Slush, Snow--Consider Costa Rica!

  Our  friend, Mark  who lived in Costa Rica on a 3 year assignment with the Embassy, just sent me the Article in the Winter Edition of  "Live South" with a report on International Living in Costa Rica. We're still here and he's back in Maryland with the slush, snow and his endless construction project.  Of course our friend added his unique wit and personal photo essay filled with insider stories of our shared fun together in Costa Rica.   I will always remember the day that we went walking on a beach trail in Jaco,  when we were suddenly attacked by a Possum who was protecting her young.    The men felt so warrior- like, protecting their wives with their sticks  and wondering why the little fellow wasn't doing what he was suppose to do.. "Play Dead!"  Ah Well....The Possum Adventure made them both feel like "Harrison Ford" in Raiders of the Lost Ark, earning them their Margarita at the end of the day.

The Article in Live South  has some great stats and information that I would like to share with you in this blog about economics of living in Costa Rica:

1) Property taxes are only .250% of a home purchase prices.

2) A full-time housekeeper will run $60 per week for 6 days service.

3) In the Kitchen:  Primo coffee will run $3 a pound.  Free-range chicken $2 per pounds and a loaf of bread is about $2.  My Note:  Wean yourself off of imported commercial foods and go to the local markets on the weekend.

4) Services are much less expensive due to low labor rates.  Minimum wage is about $1.50 per hour, so that makes a one-hour-in massage between 20 - 25.00 verses $100.00.  (I pay $16.00).

On Living in the Mountains: (Story in LiveSouth.com)

I was pleased to see the Author shares our mentality about living in Costa Rica's majestic mountains.  When we first moved to Costa Rica, we explored the beaches but found our energy zapped by mid-day.  We chose Escazu due to climate and culture and central location for services.

"This is where I could write a novel.  The mountains of Costa Rica are beautiful and offer a 10 to 15F degree lower temperature than on the coast.  The cooler air and lower humidity in the mountains are often preferred when living in the tropics.  All the land is deeded and is usually a lot less expensive than on the coast"

For information on living in or retiring to Costa Rica, visit www.dreamincostarica.com  You can also join us at Retreats Costa Rica for a one-week insider discovery and learning vacation at

www.retreatscostarica.com