Translate this country’s name, “Rich Coast”, and you get an idea of all the possibilities that this land has to offer. Bathed by both the Atlantic and the Pacific, Costa Rica is a world of wonders for visitors and locals alike.
Focusing on environmental preservation and sustainability, Costa Rica inhabitants enjoy a great quality of life. You also sacrifice the fast paced life and get all the goodness Nature has to offer.
Here are 10 basic things that make Costa Rica a great place to live in:
1. Weather
With a constant temperature all year long, Costa Rica doesn’t have 4 seasons, but 2: the rainy season and the dry season.
It never gets too cold and, if you are a fan of sunny days, this is where you’ll have a great chance of enjoying it most days in the year. With sunny days, you go out more, you walk more, you eat locally grown food that ripened under that same sun… you get the pattern, right? Sun is a great source of goodness and that is felt in several aspects of the life-style in Costa Rica!
Rain is also refreshing, though. It allows crops to grow, helps the air stay cleaner and ensures that there is plenty of fresh water to drink.
The sun shines over Corcovado National Park. Pure bliss!
2. Quality of the air
People don’t probably think a lot about this specific fact before moving to a new place, but it is important. While humans tend to seek places where they are likely to find decent job opportunities, good schools for their kids, amenities and health care, the one basic thing we should be taking into consideration is: what we breathe in 24/7, every single day of our lives.
The purity of the air contributes greatly to our well-being and in Costa Rica’s countryside you have one of the best air quality levels of the World (obviously, not accounting in urban concentrations, like San Jose or Alajuela).
Breathe in and meditate…
3. Potable water out of the tap
Apart from air, the other resource that humans can’t get by without is water. In a day and age where people spend ridiculous amounts of money and resources purchasing bottled water, in Costa Rica you don’t need more than a tap to enjoy clean, great tasting water every day. Cheap, environmentally friendly, and available all the time!
Transparent waters of La Fortuna waterfall. We actually drank while swimming!
4. Food
Produce is always better at source than after traveling to anywhere else in the World. While in some countries you might get perfectly shaped super shiny apples, those that have great taste aren’t probably going to compete in Miss Apple 2012. Why? Because organic might look ugly, but has great inner beauty! Fruits and vegetables in Costa Rica taste amazing! You might order a fruit juice and think they added sugar, because fruits really taste naturally sweet. And it’s not only about the flavor. Being more natural, the veggies are also healthier, without loosing 1gr of their yumminess!
Delicious Casado. This is one complete meal!
5. Nature
The Caribbean on one side, the Pacific on the other. The dry cloud forests in the North, the rain forest in the South. Volcanos, national parks (over 25% of Costa Rica’s land mass in within protected areas and national parks!), beaches suited for swimming or with waves that will make Bodhi jealous, lakes, cascades… really, does anything else need to be said in this department?! Not only Costa Rica has been blessed with astounding natural beauty, the country actually makes an active effort to protect what they know is their strength. Protecting the flora and fauna within national parks is one big step the Government is behind, while common people can do their bit by managing their waste and dividing their garbage in the ever-present recycling bins. It’s a pleasure to see a country that cares and protects what they have!
One with Nature, in Drake Bay.
6. Everything the world has is here
People used to the “luxuries” of so-called 1st World countries, might not include Central America in their minds when considering moving to a different country. One of the reasons is that people tend to think that in countries well-known for their Natural landscapes, you won’t necessarily get all the amenities people are used to in the most developed countries.
In Costa Rica, you get pretty much everything! Land in capital city San Jose and you’ll know what I mean: from fast food brands, to brand name clothing stores to iStuff. You get the best of all worlds! Add to this a world-class public health care system available for all tax payers and people in the national security system and you’ll understand that Costa Rica is a country with so much potential!
This has got to be one of the most rustic Duty Free shops ever! @Drake Bay
7. Easy-going people
“Ticos” (how people from Costa Rica are referred to) tend to be nice and easy to deal with. They are very used to welcoming people from abroad (short term tourists and people who have permanently moved there, mainly from the USA) so they understand you might not know their language well at first, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t full of good intentions.
It’s just a matter of time until you mingle with the local people and, if you do want to blend in, like anywhere else in the World, you will!
Costa Rica also has some of the most easy going creatures ever… sloths!
8. Touristic Country
This might sound a bit weird. Why would you want to live in a touristic place? Well, you might not want to stay in the most touristic spot of them all but the truth is that, if there are tourists around, you have a good chance to always meet new people. Even if those won’t become your best friends (mainly because travelers come and go) it’s always nice to get to know people from different places around the world and exchange tales and experiences with one another.
On the other hand, if the country is a tourist haven, it will always keep up with international levels in terms of making available goods people enjoy around the world (food stuff, gadgets, electrodomestics, entertainment, etc..) and tourism also means work opportunities!
Tourists on a mission: explore the rainforest!
9. Small size
The fact that Costa Rica isn’t too big is a good thing, in my opinion. Mainly because, no matter where you are in the country, you can relatively easily reach the capital, San Jose. You might want to live in the countryside or by the beach – I would! But sometimes these are not the best places when you need to do administrative work of some sort. It shouldn’t be a worry in this case, because this country isn’t Russia and, even though roads are not the high-ways AC/DC like singing about, the fact that distances aren’t that long will help you get around.
Nature Air's flight… getting Costa Rica closer!
10. Sports
If you are a sports enthusiast, Costa Rica has a lot to offer! OK… maybe not if you like cycling on the streets. The holes here and there will not make it a memorable experience for your ass, but if you are into radical sports, this is the place to be!
Zip-lining above the jungle, surfing in the Pacific or Caribbean (less than 200miles/320Kms from each other, in fact!), hiking on mountains, natural parks or even around volcanoes, white water rafting, swimming in the sea… Eating fresh and exercising with Nature as your gym, you’ll for sure feel healthy and hot!
Jungle gym at Samurio's surf school in Samara Beach.
Life expectancy in Costa Rica is 79 years!
Can you imagine the long healthy happy life one could live in this country?
mmm… I feel tempted to move there! Or maybe you guys can move there, and then I can come to visit for a month…or 6!! hihihi
Wherever we move you shall come to visit for sure.
And we have to take an Indian trip together as well!! :)
Wow reasons are enough to attract anyone’s mind to move to costa rica. Really a great post.
Great top 10 list. You really hit the nail on the head as to why people would want to travel or move to Costa Rica.
I would add a #11: The Low Cost of Living. If you live like a local you’ll definitely save money on housing, food (even eating out), and travel around the country (by bus or inexpensive local airlines like NatureAir).
The casado you picture above can be had for just $4 in any local soda – it’s a great, healthy filling meal. And fruits and veggies from the mercado or farmers’ markets will be a half or a quarter of the cost of the same item up North.
Great list! Although here in Guanacaste we’ve been having issues with drinking tap water and at our old apartment we never drank the tap. I have to admit, the food here is good but I miss Chinese food like no other! They don’t have any authentic Asian places (only a few in the city) The nature here is unbelievable though !
I would miss Asian food too if I were you!..
That’s the advantage of living in big cities – you get stuff from all over the world. But one can’t have everything all at once, I guess. Still, Costa Rica’s nature and possibilities can easily make up for it!! :)
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Great article.
What is the comfortable cost of living ? What are rents like ? Thanks