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Now let ´ s say that you are living in a well-to-do area of San Jose (Costa Rica ´ s capital city) like La Sabana, Los Yoses, Rohrmoser, Curridabat, Escazu or Santa Ana, then you will have access to the many conveniences of a modern city including big malls, many restaurants, entertainment and cultural venues, top private hospitals, and many, many other amenities but your monthly costs will definitely tend to be higher. Staying with the single individual and renting a one- or two-bedroom unit with appliances included (semi-furnished) in a high-rise tower with amenities like a pool and gym, the monthly rent amount can be from US$900 to US$1700 (based on current offerings online August 2023). Your monthly food costs if you are only going to the major supermarkets will run you US$500-600. The Internet plus cable TV will usually be much faster and with 200 Gb Down can cost about US$60 plus about US$25 for a basic monthly cell phone prepaid plan. At this point we are in the range of US$1500 to US$2385 depending on your rent & food cost and now we must add entertainment (more to do in the city so usually more expenses), transportation costs, plus plenty of

(Costa Ricans) living and you adjust your lifestyle to be more like the average Tico then US$1000 per month is very doable. For example, here is a real budget for a single individual living in Grecia (located in the Province of Alajuela and just 30 minutes from the International Airport in San Jose and 45 minutes from the capital city of San Jos é and all it has to offer): Monthly Rent (including Electricity & Water) - for a small unfurnished 1 or 2 bdrm. Apartment with 1 bathroom. US$300. In this particular scenario there is no hot water provided. Monthly Food Bill (includes taking advantage of the weekly Farmers Market Fair) - US$360. Monthly Internet (50 Gb down & 10 Gb Up) – Cable TV & Cell Phone bills total - US$ 90. At this point we are up to US$750 which would leave US$250 to cover entertainment, eating out, transportation (buses are plentiful and cheap) and putting a little aside for medical/dental appointments. So, as you can see it is doable but does not cover a monthly health plan or a lot of touring or entertainment. Also, if you decide to own a vehicle that will add other recurring costs like gas, insurance, the yearly road permit (marchamo), yearly safety inspection, repairs, tires, etc.

restaurant options to choose from, Medical/Dental costs from either a Health Plan or setting aside money to cover those needs when they arise. So, we are basically looking at monthly costs that can range from US$2000 to 3000 plus dollars. If like many, you are attracted to the beach lifestyle then just how close you want to be to the beach and which beach town you choose will affect your required monthly budget. Again, using the single individual and renting a one or two-bedroom unit with appliances included (semi-furnished) in a high-rise tower with at least a common area pool, the monthly rent amount can be from US$1050 to US$1950 (based on current offerings online August 2023). Your monthly food costs if you are only going to the major supermarkets will run you US$600-800 as the beaches are generally a bit higher. The Internet (50 Gb down & 10 Gb Up) plus cable TV will usually be about US$60 plus about US$25 for a basic monthly cell phone prepaid plan. At this point we

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