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Since you will own property, you will have no problem opening a bank account.

I did a SWIFT transfer from my bank in the NE for a month's deposit, and it cost $50.00 on the US end and $17 on the CR end for transaction fees.

They told me it could take up to two weeks to hit and clear in BCR in my landlord's account in a regional town in the Central Valley.

It actually posted in just under a week.

The posts on this site and many available videos will help you greatly in your planning processes.

Making the effort to learn basic, conversational Spanish will be a big plus.

I came down with two suitcases, a carry-on, and a laptop bag.

Downsizing was painful, but now I am settling in and have arranged for medical resources and arranged my personal banking.

My online bank in the US does not charge foreign transaction fees or currency conversion fees for purchases or cash withdrawals on my debit card.

That is not true for my credit cards, which I sometimes prefer to use to derive the benefits of rewards points/frequent flyer miles, since as a visitor on a 180-day "temporary tourist visa," I must "stamp out" by air or at a land border in Panama or Nicaragua twice a year (an improvement, since it used to be every 90-days).

Check on the website of your bank, credit union, investment account, or other financial entity to save yourselves unnecessary fees.

Also, remember that DEBIT CARDS can be compromised more easily than credit cards.

Do not use ATMS in stores or shops, but only in banks, and spend a few dollars to invest in RFID Credit Card Sleeves (or wallets) to protect your privacy and safeguard your funds.

If you were to GOOGLE "picketpocket proof travelwear," you would find a company that sells these items, in addition to some very clever clothing that would safeguard your valuables during travel in the airport or bus stations, on the street or in places like the Central Market.

Someone once said to me: "We lock the doors of our cars and homes to keep the 85% of people who are honest, honest."

Look into MediSmart, a "Tico" pay-as-you-go discounted health care system (NOT insurance, but aligned with the Metropolitan Hospital system, with excellent doctors in various specialties, many of whom are English-speakers).

They have an English website and phone operators who speak English and will even make appointments for you.

They have a pharmacy that delivers to one's home, along with discounted dental and vision programs.

Even pet coverage policies...!

I will post on this site more about my positive experiences (overall) and some of its limitations (notable, but they pail in comparison to the advantages).

Also, I found a travel insurance company based in So. Florida with excellent coverage at a small coverage of the costs of other companies based in the US, Canada (restricted to Canadian citizens), the UK, or Belgium.

They are grossly overpriced and eliminated my availability, owing to age and prior conditions.

The  more "homework" you do in advance, the better off you will be and will become.

"Knowledge is power."

Good luck with the daunting and draining aspects of your move.

Now is a good time to downsize.

Shipping is expensive, as are customs and duties in CR.

Since you have been in CR before, you obviously have a good idea of what to expect.

Take things "one-day-at-a-time," build a trusting relationship with some Ticos and expats, and trust your gut.

@Richtl.....Do not sell your home in the U.S. you will be sorry.....If you have to empty yourself out for Costa Rica you really can't afford it....

@gst1212...Trust your gut ?...That is the last thing Americans do when they get here...They get sucked into some kind of voodoo vortex and then with not speaking Spanish it gets even more complicated...

By "trust your gut," I meant that in the end the decision rests with them, after undergoing a discernment process and "doing their homework."

In other words, it's their decision and they will face whatever consequences flow from it.

Certainly NOT a panacea or paradise, when 80% of the people who move to CR as expats do not last two years.

Some people sell their homes because they need the cash or cannot support two households.

Other may rent or keep their homes vacant, and return every 180 days for medical, banking, or family reasons.

I have written elsewhere in this space, echoing "the 'Gipper'": "Trust, but verify."

I am not sure what Edwin Mora means by a "voodoo vortex," which sounds more like a Caribbean island in chaos than Costa Rica.

Perhaps he can explain further...

I concur that lack of Spanish-language ability looms as a handicap that enables "Gringos" to be taken advantage of in a variety of ways, as is well-documented: banking; real estate; immigration/visa status; legal...

Others suggest the Janus-like system that applies to Ticos and Gringos, and recommend connecting with a reliable local or expat who will not be disposed to take advantage of a newly arrived person or couple.

But, I leave it to Edwin Mora to explain his comment and lend insight and awareness to others.

Bank recommendations: First, open an account at Banco Nacional or Banco de Costa Rica. There, you can have your Social Security deposited on the third off every month. Also, many, many commercial establishments here have accounts at one or both of those banks. That makes it easy to transfer money from your account to theirs to pay for large purchases.

Second, open a second account at Banco Davivienda de C.R. For inbound money transfers and other things, they are far less congested and much more accommodating than Banco Nacional (and probably BCR).

Also, when someone quotes statistics, always insist on seeing the data and knowing where it comes from. That's especially true when somebody says that <something or another> is exactly X%, as in "80 percent of <somebody> does <something>. Where does that information come from? How do they know? Whenever I have pressed for the source, the conversation always goes quiet. What does that tell you?

I have seen the 80% stat on multiple videos,.

One can chose to take it seriously as perhaps based on some empirical evidence or discarded as anecdotal.

The point being: people become transplanted in C.R. from other countries and elect to return for various reasons: familial; medical; financial; cultural; linguistic.

Edwin Mora's point: many choose not to stay in time.

That fact seems indisputable.

Banco Costa Rica [BCR's] ATMs allow one to withdraw funds in both USD and Colones, and provide an English audio-visual option, which is very helpful.

In my town, BCR's ATM will issue cash in USD or Colones, while Banco Nacional (BN) only dispenses billes in Colones.

Costa Ricans apparently prefer not to receive $100.00US bills, which explains why ATMs dispense multiples of $20.00s.

(Some suggest the reason is to avoid being stuck with counterfeit bills in a large denomination).

When you conclude the transaction at BCR, and count the cash and check the receipt, the machine might "eat" the debit card within 10-15 seconds.

If the "hard copy" of an expat passport is not displayed to the teller or person on the platform, then the card will not be returned (e.g., the person on the platform will withhold the card until one returns with the passport, and will not accept a photocopy or a jpg file on one's phone).

Also, not all banks or credit unions keep the same hours, so check the website or take a jpg. of the sign at the branch, and remember that banks in CR are closed on local holidays such as May Day/Labor Day, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Independence Day (September 15th), and so forth...

Very good advice posted by Dave and Marcia on banking (as usual).

My direct experience: Six (6) banks would not allow me to open an account unless: a). I were prepared to deposit a supersubstantial sum of USDb). I owned property in Costa Rica; c). I was married to a Costa Rican; d). I was a "permanent resident"; or e). I constituted a "Society," i.e., incorporated as an LLP or LLC.

One bank in the provincial capital informed me I could open an account only after living in C.R. for six-months (BAC).

From watching a video, I received a useful tip to visit a credit union/bank, where over the course of several weeks I managed successfully to open a local account, in which I can deposit and withdraw both USD and Colones.

While the two banks in my Cantón turned me down for bank accounts, for convenience of geographical proximity (i.e., walking distance from my home),  I use BCR in my town for no-fee withdrawals on my debit card to pay rent (or for other reasons), which is more convenient than traveling into the provincial capital to access the credit union (which has limited daytime hours and no parking, and fewer hours on Saturday).

BN's ATMs (which I no longer use), failed to work on one occasion. One of the three ATMs at this bank in my town was marked as "out-of-order." Another claimed to have "insufficient funds" (= only C70,000), less than I needed, and I could not withdraw funds inside from a teller, since the bank was crowded on the first business day of the month and I did not bring my passport along.

I attempted to use the one "working" ATM.  It, too, failed to work.

By chance, I noticed on my US bank's website that BN charged me for a cash withdrawal (@ C100,000), although the bank issued me no bills from the ATM.

Fortunately, I had kept the three (3) receipts and after several phone calls and submitting documentary jpg files in emails to my bank in the States, the transaction was blocked and the amount refunded within a few days.

The moral of the story: check your Stateside bank statements with frequency to avoid fraud or other errors.

PS-- Thanks to Dave and Marcia for the tip on Banco Davivienda de C.R.,which has a branch in my nearby provincial capital. I intend to look into establishing a second bank account there.

No stats here, but a comprehensive rundown on WHY expats become disillusioned and leave C.R.

Another good site with lots of useful information

Both of these URL links enunciate solid general principles for staying (or leaving) C.R. after a trial period.

If one were to GOOGLE: "80% expats who leave Cosa Rica after two years" many videos will appear.

One can balance the scales on the credibility of each, but some of these bloggers are taken to be more reliable than others, based on their numbers of followers.

@daveandmarcia....You are asking for data and statistics on a moot point or on an issue that is about as redundant as'which came first the chicken or the egg ?'.....It is common knowledge that just about all leave Costa Rica eventually and the majority in the first 2 years..

@gst1212....You gave a great definition for the 'voodoo vortex' !...As it applies to Limon with their municipality recently declaring a new hospital coming soon and in the works.....With this hospital having its own separate wing for its bullet riddled clients or drug addled zombis.....My take on voodoo vortex is getting sucked in on the wealth of cross information that causes many to get in line to take on life altering financial damages....In the original post "Joining in the Fray"these people are literally evaporating their 'plan B' if it doesn't work out for them and bolting down their escape hatch to be able never to go back to their origins.......Either way ,whether they stay in Costa Rica or end up leaving, it will dictate the rest of their lives...

Your last sentence contains the core of your argument...

I am only familiar with Limón by "reputation," e.g. the site of drug activity, gang-inflicted murder rates, and heavy drug trafficking to the USA and elsewhere.

Also, a very nice community of Ticos with Caribbean roots and African-American expats.

Your application of "voodoo vortex" appears to be a rather elastic term.

@edwinemora

Thank you for your suggestions and concerns. We've both lived outside the US before, so we're not particularly naive about it. And we have sufficient resources to return if need be. One never knows.

@gst1212

I appreciate all of your comments, particularly the suggestion about MediSmart--I'll definitely look into that one! And my Spanish is improving on a daily basis.

Regarding the "80%" discussion, I was a physicist before becoming a chocolatier, so I tend to be cautious about figures that don't come with error bars, and don't believe much of anything that doesn't come with solid source data ;-)

Also, as a long-time small business owner, I'm pretty good at "rolling with the punches."

@DancingLions....I am not concerned....Just about all the problems start with trusting your own kind outside your origins....Don't believe the hype...

@gst1212

When you conclude the transaction at BCR, and count the cash and check the receipt, the machine might "eat" the debit card within 10-15 seconds. If the "hard copy" of an expat passport is not displayed to the teller or person on the platform, then the card will not be returned (e.g., the person on the platform will withhold the card until one returns with the passport, and will not accept a photocopy or a jpg file on one's phone).

That's nice to know! Thank you!

@daveandmarcia

Thank you very much for the bank recommendations.

In the words of the late, great Edward R. Murrow, "Good Night and Good Luck" a <<los Bailando Leones.>>

@edwinemora

these people are literally evaporating their 'plan B' if it doesn't work out for them and bolting down their escape hatch to be able never to go back to their origins

If you only have a "plan B," you're not planning deeply enough. It's best to have at least a Plan C and Plan D.

I will soon post a more comprehensive rundown on the pluses and minuses of MediSmart (which I recommend strongly, despite some of its limitations).

@DancingLions - Richtl, are you one and the same ?....An improvisational fairyland that you have created with your post and replies....

@gst1212

Making the effort to learn basic, conversational Spanish will be a big plus.

My chocolate maker's Colombian. At least I can talk chocolate stuff in Spanish.

@Richtl

I too am from the NE part of the states.  Here for 6.5 years... going strong.  I knew nothing about these on-line forums and exchanges until already being here for a few years.   I simply used my head and figured things out... plus, I live in an area with very few foreigners... and we certainly aren't organized into any kind of coffee clutch.  Thus, I relied on Ticos for most of what I needed... or just went 'in' with my crappy Spanish and did my best... immersion isn't scary... it's rewarding and adventurous.  I would never have been offering any kind of 'advice' before that amount of time... so be careful what you read here.  One particular poster is here less than 4 months and thinks the internet will provide all the information one would need for him/herself and for any of the others who are stuck reading his/her internet based assumptions and late night 'screen' observations.  It doesn't.   It is probably more common than not, here in CR, that the ACTUAL experiences and testimonies of those what are actually here for enough time to be NOT AT ALL IN LINE with anything you read on the internet 'info' sites...  which can be outdated... as are many posts on this forum.  It took me awhile to realize I needed to look at the dates on the original posts; etc.   

You can always rely on Dave, from DaveandMarcia (who posted above) as they have been here for many years and he speaks from good, real, reliable Experience; not assumption.   Credit goes to those who have earned it. 

So good luck, come on down and enjoy CR.  Your experience will be more fun than not... and I'm sure you're already knowledgeable about living in a foreign place; so you won't need this site for much more than asking others about particular aspects of life here... such as Banking (which I found to be completely easy... 20 minutes to open an account; no issues) Residency, the Caja (mandatory Social Healthcare system membership if you get Residency); Shopping in your locality, or contacts for construction, garden centers, or shoe repair... yes, shoe repair.  it rains a lot and shoes fall apart.   I know that from EXPERIENCE. 

Bienvenudos!

edwineamora, it maybe common rumor in whatever fantasy world you infest, but absent actual facts to support your assertion, it is not ". . .common knowledge {emphasis added} that just about all leave Costa Rica eventually and the majority in the first 2 years." (see June 9 above)

Show us your data. Cite your sources. Otherwise, keep your speculation to yourself or label what you write as such.

@daveandmarcia..What applies to you is a famous line from 'Shakespear's Hamlet',"Thou doth protesteth too much !" It is uttered in response to your insincere overreacting,especially the truth of strong denial.....

@gst1212

Hello; what’s the name of the travel insurance company? TIA.

Caveat Emptor.

Let the buyer beware.

I am only sharing information, based on my own experience.

The company's offices are located in South Florida.

Name: Seguros para Viaje.

They cater to Tico travelers (students studying abroad; vacationers; business travelers), among others.

Enter the company's name on a search engine to gather the pertinent information; in this case, the coverage on its website is available both in English and Spanish; and make an informed decision, based on your own needs, financial situation, and health profile.

English speakers will answer your call (eventually) at the listed phone number, after you fill out the preliminary online questionnaire.

Be patient, because it may take a few days (or more) to receive a response.

It took me almost two (2) weeks to square matters away (to my great satisfaction)

[My application fell between the cracks during the US Memorial Day holiday weekend at the end of May].

In my interaction, I found the staff to be helpful and knowledgeable.

I ended up dealing with my initial online contact.

She could not have been nicer or more helpful.

I got a significant discount (and paid "up front" for six months of coverage in advance (renewable).

I printed out the coverage rundown (which I received in two PDF form files), one with the run-down of the detailed coverage for my files, plus a similar form for "consular" purposes, if required at a border check-in [think the bad-old days of COVID 19, when one could not be admitted to CR on a tourist visa without proof of insurance).

[In those days, the tourist visas were only good for 90-days; since 2024, tourist visas are routinely expanded to 180-days).

I got the coverage at a 60% discount paid out over six-months, renewable (and the same offer exists on the website today [which I just checked: ).

In my experience, the policy offers excellent coverage at a fraction of the price offered by North American or European-based travel insurance companies.

It is easy to add coverage for another person.

The plan's protection Includes things like medical repatriation to the home country for a major health crisis; repatriation of remains in the event of death; allowance for transportation of next-of-kin to country of residence should a documentable medical emergency arise; ambulance expense; bail bond money; lost luggage and travel assistance if stranded; etc.

All detailed on the website (Too complicated to go into here).

Check it out for yourself.

I explored over twenty "travel insurance" companies prior to relocating to CR and after arrival.

A good one, based in Canada, restricts coverage to Canadian citizens.

Other USA, UK, or Belgian-based companies struck me across as prohibitively expensive.

A broker told me, "You get what you pay for," but I am paying for six (6) months for what one US-based GLOBAL travel insurance wanted to charge me for approximately one month  (then pulled the rug out from under me on account of AGE and PRE-EXISTING conditions).

REMEMBER: this is TRAVEL insurance that has MEDICAL COMPONENTS, were you to step in a pothole, be thrown from a horse, or be hit by a motorcycle or car.

It is NOT MEDICAL insurance, per se, but will cover certain medical emergencies ONLY with prior authorization and approval with the company.

You may have to pay an extra premium for engaging in high-risk sports, such as ZIP-lining or paragliding.

I spent dozens of hours researching this material and arrived at the best plan for me.

NOTE: It's not "one-size fits all."

You have to do your homework and make an informed decision.

I am happy with mine.

When I was younger, a TV commercial in the market of my metropolitan area carried the line: "An educated consumer is our best customer."

Sy Symms was right.

Do your homework.

Engage in a solid discernment process.

SEE/JUDGE/ACT.

Good luck in the hunt.

I am only sharing my own experience, at your request, which does not imply any endorsement and certainly carries no compensation, signing bonus, or discount based upon my efforts to assist you, based on my experience.

If my prior legwork saves you time, energy, and money, more power for you.

If not, keep searching, but it would be dangerous and highly inadvisable (read: potentially catastrophic) for one to travel in CR without travel insurance.

(Like the 70-something woman who was thrown from a horse in a beach community, broke her hip, and had to be evacuated by helicopter ambulance to San José...-her out-of-pocket expense...$30,000.00USD for the transit alone).

It would not be prudent (let alone legal) to drive a vehicle in one's home country without insurance.

Traveling in a "foreign" country without "travel insurance" constitutes a dangerous "roll of the dice."

I admit I found it to be a little tricky to track down the website [https://seguroparaviaje.cr/], so as a service I have included it here.

Compare plans and coverage and pick what works best for you.

edwineamora, I protest because there is a significant risk that someone unfamiliar with your prattlings will take them for fact. Tell us your sources. Give us the data. Then, what you write will be credible.

@daveandmarcia.....Instead of losing your head on your redundancy, try reading the replies on this thread....June 9th by gst1212 "Edwin Mora's point :Many choose not to stay in time.That fact seems indisputable".....Furthermore a link to a comprehensive rundown on that issue was given, as you can find several why many get disillusioned with Costa Rica and leave(Youtube).......If you were confident in your stance you would not be so upset and peeing in your pants or on yourself..What sums it all up is gst1212 most recent reply, 'Caveat Emptor'....That covers the whole spectrum about Costa Rica.....

edwin, Your unsubstantiated assertions serve only to make you look foolish and unreliable. Tell us how you know that, as you have stated before, 80.0% of aspiring newcomers to Costa Rica leave in the first two years. Show us the data. Cite your source.

Isn't it interesting that, whenever some no-nothing cites numbers, they always cite an exact number or percentage. It's never 79.52% or 82.87% who leave. It's always exactly 80%. Estimates of the expat population of Costa Rica include 70,000 and 140,000. So which one is it, edwinsamoron? Is it 56,000(1) who leave or is it 112,000 who leave? Or is it some other number? Tell us how you know.

BTW, your unsupported allegations about my urinary continence or lack thereof serve only to further reflect on the unreliability of what you assert. As in your assertions about expats, you simply have no way to know and rely on your vivid but skewed imagination to come up with something, anything.

(1) U.S. State Department

(2) CRIE

edwin, we've seen and read about that which you know nothing, but one is compelled to ask . . . Is there anything about which you do actually know? Do you actually have knowledge of anything at all, any skills, experience, education? Or do you support yourself on made-up allegations and whatever disgorges itself from your twisted imagination? I refer you to Jaberwocky, the ultimate in nonsense poetry as a model for your further "contributions".

@dave...For someone who throws numbers and percentages around, then, flagrantly calls others 'know nothing', you couldn't find your own formula or equation  to 'learn Spanish'......Obviously you are in over your head with investments in Costa Rica and it doesn't take much for you to get ignited.....Continue on with your dissertations,I have nothing to lose by telling the truth...

LBJ once famously said: "Don't get into a pissing match with a skunk."

It pains me (and I suspect other readers of this site) to witness the downward spiral of this site into such petty sniping and carping, well beneath the dignity and intelligence of those who post here or read the entries.

While this line is often attributed [incorrectly] to an ancient writer of the 6th Century [though actually written by someone else, in the 1700s], it maintains its value (and wisdom) today:

"In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; but above all else, charity."

I hope that intelligent people who post on this site will realize that its goal and intention are to serve the interests and needs of a broad community of seekers, not to serve as an anonymous platform to air personal grievances.

I hope that greater discretion and self-restraint will be exercised by those who visit and elect to post on this site, so as not to denigrate it.

It costs very little to be polite and civil, and to respect the dignity of those who elect to visit this site.

It should not exist as a forum for name-calling, hurling insults, or airing personal grievances.

Please do not waste our time or pollute this space with that kind of tripe.

@gst1212

LOL!  you're new here.  Get used to it... we call it 'spirited' discussion.  It eventually dies down and then we're off to the next 'spirited' discussion. 

Don't let it pain you...

Pura Vida