Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes You are here to learn all about tipping in Costa Rica. You assume you must leave a tip when you eat out or have drinks. Be aware that your bill already includes the tip. In most countries, you’re expected to tip, even if you’re unhappy with the service. In others,…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes Did I learn Spanish before moving here? No, I didn’t. And that was stupid. I’d never do that again. Before I moved to Costa Rica, there was so much to do and I had no time to take Spanish classes. I did not realize how important it was to learn at…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Do you know why expat’s Costa Rican retirement dreams get shattered? There are several reasons, so I’ll just have to walk you through them. However, the main reason is that they are unsuccessful because they don’t listen to those with expertise. Every day, I see people asking the same questions…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Do you know who is responsible for the security of your car when you park it on the street, a hotel, a grocery store, or a mall? Well, you, of course! That’s not the legal truth, but the reason for this article. When moving to Costa Rica, there is a…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Do you need ambulance services to get to the hospital in Costa Rica? Then make sure you know your Tico address. This is important so the ambulance will know where to find you. We don’t have real addresses, you know! If you don’t want the ambulance to get lost, ask your…
Estimated Reading Time: 8 Minutes Are you wondering about private healthcare in Costa Rica? In 45 years of living in Costa Rica, I’ve seen many Costa Rican hospitals on the inside, excluding CAJA hospitals. Here, you don’t need a referral from a general practitioner to go to a specialist. You just go directly to a…
Estimated Reading time: 5 Minutes Because I grew up in Holland, with a more open mindset than others, it is easy to talk about the topic, and often, future expats ask if LGBTQ+ people are moving to Costa Rica. The answer is yes. The LGBTQ crowd is quite large and relatively well-accepted in Paradise. Only…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Did you know that family is very important to everyone in Costa Rica? In Costa Rica, family sticks together, even if they can’t stand each other. Costa Ricans do everything with their family as much as possible. They are very traditional in their family lifestyle and can have multi-generation households…
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Traditional Costa Rican Christmas food is probably much different than what you used to eat during the Christmas holidays when you grew up. Getting used to local food in Costa Rica might be more complicated than you think, as Tico’s taste buds are very different from yours (and mine). The…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Have you tried tamales made in Costa Rica yet? Unfortunately, we’re no longer making tamales for Christmas; my wife is on a diet. And tamales make her fat, she says. So, I guess I’ll have to buy a couple of factory-made tamales in the grocery store. For many years, during…
Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Christmas traditions in Costa Rica are probably not what you are used to. You can prevent culture shock by learning what Ticos do during the Christmas holidays and where they go. Christmas Eve in Spanish is Nochebuena. This country is definitely not boring during Christmas time; there is plenty to…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes Do you know why rivers have setbacks? There is a fundamental reason for that. It is raining more and more every year. It rained more in 2024 than ever before I moved here in 1980. It’s more water in a shorter time, and the soil is not able to suck…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes Who says it does not get cold in Costa Rica? Of course, it does. Compared to the temperatures in some other places, this is still paradise. Many of us who have moved to Costa Rica come from cold places. Most of us relocated because of the nice weather, which is…
Estimated Reading Time: 3 Minutes Getting utilities connected in Costa Rica can be a frustrating process, especially for newcomers unfamiliar with the country’s bureaucracy and service delays. Buying a property in Costa Rica is a relatively simple process. However, the challenges to getting utilities connected often begin with the language barrier, as most communication with…
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes This week, I want to share some interesting habits of housekeepers in Costa Rica—things that might seem unusual to us, who come from different backgrounds but habits that are entirely normal to them. These actions stem from cultural differences and unique lifestyles, which expats must understand before hiring a housekeeper…
Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes Sellers often ask me, “What can I sell my Cariari home for?” The Costa Rica real estate market is quite vibrant. Like other markets, it can move up or down quite suddenly, as many have witnessed. Nonetheless, prices of properties here don’t move much most of the time. There are…