Life as an Expat in Costa Rica: How Coffee, Food, and Health Habits Change

It is early afternoon and I am sipping my fourth cup of coffee. This is nothing unusual, as I average over a liter of coffee daily. I drink more coffee than I ever would have up north. In fact, when I go up north for a visit, I drink about half the coffee I consume […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/27/life-as-an-expat-in-costa-rica-how-coffee-food-and-health-habits-change

Theft in Costa Rica: A Local Expat’s Personal Experience

If you follow the news in Costa Rica with any degree of regularity, you’ll know that crime is in the zeitgeist. As with any nation there are many flavors of crime in Costa Rica. Corruption is usually associated with the government and other people that hold power. Much of the violent crime lately in Costa […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/26/theft-in-costa-rica-a-local-expats-personal-experience

Adjusting to Expat Life in Costa Rica and Its Two Gentle Seasons

Costa Rica’s subtle seasonal changes offer orientation when spring, summer, autumn and winter aren’t there to structure the passage of time. Spring is here, a season that draws out a grateful sigh for the return of light, heat and the pending harvest. At least, that is the case in northern latitudes where changes in the […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/25/adjusting-to-expat-life-in-costa-rica-and-its-two-gentle-seasons

Scams in Costa Rica: How Con Artists Prey on Investors

The first book I ever tried to read in Spanish was Robert Vesco Compra una República. It was 1991 and I was a few months into my life in Costa Rica. Learning Spanish by listening to the radio, overhearing conversations on the street, making verb charts, drinking at the cantina and talking with the locals, […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/23/scams-in-costa-rica-how-con-artists-prey-on-investors

Why I Left Corporate America for a Jungle Eco-Lodge in Costa Rica

I didn’t move to Costa Rica for its beaches or rainforests. I moved for a man—Daniel, my high school sweetheart. It sounds like a cliché straight out of a reality TV show, but this was my reality. A self-proclaimed feminist, I grew up believing I could be anything. I fought for a unisex ice hockey […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/20/why-i-left-corporate-america-for-a-jungle-eco-lodge-in-costa-rica

Costa Rica to Launch Online Driver’s License Renewal Service in October

Starting October 2025, renewing or replacing a driver’s license in Costa Rica will be as simple as a few clicks, thanks to a new online service from the National Road Safety Council (COSEVI). Aimed at reducing long waits at Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) branches, this digital platform will streamline processes for expats, tourists, and […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/18/costa-rica-to-launch-online-drivers-license-renewal-service-in-october

Monteverde Fights Gentrification to Preserve Community

In the Tilarán Mountains, Monteverde, Costa Rica is known for its biodiversity and ecotourism. However, rising rents and land prices are driving gentrification, forcing many local residents to commute from nearby areas for work as living costs exceed their budgets. Ecotourism drives Monteverde’s economy, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year to its cloud forests and […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/15/monteverde-fights-gentrification-to-preserve-community

Panama Tops Costa Rica as 2025 Retirement Destination

Panama has claimed the top spot in International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index for 2025, unseating Costa Rica, which dropped to third place behind Portugal, according to the report released late last year. The shift highlights Panama’s growing appeal for retirees seeking affordability, modern amenities, and ease of relocation. The index ranks 20 countries based […]
The po [...]

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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/15/panama-tops-costa-rica-as-2025-retirement-destination

Costa Rica’s Bold New Tourist Trap: Where Beaches Meet Bars

I don’t know about you, but I was very excited to read that Costa Rica has expressed interest in getting into one of the best regional growth industries—massive prisons. Up in El Salvador, Bukele has built the prototype prison for long-term jailing: CECOT, the Center for Terrorism Confinement. Now our president has indicated that he […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/14/costa-ricas-bold-new-tourist-trap-where-beaches-meet-bars

Costa Rica Retirement Dreams and Realities: A Tale of Tin Roofs and Tough Choices

A few days ago, an old friend from the States gave me a call. He’d recently retired, gotten divorced, and was dreaming of a fresh start in Costa Rica. With his budget tight, he figured I’d be the perfect person to guide him—after all, I’ve been thriving here on a shoestring for over 30 years. […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/09/costa-rica-retirement-dreams-and-realities-a-tale-of-tin-roofs-and-tough-choices

Why Expats Are Trading Costa Rican Residency For Tourist Status

After over 20 years of residing legally in Costa Rica, a friend recently chose to renounce his residency. It was not an easy decision. He likes it here. But when he went to re-up for five more years the Caja handed him an updated bill. It was more than he wanted to pay. There was […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/03/why-expats-are-trading-costa-rican-residency-for-tourist-status

The Thrilling and Dangerous Reality of Motorcycles in Costa Rica

They roar through the barrio at all hours, muffler optional. They show up suddenly in my side view mirror at an askew angle when I am driving, before cutting between the lanes and making a death run to beat the red light. They loom in my rear-view mirror, riding too close for my comfort, even […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/30/the-thrilling-and-dangerous-reality-of-motorcycles-in-costa-rica

Barrio Dogs: The Street-Smart Canines of Costa Rica

In a quiet neighborhood in Costa Rica, a daily drama unfolds when local street dogs leave unwelcome deposits outside one homeowner’s gate. While his wife expresses frustration, he takes a more philosophical approach to the situation. “I take it in stride, and go out, open the gate, and clean up the mess,” he explains. “After […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/24/barrio-dogs-the-street-smart-canines-of-costa-rica

30 Years in Costa Rica and Heading to a High School Reunion

I am planning on attending my high school reunion this year, which means I will be seeing people I haven’t seen in decades, and will need to be ready to answer the various questions about my life in far off Costa Rica. Each time I return to the US, there are adjustments to be made. […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/17/30-years-in-costa-rica-and-heading-to-a-high-school-reunion

Guanacaste’s Property Surge: What It Costs to Live in Costa Rica’s Hotspot

For many, Costa Rica is a dream destination, and its coastal province of Guanacaste stands out as the crown jewel. With its blend of pristine beaches, abundant sunshine, and diverse microclimates, this region has long captivated those seeking an exotic escape. Whether it’s a second home, a luxury retreat, or a fresh start in the […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/10/guanacastes-property-surge-what-it-costs-to-live-in-costa-ricas-hotspot

How to Sue Your Noisy Neighbor in Costa Rica When Animals Disrupt Sleep

Ever had a peaceful night’s sleep shattered by a noisy animal? If you have lived for any amount of time in Costa Rica, your answer is likely a resounding Yes! If you are like me, you may have tossed and turned in bed while fantasizing about throttling the owner of said animal. You may have […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/08/how-to-sue-your-noisy-neighbor-in-costa-rica-when-animals-disrupt-sleep

Costa Rica’s New Agrarian Law: What Property Owners Must Know

In Costa Rica there is a strong area of the law which is Agrarian Law. This area of the law, which is highly specialized, deals with properties and other activities which are considered to be agrarian by law. There are many agrarian laws but the two most prevalent or important are: a) Ley de Jurisdicción […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/06/costa-ricas-new-agrarian-law-what-property-owners-must-know

Tracing the Frozen Footprints on Costa Rica’s Historic Mountain of Death

I was once in danger of freezing to death in Costa Rica. That’s right– imagine the irony of dying of hypothermia in the tropics. I drove a ragtop jeep over the Cerro de la Muerte in the darkest hours of the early morning, destination San Jose. Much like the earliest settlers, who sometimes froze to […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/05/tracing-the-frozen-footprints-on-costa-ricas-historic-mountain-of-death

IMF Criticizes Costa Rica’s Exchange Rate Policy Amid a Stronger Colón

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commented on Costa Rica’s exchange rate, urging the country to allow greater flexibility in response to market conditions and to avoid excessive accumulation of foreign exchange reserves. According to the IMF’s mission report, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) should limit its interventions in the foreign exchange marke [...]

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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/03/imf-criticizes-costa-ricas-exchange-rate-policy-amid-a-stronger-colon

Expat Hair Struggles With Young Tico Barbers in Costa Rica

Finding the right barber, the one who follows your instructions and cuts your hair as you want it, can be a challenge. Especially for us older folks. I came of age in the early to mid 1970s. Those were hard times for barbers. I only went in for the occasional trim whenever my father threatened […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2025/03/01/expat-hair-struggles-with-young-tico-barbers-in-costa-rica