Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: One week’s worth of produce—$19.68
This is what we brought home today. A week’s worth of produce for under $20. We will use the vegetables to make plenty of homemade stir fry dishes. The mangos and the big bag of oranges will be our fruit for the week.
For another dollar, we could have bought a pineapple but they were a little too green. I like them when they are more yellow. If you catch them at the right time, they are so sweet they taste like Jolly Ranchers.
I feel good eating this way. Now that my diet is full of fruits and vegetables, I feel younger. Furthermore, when I feel younger I start to believe I look younger.
And to think… I did that without any Botox.
(Remember to follow me at https://www.facebook.com/happierthanabillionaire where I post new pictures everyday!)
My husband and I are going to CR in Januray to check it out…he is looking to get into realestate and land sales there…… he owned his own company for 20 years in Virginia and the past 4 years has about drowned us and our nest egg…were ready for a change, any suggestions for companys in the Jaco area?
Jaco is a very popular tourist destination but I’ve only been there a couple times. There are so many pretty beaches in that area, especially Playa Bejuco. Are you looking to open up a real estate company or something in tourism?
I need a change .i am a registered nurse. Hospice nurse and school nurse. I love the ocean. I am sad and lonely . I want to cherish life again. I heard it is a great place to live. I don’t to be rich inworldil goods. Just happy.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I would suggest a nice vacation here, time to relax in a hammock and listen to the surf roll in. It’s not always easy living in a foreign country, but this journey seems to have fit me…I couldn’t imagine my life being any other way.
I was once confused and emotionally depleted. Work seemed to suck all the life out of me and I desperately needed a change. Maybe yours isn’t necessarily Costa Rica, but if you start remembering again all those things that made you happy in the past, you will unlock that door and those feelings will come flooding back again.
Happiness is still within you…it’s just stuck in traffic.
Wow! This is a great blog 🙂 inspiring for you just to follow your dreams like that! The fruit and veg looks great too!
Thanks Zoe! It was risky, but I’ve never looked back and enjoy everyday as it comes. For some reason, this adventure was exactly what I needed. It’s as if I found a life that fits.
Just finished your book and I loved it.
I am planning to follow you and your husband down to CR in February 2013.
As you can imagine I have tons of questions.
I guess my biggest one would be how much money will I need for the first few months two rent a place and get utlities turned on. Going to stay away from the beaches for housing to say money.
If you are not including buying a car, I would have $1500 a month coming in so you can easily get around and do all those things that are necessary. If you rent a place, utilities are usually on, and if they are not, it’s an easy process to do.
It is cheaper living closer to San Jose. It also gives you the ability to get a lot of things done that can be challenging when you live at the beach.
Thanks! I might ship my truck there once I figure out if I want to stay. Not sure what the import fee would be but to ship it down will only cost me about 500.. or so I have been told.
I know the import taxes could be high. We ended up buying a car down here, for us it was easier than shipping. But I know plenty of people who shipped their cars down, and they seem pleased.
Interesting! Thanks for the updates 🙂
I posted a similar cost update today for Antigua Guatemala. Do the produce costs there reflect Costa Rica as a whole, or do they go up if you live near the beach?
-Rich
I definitely see an increase living near the beach. At times I pay closer to 10% more. Other days it’s the same as when I lived on the mountain. But it’s definitely a little more off the grid and the prices reflect that. It doesn’t help that I live minutes away from one of the biggest tourist destinations in all of Costa Rica.
But even with increase in cost, it’s so wildly beautiful here, I’m glad I relocated across the country here. The sunsets over the water are magnificent, as I’m sure they are over there.