Why is Costa Rica EXPENSIVE? | Costa Rica Life and Travel
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 มิ.ย. 2024
- A popular question and an even more popular complaint! Let's go over some of the reasons why Costa Rica has become infamous for its high costs, whether it's true or not!
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I'm living in Jaco Costa Rica at the moment and it's considered on of the most expensive areas in CR. Having said that it's all about lifestyle, if you go out to dinner every night and like to party it's expensive. Food is expensive depending what you want and I cook mostly at home and eat out a couple times a week.
Thats just it! It's all about lifestyle! Eating at home is essential for saving some money, and just enjoying the country for what it is, the frills are not truly necessary. Thank you so much for sharing your insight!
I was there for a month last year. I stayed in Quepos. BTW, in one of your previous videos you did a walking tour from Quepos to Manuel Antonio with your friend. Many of the places you walked by I walked by and ate there as as well. I had an apartment which was pricey because I was only there for a month. I get that. I shopped at the farmers' market every weekend. I bought meat at the carniceria once a week, and at the grocery stores I only bought local/CR products. I found that I did not spend much on food for that month. I ate lunch out every day because I was out doing stuff. And then it was at only local sodas. Being back in San Francisco was nice, but I sorely miss Costa Rica and hope to return soon for longer than a month. This video is spot on about costs going up. I hope there is never comes a point when Costa Ricans start resenting expats, tourists, visitors and guests for bringing rising costs to so many things. Thanks for this video.
It sure sounds like you got the idea of trying to "live here" very well! It's the best way to do it! I hope you can visit again soon! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for appreciating my opinion on the matter! I hope it doesn't come to that either, but only time will tell! Thanks for enjoying :)
yay regular new videos?! :)
Yesss 😌 hopefully more consistently than ever!
Super expensive. I just returned to the States after 15 mos. I was spending $3000 a month ($800 rent for a two bedroom condo). I don't plan to return
Great 10 minute video Emma. Costa Rica is expensive for sure but it is what you make out of it, whether that being a tourist, expat, or local. If you go local places, you pay local prices. If you go to touristy places, you pay touristy prices. It depends what you want to do and what you want to eat (I guess just like any country you plan to visit in general). When I visit another country, I try to stick to local cuisine when I can because I've always wanted to try the food there (it's likely food I can't get at home so it's like enjoy it while I can). Great information as always Emma! I enjoy these type of videos as well, so I hope you can make some more later in the future!
Timestamp Comments:
1:05 - 1:11 I just imagine Costa Rica be like "How much more nature do you want to check out?" And then the tourists be like "...YES!!!" lol
6:10 - 6:31 Yeah for sure. This seems to be a common theme amongst many tourists; they go for food that they can find back home. They seem to play things safe in terms of cuisine. Why go to a different country and eat food that you can find back home? You mostly end up paying more with probably the same or lesser quality. Local food is usually cheaper and is unique to the country you are traveling to. And yes, you're right, Costa Rican food for example is way more than just rice, beans, and meats. I think tourists can do a better job expanding their horizons in terms of the food game to open up their minds more and not expect so much out of a country like Costa Rica to be like their home country.
8:55 - 9:02 Absolutely. Granted, I do buy physical souvenirs when I go somewhere, but I try to be mindful of how much I spend in terms of souvenirs. Tours are expensive but I get why people do them. But yeah, they should expect to pay touristy prices.
Thanks Tony! This is so true! Sticking to the local foods and ways of going about your days is always the best, it really helps to get a proper "feel" for the country you're visiting! Thanks so much for your love and support Tony!! Hoping to get some good adventures in soon too!!
Costa Rica is very very expensive. There are better and more beautiful places to go than Costa Rica for the same amount of money. This is not a place to retire if you are on a limited budget.
Hi Emma love the channel! I've been living in Cartago for 10 months now and I will say yes it has gotten quite expensive lately it seems. Mainly food and just general household items. Not sure if you have been to any of the outlets that are popping up everywhere. I've been here many times in my life to visit since my parents are from here but I will say living and visiting are two different things. Overall I do love it here especially the climate in Cartago and the beautiful sights it has to offer. But yeah traffic is a killer here lol. If you ever find yourself in Cartago let me know id love to meet a fellow American 🇺🇲
travel to costa rica can be expensive if you Didnt do your hws so good before travel
It is THE most expensive country in central america by far. Massively so I'm absolutely appalled, just bicycled here from Canada
I came here to bitch
Hi Emma thank you for another great video. Costa Rica can be expensive but like here in Canada , I live in Montreal , it can be expensive too. You just have to shop carefully and buy local whenever you can. Some sodas are very good and less expensive than the restaurants that are more touristy and you can eat fairly healthy at them. Taking local buses around the country are a good bargin too. Keep up the great video work Emma and thanks so very much xxx 😘🥰
Thank Lindsay for enjoying! This is very true! Its all about spending wisely and being open minded. Thanks again for all the love!!
👌"Wants Vs Needs" Adapt, compromise...or don't & then complain like many. My husband and I live on 2k CAD / 1500 USD a month, just barely outside of Dominical!....A touristy beach town, but go to surrounding bigger cities for most shopping/services. It is possible to live at the beach without being a millionaire :)
Rent $500-$600, depending on utilities.
Groceries 500-550 CAD / under 500 USD, and I think we eat really well! 75-90% local ingredients...organic veggies, (no meat), organic dairy products, and even manage to fit non-latin American like meals into it like homemade sushi in the budget ($10 for nori is ouch but it makes two meals, but no way I buy sushi rice, regular rice works just fine). Or homemade Indian, regular rice not basmati, instead of $6 for canned coconut milk from thailand I drink a pipa fria and make my own coconut milk = $1 for coconut water and a cans worth of coconut milk, make my own naan for insanely cheap.
Restaurants, typically fit 1-2 meals out, 2 if more casual/sodas, 1 for more of a midrange...for more of an experience like going for sunset, live music, etc.
$75-100 CAD for gas, an older piggie 2000 diesel v6 (but we do also work from home)
(Car repairs and expenses are outside of the monthly because they aren't every month or always predictable LOL but considering my car here is 5-10 years older than my Canadian car, the overall costs have been comparable)
From what I have heard the import taxes subsidize a lot of social services. Costa Rica's income tax is quite "low" considering the amount of social services, so compared to say Mexico 15-30%, CR's range was 5-25%, low to low-medium income is in the 5-10%, lower than mexicos starting point, and a lot of the country is in a low salary bracket so not a lot of income tax collected. Property tax is also low. So tax less essential item purchases instead of the income, a good idea in theory. Again, this is just what I've heard from a couple locals/brief residency lawyer chat, I could be corrected...polity please as I am just offering a perspective.
Thanks so much for sharing your perspective! Yes! Integrate into the reality of the location, or please no complaining! It seems difficult for some. This is some great insight for those who want to get a better idea of costs of living, also it's helpful to know about the income tax, I don't think I've every directly asked Luis how much they actually take from his pay check haha. Thank you so much!!
Well said! It sounds like you have watched Travel Costa Rica Now's videos too.
Thank you, yes I have watched them and many many others, and I've also moved quite a few times learning bits and pieces from each place but the most essential lessons typically from locals / local knowledge@@barco581
Just got back from 3 weeks in Costa. 4 adults, car rental, food, accommodations. $16,000 CDN. Costa lotta, loaf of market bread $15, cup of coffee $7-9. Six pack $15. All CDN. You pay for everything, not much free or low cost options.
I dunno it’s got nice beaches and jungle, but they treat the land poorly. Garbage everywhere, I mean everywhere. What is the problem with garbage and South or Central America :(. I checked prices against a trip to Switzerland last year. They are virtually identical. Feeling very bad for the locals, obvious hyper inflation. Corruption at work. Good luck!
The shopping can be a bit adjusted, depending on where you shop, but I will admit, using Canadian money here, transferred to USD or CRC is not fun. There are also lots of free things to do, but again these things are not often shown to visitors, you kinda have to know someone or be willing to really explore! The garbage thing does dishearten me, as it is all over the country, the lack of care when it comes to this is quite upsetting. The corruption and inflation may only get worse for a while before everyone realizes that Costa Rica has been destroyed by greed, but let's hope it doesn't get to that point.
Recuerda que CR tiene el salario mínimo mas alto de todo Latinoamérica
I honestly think Costa Rica has “jumped the shark” there’s too many other countries with equal natural beauty and more culture and things to do in Latin America. Plus, with the massive increase in crime CR has lost its main attraction, “peaceful paradise” I almost got shot by stray bullet at a restaurant last week in Santa Teresa of all places! For that I might as well live in Colombia for 1/4 of the price
Is really expensive in most tourist town. Also luxury towns.
Exactly!
Hi Emma, you have great content. I subscribed to your channel. I want to move to Costa Rica from Canada within the next 6 months. I eat a raw vegan diet (mostly fruits). I’m assuming farmer’s markets would be the cheapest? I’m a singer/guitarist and would maybe like to join a band. Is there a town/city along the Pacific coast that you would recommend that has lots of live entertainment in bars?
Hey! Thank you so much for enjoying and for the support! Farmer's markets can be cheap, but also some are very touristy depending on the location - I would almost recommend the "verdulerías" first, which are the fruit and vegetable stores, you can always find out which days they get their produce delivery to get the freshest! Tomorrow I will be going to check out the "largest farmer's market in the South Pacific of the country", I imagine there I will find some good prices. Hoping to do a live stream there, so hope to you see you join in! In Manuel Antonio and Dominical there are many live entertainment bars! Most touristy towns will have restaurants with live music nights!! Hope this helps!
I returned to Canada for a few weeks and had to shop for groceries at a well-known grocery chain. I was blown away by the high-cost of every food item. I did a price comparison of grocery prices in Canada vs what I know of Costa Rica grocery prices..and Costa Rica grocery items come in cheaper than Canadian prices.. (and I know food costs in Costa Rica have increased substantially too). Also.. many pricier "specialty" food items in Costa Rica are pretty much the same cost here in Canada now.
Thanks for sharing!! I have heard that Canada grocery items have gotten more expensive, but really haven't had personal experience.
It’s worse now, much worse
CR is expensive and its due to many reasons for example; lack of commercial treaties with other nations, CR imports most of the products and fertilizers got really expensive due to the Ukranian war and CR is a farming country so that make groceries more expensive, gas prices have a few taxes and the barril is expensive in CR because CR doesn't refined petroleum, that also makes the product expensive, CR has that highest lowest salary in Latin America and that kind of balance out the prices and also the tourist areas are expensive due to demand just like anywhere in the world. Good news is that CR is opening a lot more tours the Chinese market and some products have lower prices such as electronics, cars and houseware, building materials, etc.
These are really good points, thank you for the information!!! Ouuu, if building materials lower in price, I will be a very happy lady, as we are trying to start the process of building our house, but it just seems very scary and expensive right at this moment so we are saving money! Thanks again!!
First, Costa Rica is in a lot better shape than many other countries in Latin America so that cranks demand.
Costa Rica CAN be expensive, but as many expats have shown it doesn't have to be expensive. Usually the people who complain the loudest that "CR is too expensive" have exported their North American lifestyles. They live in high end developments on the beaches in places like Playa Hermosa and have security guards. They drive new cars. They eat out often for steak, seafood, wine, etc and frequent hotels and restaurants that cater to North Americans. Yes, with that lifestyle one is pretty much at US prices. 99% of Ticos do not live lives like that.
THIS 🏆 👆
@@EmmainCostaRica thank you Emma. This whole "CR is too expensive" nonsense drives a lot of us crazy who have spent time there beyond just a vacation.
Compared to the US, three things are dramatically less expensive in Costa Rica.
1) Rent for an apartment
2) Hourly labor (dentist, Uber, housekeeper)
3) Healthcare
On the other hand, when you go out to eat you usually pay San Francisco prices but the food is horrible. You can find good places to eat, like in Escalante, but that's rare. Sodas have good prices but their food is so unhealthy it'll cause you to die ten years early.
Emma you have the best TH-cam channel about Costa Rica. Thanks 😊
One can find great deals on food at various sodas throughout Costa Rica. But yeah, if you are going out in Escalante, one of the most pricey areas of the entire country, it can get expensive pretty quickly.
Emma, you should visit Guatemala, it has everything that CR has, better weather and gastronomy, also very cheap,give it a try, in one of your visa runs, u will love it
Thanks! Actually you should check out my other videos, I have been to Guatemala many times! I like it a lot!!
I think I need around 2000 to 5000 dollars a month.
I think Costa Rica is ruined and I live here for 9 months a year, too expensive and no value for money on anything.