I have new plans for moving to Costa Rica.
I’m going to be moving to the San Jose region instead of the Lake Arenal region.
Why?
I need to be near medical facilities for warfarin checks and kidney function checks.
I want to be in a more moderate climate than Lake Arenal, which averages 85 degrees all year ’round with high humidity (about the same as here in Tacoma, actually, humidity-wise). I don’t do well in high heat.
There are foothills and mountains near San Jose and the cost of living in those areas is considerably less as long as I avoid expat areas.
It’s mid-country, so I can explore the region easier.
It has a great transportation system and more modern roads.
It will be easier to get to the Embassy/Consulate to have my papers taken care of.
When people visit, it will be easier to fetch them at the airport or for an Uber to bring them to my place.
About the San Jose Costa Rica Region
San Jose proper isn’t much larger in population (288,054) than Tacoma (222,906). San Jose proper is about 17 square miles in size. Tacoma is 62.34 square miles. So there are more people per square foot in SJ (it’s the Seattle of Costa Rica, after all!), but I won’t be living there. I’ll be living in the foothills or mountains above it.
I have downloaded WAZE, considered the best transportation app for getting around in CR, and I have WhatsApp on my smartphone, which is what most people in CR use to communicate. I’m already pretty well acquainted with WhatsApp because I have been using it for a month to communicate with folks down there.
I have parted ways with the immigration attorney who was going to charge $2000 as she was in the Lake Arenal area and she was giving me outdated information. I have connected with an immigration coach who will help me with the immigration process for just $600. She comes well recommended by former clients, too.
If I can get my ducks in a row by March, I can move then so that the documents I’ve collected already (FBI background check, birth certificate) will be legit when I submit them. (They have to be submitted within six months of their original dates.) If I can’t, I will have to go through the processes again in March to have them re-issued and apositilized. Not a biggy, but an additional expense.
That’s all that’s new for now!
Update:
I’m sticking with a June 2025 flight date. Flights will be cheaper, as will temporary rentals, because it won’t be high tourist season, so I’ll be able to stay for a while until I find a long-term casita, studio, or guest house to stay at, if my friends on the ground can’t land one for me before I get there.
I’m looking for one at least 400 square feet in size with a kitchenette, bathroom/shower or bathtub, with a livingroom or living room/bedroom combo. Utilities included, I want to pay no more than $550/month, less would be even better.
I’ve seen some in the Arenal (Gunacaste) area for $450, but haven’t found anything in the San Jose area at that price…yet. It’s hard to find them from so far away, and even if did, they might begone before I fly down. My immigration coach says there are places for rent that are never advertized widely, since they don’t use middleman property managers or real estate companies to fill them. That gives me hope, because what I’m finding online in the San Jose area start at $700/month minus utilities, and that’s too high for me.
