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Also, if you decide to own a vehicle that will add other recurring costs like gasoline, insurance, the yearly road permit (marchamo), yearly safety inspection, repairs, tires, normal maintenance, etc. 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$1750 (based on current offerings online (August 2025). Your monthly food costs if you are only going to the major supermarkets will run you US$500-600. The Internet plus cable TV and cell phone will be pretty much the same as before ($85). At this point we are in the range from a low of US$1500 to US$2500 depending on your rent & food costs and

Ticos (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 José and all it has to offer): Monthly Rent (which includes Electricity & Water) - for a small unfurnished 1 or 2 bdrm. Apartment with 1 bathroom. US$350. In this particular scenario there is no hot water provided but a cheap heater can be added at your own one - time expense. Monthly Food Bill (includes taking advantage of the weekly Farmers Market Fair and shopping for daily deals at the nearby supermarkets)- US$350. (300 Gb down & 300+ Gb Up) – Cable TV & Cell Phone bills total - US$85. At this point we are up to US$785 which would leave about US$225 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 much touring, eating out or very much entertainment. Monthly Internet

now we must add entertainment (more to do in the city so usually more expenses), transportation costs, Uber, etc. plus plenty of dining 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$1200 to US$3000 (based on current offerings online August 2025). Your monthly food costs if you are only going to the major supermarkets will run you US$600-700 as the beaches are generally a bit higher. The Internet will run you about the same as in the other scenarios, but you might have a slower speed in some areas. At this point we are in the range

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