Real Estate

The Nicoya Peninsula is routinely sold as a place where moving abroad will make you healthier, happier and longer-lived. It is a powerful story. It is also too simple, and a real-estate company should be especially careful with it. There is real demographic research behind Nicoya’s reputation. Older men in a defined part of the peninsula showed unusually low adult mortality, especially in cohorts born...

Many retirement guides begin at the beach. That is understandable, but it starts with the holiday version of Costa Rica rather than the weekly version: groceries, appointments, rain, traffic, temperature and the trip home after a medical procedure. For some buyers, the Central Valley is the better answer. Escazú, Santa Ana, Curridabat, Heredia and the surrounding mountain communities keep you close to...

Lepanto and Playa Naranjo are on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, looking across the Gulf toward Puntarenas. They are not in the canton of Nicoya and they are not in Guanacaste. Administratively, Lepanto is a district of Puntarenas canton and Puntarenas province. That distinction matters when you search municipal records or hire someone to check a property. This side of the peninsula is not a substitute for...

Buying land in Costa Rica is not difficult because you are foreign. The hard part is knowing exactly what is being sold, whether it can be used the way you intend, and what access and services exist once the dry-season photographs stop looking like the property in front of you. This is a practical checklist, not legal advice. Use your own Costa Rican notary or attorney for the transaction. A broker should...

How much money do I need to live good in Costa Rica? The cost of living in Costa Rica can vary greatly depending on where you live and your lifestyle. However, compared to many other countries, Costa Rica can be relatively affordable, especially when it comes to housing and basic necessities.According to recent estimates, a single person can live comfortably in Costa Rica on a budget of around $1,500...