Costa Rica is really a small country of 6 million people in Central America located between Nicaragua and Panama. Because Costa Rica's cost of living is approximately 1/3 the cost of living in the US, lots of people are retiring to Costa Rica. Taxes are a fraction of what they are in the US, there is absolutely no capital gains taxes in Costa Rica, in fact Costa Rica is Known as the Switzerland of the Americas. You can get a full time maid for $200 monthly, there is an abundance of organic fruits and vegetables throughout the year because of a temperate climate averaging 74 degrees. I reside in San Jose and I've no air-con or heating. I just have plenty of screened windows and keep them open and get fresh air 24 hours a day. It's more healthy than having an air conditioning equipment running and of course much cheaper since currently you don't need to pay for the air that you breathe. But I am sure there's some major corporation in the US trying to figure out how they can get a patent on the air and charge a fee for it. In fact there are numerous of Oxygen bars springing up in america where you could go and breathe oxygen for 20 or half an hour and they charge $10.00 for that. You have none of this in Costa Rica since you have fresh climate.
Consequently, https://www.discoverpuravida.com/five-things-to-do-in-dominical-costa-rica/ gets the most Americans living here per capita than anywhere else on the globe and the number is growing every year. Apart from the fact that the expense of living is low and the united states is absolutely beautiful, probably the most valuable asset in Costa Rica is its people. They are lovely individuals who are gentle, kind and have strong family ties. A common expression is "PURA VIDA', which means the pure life. The Costa Ricans love their family plus they also love the Americans (Gringos). They have established Catholicism because the official language of the united states. Which means you won't have any law suits being brought by the ACLU because there is a nativity scene around some government buildings. However, they're a very tolerant individuals who respect others preferences therefore there are lots of other religions practiced here aswell and that are welcomed.
Many huge American companies such as for example Intel, Hewlett Packard and large call centers have major operations in Costa Rica. Costa Rica includes a very good education system and a higher literacy rate compared to the US. So that they have an excellent educated labor pool for the countless companies which are relocating here from all over the world.
So for all of the aforementioned reasons, Americans feel very comfortable here and now call Costa Rica their house. I am one of them and can tell you that I'd never consider living in any other country. I was born in america and was raised there, but after living in Costa Rica for five years, I'd never return back. When I do go back to the US to visit family and friends, I cannot wait to get back to Costa Rica. There's just a sense of freedom here and joy in living with simply people who love and appreciate simple family values. By comparison to the people in america individuals in Costa Rica are poor, but they are rich in spirit. I often say that people in Costa Rica have nothing, but they have everything. When I made that comment to someone, their comeback was, "yes you're right, in america it's just the reverse, their individuals there have everything and yet they have nothing".
It seems every day in the US you hear of horrendous acts of violence that's shocking to the core. Senseless mass killings and all types of unimaginable crimes against innocence children and the American people. Senseless shootings in schools, universities, stores and even in Churches. You merely don't possess that in Costa Rica, it just doesn't exist. Yes there is crime like everywhere else, however, not to the degree that you see happening in america.
I mentioned previously about having a genuine sense of Freedom here and I want to expand on a little more, since it's a essential factor. When I'm in the US Personally i think like I am living in an Orwellian your government society. This war on terror has people surviving in fear. It seems if you ask me when I am in america there is just a lot of paranoia, if fact I find myself getting paranoid. I'm at the airport and over the loudspeaker they announce the threat level is orange today and don't leave your bag alone. In the event that you see anything suspicious report it to the authorities. I visit the bank and have to fill our papers for simple transactions as a result of Patriot Act and for Homeland Security. I think to myself what has happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave?
I think back to the late 1960's and ponder how much things have changed. Without a doubt a little story which will dramatize that point. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a big Italian family. I was at that time in my own earlier twenties living in Philadelphia, Pa. and I was dealing with the mayor of Philadelphia Frank Rizzo, who was simply an Italian American and was the former police commissioner. Philadelphia had plenty of problems with crime and they still do, so Mr. Rizzo insisted that I get yourself a gun and a license to carry it, therefore i did. One weekend I drove with some friends from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh to go to my family. I then was to fly back again to Philadelphia since my friends were likely to stay longer. Inadvertently, I had left my gun in my bag. So when I got to the airport I walked to the gate and asked to speak with the Captain. You didn't need to go through all the security that you do today you just would walk up to the gate and board the plane. The Captain came out and I told him that I had a gun and had a license to transport it and showed it to him. He explained no problem, just take the bullets out. Now consider where we have result from that time to where we are now. They are body searching 90 year old great grandmothers and herding people like cattle through ever tighter security. Oh incidentally, gas was selling for $.29 cents per gallon at that time and parents didn't have to mortgage their homes to send their kids to college.
Here in Costa Rica I've the same feeling of freedom that I had in the late 1960's and I really like that feeling. I also love the truth that beach side property in Costa Rica is selling for 1960 California prices. I really like the sense of family the Costa Ricans still have. Personally i think the beauty of the people and the country throughout me and within me. I can buy fresh organic fruit and veggies every week which are grown 52 weeks per year in Costa Rica's temperate climate at a fraction of the purchase price you pay in america. Health care and dentistry is a fraction of the price aswell. Taxes on my beach home at Las Olas Beach Community in Esterillos Oeste is $200 per year. I have a full time maid that cost me $200 per month. And if some day I want to get into a retirement home, it'll be a fourth of the price as in america and will be staffed by caring and giving Costa Ricans. Which means this is why I, along with 200,000 other Xpate Americans now call Costa Rica their house now also it really and why more are arriving at retire hear weekly.