone...
Good observations. Thanks for taking the time to share. Like you, I prefer to go to places early but due to covid I will likely be wherever is open close to the USA for a while.
@@LivingOverseasTV why does it matter how close it is if you have to fly there
Where now, you will start a new life,i want to retire?