Far-fetched fantasy or dream-come-true? Make your Costa Rica relocation a reality in 2021
For many, the idea of tropical living – of a relocation to Costa Rica and a slower pace of life in paradise – feels more pipe dream than realistic goal to chase.
2020 has shifted that balance. Today, more than ever, life is waiting in Costa Rica. For many, jobs are now portable: you can as easily work from home in Snow-Drift Maine as from home in Paradise, Costa Rica.
What’s more, a Costa Rica relocation has become easier to achieve, thanks to evolving residency policies, remote-work capabilities, and other lifestyle-and-logistics considerations. In other words, what are you waiting for?
Living the Dream: Costa Rica Relocation
Before planning, we believe in dreaming. After all, it’s the dream that inspires the will to plan – isn’t it?
So, let us paint a mental picture: You, in a hammock. Maybe there’s a laptop on your lap. Or, a video conference is streaming from your tablet. One of coworkers or clients pauses, exclaiming, “Wow, what is that sound? Is it a frog? Where are you?”
You reply, “No, it’s a rainbow-billed toucan. That’s what they sound like! Interesting, right? They’re always around. I live in Costa Rica now.” This is your life. Really.
Because, while a lot of what you read online is more fantasy than reality, this image – this dream – is as real as they come. This time next month, next quarter, next year – you could be working from your home in Costa Rica, video-commuting to your office from a hammock, while the Froot Loops toucan croaks the harmony to your working soundtrack.
Life could be worse. It has been worse, in fact. We all just lived through 2020, after all. So, let’s pivot to the new, the grand, the exciting. To a Costa Rica relocation, be it short-term, temporary, or even a potential forever move.
Already Telecommute? Why Not Work Remote in Costa Rica?
Welcome to your new remote office.
If 2020 has gifted us anything [good, that is], then it’s a shift to greater work flexibility: robust video conferencing, remote working tools, and other adaptations to facilitate working from home.
And that is [mostly] good news for the new remote workforce, who today find themselves sleeping a little later, skipping morning traffic, and [maybe] working in their pajamas. We’re not complaining, are we?
All this to say, if you can work in your pj’s from Too Cold, USA, then why couldn’t you work from your hammock in Costa Rica? You can, in fact.
You’ll be in good company: A recent study out of Stanford University shows that a staggering 42% of the U.S. labor force is now working from home full-time. At home, full-time, looking out their home office windows to barren trees, gray skies, and bleak landscapes. Looking out their home office windows and dreaming of soft sand, tropical sun, and endless blue skies…
And so, we circle back: If there’s one thing that 2020 has gifted us, it’s the wonderful new truth that you really can shift your life – you really can move to Costa Rica, work remotely, and get a taste for life abroad: transport your bubble to the tropics, live near the ocean, walk the beach every morning, and even send your kids to school abroad. You really can have this life.
Costa Rica Life and Lifestyle: Concierge Living in Paradise
If you think the Costa Rican life might be for you, then let’s jump in and get your feet wet!
At Luxury Villas Costa Rica, we rent luxury penthouses, homes, and villas in Costa Rica’s northwestern region, centered around the popular beach town of Tamarindo. (For options of 2-3 bedrooms, please see our sister site’s Tamarindo vacation rentals.)
Here, you’ll find everything you need (and more), from world-class restaurants and bilingual private schools, to secure residential communities and Costa Rica’s most popular tours and activities.
What’s more, you’ll have direct and full-time access to our dedicated guest concierge, who can help you plan everything from an in-house massage or fitness/yoga session, to suggestions for a weekend (or week) exploring your new home.
Here are a few available homes to fuel your dreams (and plans, of course):
Conchal Penthouse
Playa Conchal | 4 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms
Our exclusive Conchal Penthouse overlooks Pacific sunsets, white-sand beach, and your new life in Costa Rica
Located within the upscale community of Reserva Conchal, this penthouse home and its spectacular terrace overlook breathtaking ocean views, white-sand beaches, and remarkable Pacific sunsets.
You and yours will have plenty of room to spread out over four private bedrooms (2 king and 2 queen) and exceptional outdoor space. And oh, what astonishing outdoors: Reserva Conchal promises the quiet of a secluded location with the benefits of a community, including an award-winning golf course, beach club, oceanfront restaurant, fitness club, pool, and more.
Casa Julietta
Playa Langosta | 3-5 Beds | 3-5 Baths
Ideal for extended families, Casa Julietta offers privacy and space to spread out, while delivering plenty of common spaces for time together
Seemingly removed from the world but perfectly convenient, Casa Julietta is a perfect home-away-from-home, equipped with all the comforts – and so much more!
This unique, gated property is ideal for large families: a main home (3 bedrooms) and two cottages (1-bedroom, each), with extensive common areas, a private pool, full-sized pool cabana and barbecue, and pleasant walking distance to the beach. Just m minutes to the supermarket and Tamarindo downtown, as well!
Casa Serena
Hacienda Pinilla | 5 Beds | 5 Baths
Infuse luxury and exclusivity into your Costa Rica relocation at Casa Serena, located in the upscale community of Hacienda Pinilla
Tucked into one of the most luxurious sections of one of Costa Rica’s most luxurious communities, beachfront Casa Serena infuses tropical luxury and unparalleled lifestyle into your Costa Rica location.
Here, your family has room to spread out in 4 independent bed/bath suites and one spacious apartment-style room, plus a gourmet kitchen, custom infinity pool (wrapped around a tree!), and plenty of breezy outdoor space with ocean views. What’s more, you’re located within Haciend Pinilla and its myriad amenities, including a championship golf course, exclusive beachclub, oceanfront restaurant, and more.
>> Please ask about our special monthly and long-term rates, available at most of our luxury rental homes! <<
COVID and Costa Rica Relocation: What You Should Know
We’ll keep this brief because we know that if you have serious interest in making the leap – in embracing Costa Rica living, not just Costa Rica travel – then you’re going to seek more detailed information than what you’ll find in a single blog post. Even a long one.
We’ll tell you this: From the jump, Costa Rica has taken the pandemic seriously. Safety measures and health protocols were implemented quickly – and have evolved over the days, weeks and months. As of publication, Costa Rica mandates masks in public spaces, schools remain 100% virtual, businesses liberally offer hand sanitizer, distancing requirements are well marked, and a lot more. We’re all doing our part.
We know – it’s a grim discussion. But, we know that when it comes to your health and safety – and the health and safety of your family – you need more than platitudes.
So, here’s a brief look at the numbers: Costa Rica’s case levels are stable, with daily new cases holding steady over the last several months; currently, we’re at 22 new cases per 100,000 people – well less than half the rate of the U.S., currently at 52.2 new cases per 100k people. Hospitals and clinics are not over-saturated and more than 82,000 people have recovered from COVID.
If you’d like to know more, we’re recommend tuning into the Tico Time’s excellent, English-language COVID-19 coverage.
And now, for the fun stuff…
Costa Rica Relocation: Initial Considerations
From exclusive communities and private paradises, to high-speed WiFi and beach access, our homes (and our talented concierge) can help you realize every detail of your Costa Rican dream
As you solidify your intent for Costa Rica relocation, your thoughts will rightly turn to logistics: How much should you budget? Where could you live? Is it even legal for you to live in Costa Rica? Where/how can your kids go to school?
Etc. etc. We know because we were you, once. And now, you can benefit from what we’ve learned:
Costa Rica Costa of Living
This is one of those questions (and answers) that jumps all over the place. As it does back home, the cost of living in Costa Rica depends largely on you. After all, a single twenty-something in rural America likely spends less than a family of four living in Manhattan.
So, the short answer is that your cost of living in Costa Rica will probably fall into the $2,500-$5,000+/month range: A single person with a modest standard of living will fall on the lower end, while a $5,000+ budget is suited to families (especially with school-aged kids) and people accustomed to the good life.
The Legalities
Costa Rica is currently considering a type of digital nomad residency (link in Spanish) that would facilitate a Costa Rica relocation for remote workers.
For now, telecommuters can “try out” life in Costa Rica as tourists: Stay for up to 90 consecutive days, immediately renewable upon exit/re-entry back into Costa Rica, with no current limit. Or, if you’re really serious about relocation, there are several types of temporary residency types that could fit the bill.
Also, be sure to check with your employer, as well as with your accountant, before moving your job abroad.
The Logistics: WiFi, Banking, and All the Important Stuff
Ok, so you have a budget and you’ve worked out the legalities. Now, you want to know that life in Costa Rica won’t be a slog.
Good news! Most of the everyday logistics are simple, if you know where to start. Take your WiFi connection: While tourists can’t typically sign a contract for fiber optic internet (or other high-speed, home-installed services), many of our rental properties are fully equipped with a high-speed connection. Pair that with 4G backup, and you are ready to connect.
As for banking, the easiest setup is to open an international (aka fee-free) bank account from back home. Available at many brick-and-mortar and online banks, these accounts offer all the ease of a typical bank account, minus the international transaction fees. Simple and stress-free – and sufficient, even if you’ll be staying for a year.
Other logistics are a question of lifestyle: Do you need to buy a car or are you happy using buses, taxis, and your own two feet? (Plus, a rental car, when necessary.) Are your kids in school? If so, will they stay in their virtual school back home, or will you enroll them in one of Costa Rica’s excellent private schools?
We’re happy to help you consider all the logistics of you Costa Rica relocation. Get in touch and feel free to ask all your questions!
Free Concierge Services, Always!
When you reserve one of our Tamarindo luxury villas, you’re guaranteeing yourself both a spectacular vacation home (or long-term home-away-from-home) and full (and FREE) travel concierge services.
So, what does that mean? After you make your reservation, your personal concierge will get in touch. She’ll send our welcome book, which includes plenty of details about the Tamarindo area, activities, tours, and other need-to-know information. Then, your concierge will follow up, in order to know you and your family (if they’re moving, too), as well as s/he knows Tamarindo.
After you’ve built your must-see, must-experience list, your concierge will help you build your trip around your wish list: tours, adventures, spa services, personal chefs – whatever you seek, your concierge will source. Then, s/he will book them all on your behalf, with zero markup.
And, while you’re here, your personal concierge is on call to attend any problems, questions, or other issues. You’re never without helping, and that itself is its own amenity. Especially when you’re here for the long haul!
