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Costa Rica
Information
Legalities
North Americans can legally stay in Costa Rica
for three months, after which they must leave
the country for at least 72 hours. When they
re-enter, they will be given another three
months to legally stay in the country.
Government
Costa Rica is a democratic republic, headed by a
president who is in power for a four-year term.
Presidents cannot run for a second term.
Ministers are appointed and there is an elected
congress. There has been no military since 1948,
when it was banned under the Costa Rican
Constitution.
Weather
Weather in Costa Rica is very pleasant
year-round. There are two seasons, dry (December
to April) and rainy (May to November). During
the rainy season you can expect rain every day,
usually for a short period of time in the
afternoon.
Temperatures remain constant throughout the year
and vary according to geographic region. In the
Central Valley, temperatures average around 72
degrees, coastal areas between 80 and 90 degrees
and mountain temperatures can drop to the 50’s
and below. Coastal waters remain at about 74
degrees on both the Pacific and Caribbean
coasts.
The Pacific Guanacaste area, home to many beach
resorts, is the hottest and driest area.
Taxes
There is no income tax on money earned outside
of Costa Rica by residents. Personal income
taxes are low compared to North America, with
many personal expenses deducted from
locally-earned income. Corporate taxes and
property taxes are also low.
Sales tax is 13%.
Tourists pay an exit tax of about $17 when they
leave the country, and residents pay slightly
more.
Currently, the import cost on
a car from new to 3 years old is 52.29 % of its
value. Generally, the tax increases 10% for
each year of the car’s life until it reaches a
maximum of 82%.
Tourists may import cars and
use them in Costa Rica for six months without
paying an import tax.
Health Care
Costa Rica has great health care. In fact, a
1995 World Health Organization report placed
Costa Rica third in life expectancy, behind
Japan and France. Most of Costa Rica’s doctors
trained outside of the country, and many are
bilingual.
In terms of health insurance in Costa Rica,
there are a few different options for
foreigners. Those who have financial interest to
protect will want to choose an international
insurance company that can guarantee a minimum
of $5,000,000 lifetime coverage available
anywhere in the world. Look for a reputable
company with a long history of protecting
individuals without cancellation or restrictions
on renewal.
The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS)
is Costa Rica’s social security system that
provides health services to Costa Rican citizens
and also applies to any foreign resident or
visitor. CCSS has a government-sponsored network
of 29 hospitals and more than 250 clinics
throughout the country. Foreigners can join CCSS
by paying a small monthly fee, based on income.
Prices for treatments are generally way below
those of the U.S. For example, a private office
visit to almost any medical specialist costs
around $30.
CCSS has some drawbacks, however. Costa Rican
hospitals tend to be overburdened and backed up.
CCSS only pays for public hospitals on their
registry, leaving individuals to pay out of
their own pockets if they go to a private
hospital.
Health insurance can also be purchased from the
State monopoly, Instituto de Seguro Nacional
(INS). Their plans are valid with over 200
affiliated doctors, hospitals, labs and
pharmacies in the private sector. Unfortunately,
the largest INS Medical policy only provides
$17,000 protection, which would fall short of
protecting you in case of major illness.
Utilities
Costa Rica has a state-owned
power/telephone company, the Costa Rican
Electricity Institute (ICE). This company has a
monopoly over all phone and electricity
services. Getting a phone installed can be a
slow process, but once it’s installed, ICE
provides good service. Touch tone international
dialing for phone and fax is available, as well
as cellular service.
Cable and dial-up internet
service have been widely used for years, and ICE
recently made high-speed DSL connection
available.
Water services are also
provided by a state monopoly, AyA.
Electricity, phone and water
services are all relatively inexpensive.
Time Zone
Costa Rica is in the Standard
time zone, usually within two hours of most
North American cities. There is no daylight
savings time, so the clock never moves forward
or back.
Shopping
In Costa Rica’s capital, San José, you can find
an array of items available in terms of food,
clothes and household goods. The Central Valley
has many large, American-style malls with almost
anything you would find in the States. Computers
sales and service are also readily available in
San José.
In outlying areas, selections of some products
may be more limited.
Food
The Central Valley area has a variety of
restaurants offering cuisine from all over the
world. There are also small “sodas,” or
lunch-counter style restaurants where you can
eat traditional Costa Rican fair (rice and beans
with meat, salad and plantains) for very cheap.
Large supermarkets around San José sell
basically any food item you may want. Imported
products tend to be a bit pricier than their
Costa Rican counterparts. Gourmet markets in
neighborhoods with large expatriate populations,
such as Escazú, offer imported fine food
products not found in supermarkets.
In rural areas outside of San José, it is common
to see fresh vegetables and tropical fruits for
sale by the side of the road and in produce
markets.
Entertainment
Music lovers can enjoy Costa Rica’s own
excellent symphony orchestra as well as local
and visiting live musicians. Salsa, meringue and
cumbia are popular at the discoteca
nightclubs.
San José has an active theater scene as well as
a community of artists and galleries. Outlying
towns in the Central Valley are also home to
many artists; you can find great hand-made
pottery and artesania in road-side
markets.
There are many movie theaters in the San José
area, and most films are in English with Spanish
subtitles.
Recreation/Health
Costa Ricans have a passion for soccer. Regional
teams have strong fan bases during the season,
and you’ll find matches being played in just
about any park, school, or beach.
Gyms, basketball courts and pools are abundant.
Tennis and golf courses are also common in
resort areas. For the adventurous, many tour
companies offer whitewater rafting, kayaking,
horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking.
Electricity
Costa Rica has 110-115 Volt electricity, the
same as North America.
Drinking water
Unlike other countries in the Central American
region, water can be drunk from the tap
throughout Costa Rica.
Having domestic help
Many foreign
residents employ a maid, either full or
part-time depending on life style. Gardeners and
nannies are also available. Domestic staff earn
about $1 per hour. Domestic help is readily
available, but you should be careful about who
you let into your home. A reliable
recommendation is a must.
Natural
Disasters
Costa Rica is an earthquake zone. There are many
recorded earthquakes every year, but only
occasional tremors can be felt.
There is no danger of hurricanes, but heavy
tropical rains can cause flooding. Costa Rica
has several active volcanoes, the most active of
which is Arenal, which erupts continuously
without causing damage.
In the past, there have been eruptions causing
damage to property and loss of lives, however,
unless you buy Costa Rica real estate at the
base of a volcano, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Media
Costa Rica has a few newspapers in Spanish and
an English paper, The Tico Times. U.S. magazines
in English can be purchased at newsstands in San
José and tourist areas.
Cable television, available everywhere in the
country except for extremely remote areas, gives
you channels in English such as CNN, HBO and
other movie channels.
Internet is available through phone lines or a
cable modem set up by the state power monopoly,
ICE. ICE recently began offering high-speed
broadband connections, available anywhere there
is a phone line.
Community organization/support groups
Because Costa Rica has a large expatriate
population, there are many active community
organizations ranging from religious groups to
sports teams to book clubs.
Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and
Overeaters Anonymous also have chapters in the
San José areas and in some outlying areas.
Spanish schools
If you want to learn Spanish while in Costa
Rica, you will have abundant opportunities to do
so. In both the Central Valley area and coastal
communities, there are a plethora of Spanish
schools offering everything from intensive
language study to weekly classes to private
lessons. Living here also gives you the huge
advantage of being able to practice speaking
Spanish everywhere you go!
Addresses/directions
Costa Rica has its own quirky system for giving
directions. Rather than using street names and
numbers for houses and businesses, directions
are given according to cardinal directions from
a specific landmark. For example, to tell
someone how to get to your house, you may say
500 meters north and 200 meters east from the
supermarket. Though this may be confusing at
first, it actually works well.
Environment
There is a high level of environmental
consciousness in Costa Rica. 27% of the
country’s area is national park or protected
reserve. The beaches are also public property
with strict guidelines for where property can be
developed and sold.
There are environmental guidelines in place for
industries, and many environmental groups serve
as watchdogs.
Costa Rica’s national park system is one of its
true gems. There are 32 national parks, eight
biological reserves, 13 forest reserves and 51
wildlife refuges. Costa Rica is one of the most
biologically diverse countries in the world with
thousands of plant an animal species which can
be seen by touring the biological reserves and
national parks.
Costa Rica houses a range of climates including
dry, dessert-like areas, rainforests and cloud
forests.
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