Creating a Realistic Monthly Budget For Living in Costa Rica

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Creating a Realistic Monthly Budget For Living in
Costa Rica
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Sun-splashed beaches. The distant hoot of howler
monkeys. Year-round summer. Panoramic views of
sailboats and islets and breeching whales. You
cant put a price on the Costa Rican lifestyle.
Luckily, we can tell you the cost of necessities
your everyday expenses and the overall cost of
living. Look online, and youll find a wide range
of suggested budgets. Some sources promise you
can live on 1,500 a month, while others assure
you it cant be done for less than 3,000. Or
4,000. Or 5,000. So whats the truth?
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Here it is Cost of living in Costa Rica depends
entirely on you. On your choices, your
preferences and your lifestyle. Lets break it
down
Housing Housing costs in Costa Rica are all over
the map, so its important to compare apples to
apples. To start, lets define our apple
Luxurious single-family homes, with private
swimming pools, in an oceanview community replete
with amenities, including tennis courts, biking
and hiking trails, a beach club, and other
lifestyle upgrades. Search well, and youll find
several such communities and youll pay dearly
for most of them (think 350,000-1.5 million).
At Bellazo, we work differently. Our homes are
affordable, starting at 59,000 for lots and
199,000 for a spectacular, modern home. We also
offer zero-interest financing for the first 18
months  the best financing on Costa Ricas Gold
Coast. Transportation In Costa Rica, vehicles are
subject to high import tax, which means theyre
more expensive than youre probably used to. Gas
also runs 1-2 per gallon more than in the
U.S. The good news You can buy a great car
without breaking the bank. We recommend a newer
model SUV (year 2010, preferably 4WD) with
decent ground clearance, which will grant you the
freedom to explore to your hearts content. Even
better, choose a popular make and model (easy to
find parts and repair shops), and youll have it
made. For reference purposes, a 2011 Hyundai
Tucson 4WD can be purchased for under 15,000 a
2011 Toyota Land Cruiser/Prado 4WD will come in
around 30,000.
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Utilities For the most part, your utilities in
Costa Rica will balance out to about what they
did back home. Some things, like water, cell
phone and internet/cable, are less expensive
expect to spend 30, 10-20, and 75,
respectively while others, like electricity,
can be pricier. For example, round-the-clock air
conditioning, as is common in many beach
communities, can mean 250 monthly electric
bills. But thats where lifestyle comes into the
equation we built Bellazo high on a bluff, where
your home will enjoy sweeping Pacific
views and cool sea breezes. Its the best of
every world open windows, fresh air, cooling
breezes and low electricity bills.
Groceries You will be shocked at the price of
food in Costa Rica and youll love it! Fresh
fruits and vegetables, just-plucked herbs,
farm-fresh eggs, and grass-fed beef and
free-range chicken are all available at the local
markets, usually for much less than youd pay for
locally produced products back home. Can you
imagine paying 0.50 for fresh, ice-cold coconut
water, 2 for 7 pounds of juicy mangos, and 1
for a pineapple bigger than your head? We can.
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f-living-creating-a-realistic-monthly-budget/
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Household Help Heres another shocking section of
your monthly budget services. Housekeeping,
cooking, gardening, babysitting, maintenance and
more, are all incredibly affordable. And by
affordable, we mean 2-4/hour.
Education Families will be happy to hear that
accredited private education is both exceptional
and affordable in Nosara. Del Mar Academy, one of
the most prestigious schools on Costa Ricas
Pacific coast, offers bilingual education for
3,000-9,000 per year. This can represent a
substantial savings over top private schools in
the U.S., which often cost upwards of 25,000 a
year. Bottom line Your monthly budget in Costa
Rica depends on you. And remember, what youre
really buying is a peaceful lifestyle, filled to
the brim with nature and fresh food and
spectacular views. And that is priceles
Were the team behind Costa Rica Insiders a
group of American expats who have been living in
Costa Rica since October 2014 with our families
and kids. Even though weve been visiting for
years, we were still in for a big culture
shock. During the time that we have lived here,
we have adjusted to the lifestyle and culture.
Weve grown to absolutely love this country and
its people. But Costa Rica is not for everyone
weve seen expats who have moved here burn out
quickly because they didnt have a good idea of
what they were getting themselves into. Too
often, people have been lured in by international
real estate publications that sell an idealized
version of Costa Rica that ignores the reality of
living in Costa Rica.
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