Moved from the US to Costa Rica in 2020 with her family. Writes about expat life, daily realities, costs, schools, and which towns suit which people. Lives on the Pacific coast.
Living
International schools in Costa Rica by region — Central Valley, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, and Southern Pacific. Real school names, curricula, costs, and what families need to know.
Living
Living in Santa Teresa means world class surf, a tight expat community, and prices that have moved fast. An honest guide to daily life, costs, and who the town actually suits.
Living
Living in Uvita means green, quiet, and genuinely off the beaten path. An honest guide to life in the Southern Pacific, costs, schools, community, and who it suits.
Living
Living in Nosara means active outdoor life, strong community, expensive homes, and dusty roads. An honest guide to what daily life actually looks like.
Living
Tamarindo is the most divided-in-opinion beach town among Costa Rica expats. Some people love it. Some think it lost its soul. Both perspectives have merit.
Living
I researched both countries before we moved. I chose Costa Rica. I have no lived experience in Panama. This is my research, not my testimony.
Living
In the US, seeing a specialist means a referral, pre-authorization, a 3-week wait, and a $250 copay. In Costa Rica, I call directly and get an appointment within a week.
Living
I arrived feeling like I had done my homework. Within two weeks I realized the homework had prepared me for about 40 percent of the actual experience.
Living
The version of Costa Rica crime that American media presents is dramatically different from the version we actually live.
Living
The retirees who do well here are not the ones who came for the price. They are the ones who came for the life.
Living
Every American who finds out I live in Costa Rica asks the same question: Where should I move? My answer is always the same: it depends on who you are.
Living
Laura went through the Costa Rica residency process with two kids and a half-unpacked house. Here is what the process actually feels like — and what nobody warned her about.