I Might Move To Costa Rica - Questions - Page 2 - GoFuckYourself.com

GreyWolf · 10-14-2007, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knew

Is CR as dirty as Mexico? Like leaving garbage and shit all over the place and not caring about it?

Never ever been to Mexico - yet, - but never noticed garbage much in CR. The place is at least 25% national parks and the majority of the rest of the country is highly eco-orientated, so garbage would not go down well

Mmmm... San Jose will have some crap around, but noticed they clean up the street markets nightly etc. and the streets are cleaned regularly where we are. But... ya gotta call the mayor to repair the roads sometimes

Rui · 10-14-2007, 04:14 AM

post more about CR pls ;)

Kristian · 10-14-2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Would totally agree with Varius on this Kristian - a good summary

Only items prob worth expanding on are:

Avoid San Jose - it's a dump, but that probably applies to most cities. It's much better being 15 mins or so from the city or in the "real Costa Rica".

The people are very friendly and hospitable, but like most communities there are problem elements worth avoiding. Most people know who to avoid - they can be either nationals or immigrants - you can smell trouble at 100 yards. Apart from St. Maartin in the Caribbean, we have found the people to be among the most friendly and helpful yet encountered. LE is the same - a totally different attitude to cops in the UK or US - they are more friends than anything and no "attitude".

Immigration is a.... joke. The Immigration Department is up shit creek and clueless. You can elect to apply for residency and that's no big deal, but don't hold your breath waiting for your application to be processed - that can take years assuming they can find your paperwork. But... you can apply and leave the papers with them and this avoids the net to exit the country for 72 hours every three months - or, you can elect just to take a trip to Panama or somewhere local for 72 hours (min) every 90 days.

Real estate is a boom area and has been for around six years plus. We were expecting a dip in the real estate due to ripples in the US home market, but that has not happened and now appears unlikely to happen. People from other countries have taken up the possible slack and more "immigrants" are arriving from Canada and the EU. Real estate here can be priced in colonnes or dollars and there is an obviously a substantial advantage in currency exchange when people from the EU, UK and Canada buy here.

The pollution element is mainly around San Jose - the rest of the country is fine - where around 25% is apportioned to protected areas (national parks etc).

On taxation - there is no taxation on revenue generated elsewhere - eg net earnings, tho Costa Rica is not what would normally be known as an offshore area. There are taxes applicable on businesses resident within CR and catering to the local market (tho these are relatively low). Basically you can earn whatever from net activity and no forms, filings or taxation. A further extension of that if a real offshore is needed, (often used by nationals), is to have a corp in eg Panama and direct all revenue there.

I really appreciate you taking the time out to write that info.

CR is looking like a real possibility now. I've been researching quite a lot and these insider posts are a massive help. I really like your method of dealing with immigration too. I'd be very comfortable doing it that way. Malta is much the same. You can hand in your papers and it'll be 3 years before they're looked at, if not lost in the meantime. You've also clarified taxation for me too - which is, obviously, a major incentive.

Kristian · 10-14-2007, 06:09 AM

This is turning into a great post for anyone else wanting to move to CR.

If indeed we go ahead with it (distinct possibility in the next 6 months) I'll document whatever I think might be helpful.

GreyWolf · 10-14-2007, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rui

post more about CR pls ;)

Hi Rui! How you doing? Getting the wanderlust?

Fire a message thru when you have a moment - can fill you in on this stuff.

Rui · 10-14-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Hi Rui! How you doing? Getting the wanderlust?

Fire a message thru when you have a moment - can fill you in on this stuff.

Completly mate

Not on the scale its being discussed here though (moving "for ever") and well I'm also a poor and modest guy so wouldn't go for the "million-dollar condos" and lifestyle either

GreyWolf · 10-14-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristian

I really appreciate you taking the time out to write that info.

CR is looking like a real possibility now. I've been researching quite a lot and these insider posts are a massive help. I really like your method of dealing with immigration too. I'd be very comfortable doing it that way. Malta is much the same. You can hand in your papers and it'll be 3 years before they're looked at, if not lost in the meantime. You've also clarified taxation for me too - which is, obviously, a major incentive.

No problemo Kristian.

Yup - can imagine what the Immigration Department is like in Malta, tho a few years since I was there last. Oops, the cleaner knocked over the filing cabinet and spilt bleach over all the docs - so, we throw all the docs into the trash

With UK nationality, you are in a good position to maximize the benefits re taxation/offshore on this side of the Atlantic - and it is really very simple in comparison to jurisdictions in the EU and Med areas. The legalities are clean-cut and can be totally transparent (ie legal and nothing to hide).

Another advantage which I kinda like after having spent years form-filling, is that there "can" be no forms to fill and no filings of annual accounts/data - saves so much time.

Can only give

as a clue, but think on three areas/jurisdictions when doing biz here....

First is your "playground". This is the country where you elect to live. This should have no or minimum tax levels to kill personal taxation. Panama, Costa Rica and a number of other countries in that region have a regional based taxation - ie. in that they do not have applicable taxes on funds earned outside these countries.

Second is the jurisdiction where your elect to conduct biz - ie the corp jurisdiction. There should be no taxation within this area and a provision must exist for total flexibility in corp management and with no, or minimum, filings. By it's nature, this is usually an offshore area.

The third jurisdiction is where your corp has banking facilities (may be more than one). This should be a stable jurisdiction and have banking laws providing confidentiality blah.

All of these options are available from a number of countries with the Caribbean and Latin American region. In addition, if you already have a structure set up in eg Malta, Gib or Cyprus, - only my

, but would be inclined to keep that and possibly have it owned by a parent offshore on this side of the Atlantic. (All "tools" have their benefits and the parent company can legitimately wipe any taxation which may arise in it's child company.)

On CR (and applies to several Latin American areas) - one thing to avoid is anything to do with the government or justice system. Governments are usually bogged down in red tape/inefficiency and it's an obstacle course to get things done. The justice systems are normally very good, but very pedantic and evidence needs to be totally clear and have no leeway for dispute. Example, an issue which may be resolved in 90 days or less could take four years or more - so it's worth working very closely with lawyers if you are considering investment in CR. (Buying a home etc, is no biggie, but anything more than that needs sustained legal attention.) The flip side is that this can be very profitable and the country itself offers much more than the downside elements.

Evil E · 10-14-2007, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Never ever been to Mexico - yet, - but never noticed garbage much in CR. The place is at least 25% national parks and the majority of the rest of the country is highly eco-orientated, so garbage would not go down well

Mmmm... San Jose will have some crap around, but noticed they clean up the street markets nightly etc. and the streets are cleaned regularly where we are. But... ya gotta call the mayor to repair the roads sometimes

Bumped and Bookmarked.

Visited Mexico but I don't think I'd want to live there because of the aforementioned issue. Costa Rica is probably where I will drop by next time on vacation in South/Central America.

WarChild · 10-14-2007, 03:11 PM

Costa Rica would be great except it's populated by Costa Ricans and they're useless.

Z · 10-15-2007, 03:34 PM

If you're considering costa rica, you should definitely check out Panama too. Hit me for info. I looked at both hard before I chose Panama a couple years ago and there's more and more of us here now. This country has it's ups and downs, very similar stuff to CR...but a lot more ups than CR has too and not as many of the hard downs.

he-fox · 10-15-2007, 04:52 PM

the mexican Riviera Maya is way better than CR, IMHO.

Axeman · 10-15-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzebox

Immigration doesn't concern me at all

Plus I really like it here.

What do you do about banking? Cash checks at a CR bank or have someone deposit for you back in Van?

DWB · 10-15-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z

If you're considering costa rica, you should definitely check out Panama too. Hit me for info. I looked at both hard before I chose Panama a couple years ago and there's more and more of us here now. This country has it's ups and downs, very similar stuff to CR...but a lot more ups than CR has too and not as many of the hard downs.

I have never been to Panama, but is it true they will issue anyone a Panamanian passport for investing X amount of dollars there? I read somewhere it was 250k, but all of that just may be bogus info.

Axeman · 10-15-2007, 11:02 PM

bump for a good thread

tornell · 10-16-2007, 06:17 AM

costa rica rocks!

Kristian · 10-16-2007, 07:58 AM

I've been drowning in work so neglected my responses in this thread. Panama too is a possible and thank you for the offer for assistance! It seems that entering panama if you have a company / govt pension is easy (though I don't have either.

From expat focus :

Residency in Panama is very easy to obtain when compared to most other countries. There is even special legislation for 'pensioners', who can qualify for residency with a guaranteed pension income of $500 per month ($600 for a couple). You don't necessarily have to be an elderly person either, since anyone over 18 can qualify. However, it must be a pension from a recognized source: for example a government agency (e.g. Social Security, disability, armed forces, etc.) or if it is a company pension, it must be a defined-benefit pension.

Added March 2007 by Brian:
Regarding pensionista visa in Panama, I believe the law has changed that you must now be of pensionable age, not just 18+.
See http://www.lawyers-abogados.net/, specifically: http://www.lawyers-abogados.net/en/S...isa-change.htm

If you don't have a fixed pension, but you do have capital, you might consider investing in real estate. If you invest $200,000 or more in any kind of real estate, you can automatically receive an investor residency that allows you to live in Panama legally. There are other possible programs, such as "reforestation" and "small business investor", depending on your personal objectives once you are living in Panama.

As of right now I'm open to suggestions - which is the wonderful thing about working online. I've heard more about CR so right now that's my top choice but hell I have time to investigate further.

Thanks for all the useful posts and offers of help.

sltr · 10-16-2007, 08:05 AM

so how does health care work in cr?

Axeman · 10-16-2007, 11:09 AM

Yeah Panama seems to have tightened their immigration a bit this year while CR seems to be a bit more lax from what I have read.

fuzebox · 10-16-2007, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axeman

What do you do about banking? Cash checks at a CR bank or have someone deposit for you back in Van?

I have CR accounts, they really don't like dealing with US checks though, but I try to avoid checks as much as possible. I get half my income wire and half epassporte, and checks I deposit in a US account whenever I'm there (every 2 months really).

I cut ties with all Canadian banks a year before I moved

Rama · 10-16-2007, 11:59 AM

The imigrations laws have been enforced here in Panama due to Colombians entering whenever they want and ruining our country. Not to talk shit about them, I know not all Colombians are drug dealers or scammers or so, but most of them are.
Panama is a great option Kristian, Give it a try!!

Rama · 10-16-2007, 12:02 PM

I think I miss the 1 good thing of Colombians entering Panama..... the prostitutes! LOL gorgeous girls!!!!

Kristian · 10-16-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rama

I think I miss the 1 good thing of Colombians entering Panama..... the prostitutes! LOL gorgeous girls!!!!

Just let me get my passport!

rollinthunder · 10-19-2007, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristian

Coming from Vancouver (possibly the nicest, cleanest city in the world) I don't know how you manage anywhere else.

As a Canadian ex-pat who has lived in Vancouver, let me tell you that it is far from the nicest, cleanest city in the world. In fact there are parts of the downtown core that I would consider to be among the most dangerous and dirtiest areas in the world. Granted you can avoid these areas quite easily, Vancouver unfortunately is the hub of vagrant activity in Canada. Due to the milder (and I use this term loosely as it is cold and rainy for most of the year) climate, Vancouver attracts the homeless from across Canada, particularly drug addicts due to lax enforcement. Of course there are beautiful parts of Vancouver and British Columbia in general but it is not even close to the 'nicest, cleanest city in the world'.

As far as Costa Rica goes, I happen to be a permanent resident (who has the same legal rights as a citizen, minus voting) and while it is true that you can most likely get by without official status, I have been reading about recent enforcement actions against ex-pats who have been running active business on a tourist visa. Not that it happens everyday, but if somebody does not like you and makes a complaint it is not entirely impossible that you will become the subject of an investigation. It is not a place you would want to spend time in an immigration lockup. Anywhere you go in the world it is possible to live as a 'webmaster' without legal status, I suppose that Costa Rica is no different.

GreyWolf · 10-19-2007, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sltr

so how does health care work in cr?

Healthcare in CR is very good and has been on par with the US for a fair number of years now. The difference is the cost - a quick example...

The cost for a family of four seems to be around $250/year - this includes *all* healthcare - dentistry blah. There are also private clinics and it's the same docs in both - they may devote half a day to each.

There is also a growing market for "surgical vacations" where people from other countries (and a fair number from the US) come here to have ops - some of these are major, like bypass heart surgery, some trivia like tit lifts etc. The difference in cost varies, but generally around 25% - 33% of the cost of the same op in the US.

Only been near a hospital once here - and care/service was excellent.

oldskull · 10-24-2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzebox

I find traffic, pollution, and noise in the city to be a big pain in the ass. Not as bad as some american cities I bet, but a hell of a lot worse than Vancouver where I am from.

As far as internet goes, the best you can get is 4mbps and I believe it's around $160/mo... I pay $100/mo for 2mbps down / 512kbps up, and it randomly goes down for between minutes to hours at a time, at least every week or two. There's also the clusterfuck that is the government-run monopoly communications company that I don't really need to get into ;)

Dude, cablemodem sucks! Don't use that crap!

oldskull · 10-24-2007, 10:55 AM

If anyone needs some info about Costa Rica HitmeUp! A nice place to live, work.. and have fun!

V_RocKs · 10-24-2007, 11:31 AM

Lots of good infos....

GrouchyAdmin · 10-24-2007, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldskull

Dude, cablemodem sucks! Don't use that crap!

You claim to be in Costa Rica, but you don't realize that DSL is not available for up to six months in areas, and not available at all in others?

sltr · 10-24-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Healthcare in CR is very good and has been on par with the US for a fair number of years now. The difference is the cost - a quick example...

The cost for a family of four seems to be around $250/year - this includes *all* healthcare - dentistry blah. There are also private clinics and it's the same docs in both - they may devote half a day to each.

There is also a growing market for "surgical vacations" where people from other countries (and a fair number from the US) come here to have ops - some of these are major, like bypass heart surgery, some trivia like tit lifts etc. The difference in cost varies, but generally around 25% - 33% of the cost of the same op in the US.

Only been near a hospital once here - and care/service was excellent.

thank you! i did not realize that it works that well there, i always figured if i moved to cr one day like i want, i would have to fly back to the states for any kind of serious illness/surgery

GreyWolf · 10-24-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sltr

thank you! i did not realize that it works that well there, i always figured if i moved to cr one day like i want, i would have to fly back to the states for any kind of serious illness/surgery

Na.. got a good few US expat friends here and some of them had a need for healthcare here and all of these in-patients so far have rated the healthcare system highly.

One recent problem was an elderly lady who had a heart attack. This is a very shrewed and "aware" lady (she does paralegal type work for us in the Napoleonic law legal system here) and she was stunned at the level of sustained healthcare she received and reckoned she could not have got better healthcare anywhere.

But.. things always can go wrong, tho that's the same anywhere

[ScreaM] · 10-24-2007, 01:04 PM

Hmm, pretty useful thread. Thanks guys!

Varius · 10-24-2007, 03:31 PM

I think this thread is appropriate to let you know the Costa Rica Bash registration page is open now! Come and register, it's free right now!

If you are trying to register from Costa Rica you won't be able to. Use a proxy or hit me up.

Oh and Kristian, my pleasure on the info and thanks for those who added more detail. I seem to have lost this thread but saw it again today

MrLuvr · 10-25-2007, 12:16 PM

Interesting information. I have been going through the same process of trying to decide on a place to live.

To the OP, since you have an EU passport, have you considered Cyprus at all?

Right now, I am looking at some of the Caribbean Islands like St Martin or even the Mexican Riviera around Playa Del Carmen.

puravida · 10-30-2007, 12:58 PM

healthcare here is awesome. especially at CIMA hospital ... part of the Baylor hospital in the states. very high standards, and it's all pretty cheap. last time i was in there was for a mountain bike accident - torn abdominal wall, nothing huge. there was no wait time for me, i got in and out in about 30 minutes total. so, emergency room visit, bloodwork, xray, and all medicine, totalled out at 50,000 colones, which is bout 96-97 bucks

GeorgeTH · 01-12-2008, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil E

Is CR as dirty as Mexico? Like leaving garbage and shit all over the place and not caring about it?

No - by far not as bad - though of course not as clean as most of Europe...

Two things which annoy me about Costa Rica:

1. the terrible roads, particularly the constant change between smooth (almost new) surface and deep pothole craters...
Joke:
In Europe or the US you get pulled over for zig-zagging along the road, because most likely you're a drunk driver. In Costa Rica only the drunks drive in straight lines. (All others zig-zag to avoid the worst potholes.)

2. the very long rain season, which can last up to 7-8 months per year, so you'll get only 4-5 months worth of any unspoilt outdoor-activities...

I'm currently in CR, love the people in general, despite their lazyness (compared with lets-say Mexico), but to move here permanently: NO!

To me the prices are too high, and I'm not only talking real estate, also daily shopping at a supermarket, vehicles, utilities like power & water, etc.
O.k. - prices are not high compared with the US or Europe (other than $s for cars), but if you look at the infrastructure (or lack of it) and what you have to pay for a decent plot of land. And I'm not talking about the inflated prices some expat-owned developers or agencies are asking, I'm talking about the "local" market... [expats often ask around $40-100 p.squaremeter of land, the local rate might be $3-15/sqm]
Then you buy in some out-of-the-way tranquil setting and ruin on those terrible roads your expensive car every 2 years just to reach the next decently stocked supermarket - and 5 years down the track (or only 3 yrs) a big corporation moves in and develops the block next to you. O.k. - you can then sell with a good profit, but you'll have to move again...

Pura Vida!

10-14-2007, 03:11 PM	#59
WarChild Let slip the dogs of war. Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bermuda Posts: 17,263	Costa Rica would be great except it's populated by Costa Ricans and they're useless. __________________ .

10-15-2007, 11:02 PM	#64
Axeman Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Swamp Posts: 5,201	bump for a good thread __________________ XXXRewards - Karups - Boyfun - Jawked. Paying on time since 1997. Contact me at brent [at] xxxrewards.com

10-16-2007, 06:17 AM	#65
tornell Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Posts: 4,192	costa rica rocks! __________________ Pregnant Porn ★ SpankBang Xom★ Cuckolds Porn★ Best Porn Flix

10-16-2007, 11:09 AM	#68
Axeman Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Swamp Posts: 5,201	Yeah Panama seems to have tightened their immigration a bit this year while CR seems to be a bit more lax from what I have read. __________________ XXXRewards - Karups - Boyfun - Jawked. Paying on time since 1997. Contact me at brent [at] xxxrewards.com

10-16-2007, 11:59 AM	#70
Rama Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Panama Posts: 157	The imigrations laws have been enforced here in Panama due to Colombians entering whenever they want and ruining our country. Not to talk shit about them, I know not all Colombians are drug dealers or scammers or so, but most of them are. Panama is a great option Kristian, Give it a try!! __________________ ICQ: 74884838

10-14-2007, 04:14 AM	#52
Rui web Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: On icq: 85-483-060 Posts: 9,533	post more about CR pls ;)

10-14-2007, 06:09 AM	#54
Kristian Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 3,733	This is turning into a great post for anyone else wanting to move to CR. If indeed we go ahead with it (distinct possibility in the next 6 months) I'll document whatever I think might be helpful.

10-15-2007, 03:34 PM	#60
Z Vidi Vici Veni Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6,308	If you're considering costa rica, you should definitely check out Panama too. Hit me for info. I looked at both hard before I chose Panama a couple years ago and there's more and more of us here now. This country has it's ups and downs, very similar stuff to CR...but a lot more ups than CR has too and not as many of the hard downs.

10-15-2007, 04:52 PM	#61
he-fox Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico Posts: 2,884	the mexican Riviera Maya is way better than CR, IMHO.

10-16-2007, 07:58 AM	#66
Kristian Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 3,733	I've been drowning in work so neglected my responses in this thread. Panama too is a possible and thank you for the offer for assistance! It seems that entering panama if you have a company / govt pension is easy (though I don't have either. From expat focus : Residency in Panama is very easy to obtain when compared to most other countries. There is even special legislation for 'pensioners', who can qualify for residency with a guaranteed pension income of $500 per month ($600 for a couple). You don't necessarily have to be an elderly person either, since anyone over 18 can qualify. However, it must be a pension from a recognized source: for example a government agency (e.g. Social Security, disability, armed forces, etc.) or if it is a company pension, it must be a defined-benefit pension. Added March 2007 by Brian: Regarding pensionista visa in Panama, I believe the law has changed that you must now be of pensionable age, not just 18+. See http://www.lawyers-abogados.net/, specifically: http://www.lawyers-abogados.net/en/S...isa-change.htm If you don't have a fixed pension, but you do have capital, you might consider investing in real estate. If you invest $200,000 or more in any kind of real estate, you can automatically receive an investor residency that allows you to live in Panama legally. There are other possible programs, such as "reforestation" and "small business investor", depending on your personal objectives once you are living in Panama. As of right now I'm open to suggestions - which is the wonderful thing about working online. I've heard more about CR so right now that's my top choice but hell I have time to investigate further. Thanks for all the useful posts and offers of help.

10-16-2007, 08:05 AM	#67
sltr Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,191	so how does health care work in cr?

10-16-2007, 12:02 PM	#71
Rama Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Panama Posts: 157	I think I miss the 1 good thing of Colombians entering Panama..... the prostitutes! LOL gorgeous girls!!!! __________________ ICQ: 74884838

10-24-2007, 10:55 AM	#76
oldskull Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 317	If anyone needs some info about Costa Rica HitmeUp! A nice place to live, work.. and have fun! __________________ Professional Outsourcing services in Costa Rica Web Design & Developments. SEO & Marketing Professionals Skype: Oldskullcr / ICQ:331-059-326 / AIM:oldskullftw

10-24-2007, 11:31 AM	#77
V_RocKs Damn Right I Kiss Ass! Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Cowtown, USA Posts: 32,422	Lots of good infos....

10-24-2007, 01:04 PM	#81
[ScreaM] Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,664	Hmm, pretty useful thread. Thanks guys!

10-24-2007, 03:31 PM	#82
Varius Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 6,890	I think this thread is appropriate to let you know the Costa Rica Bash registration page is open now! Come and register, it's free right now! If you are trying to register from Costa Rica you won't be able to. Use a proxy or hit me up. Oh and Kristian, my pleasure on the info and thanks for those who added more detail. I seem to have lost this thread but saw it again today __________________ Skype variuscr - Email varius AT gmail

10-25-2007, 12:16 PM	#83
MrLuvr Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 538	Interesting information. I have been going through the same process of trying to decide on a place to live. To the OP, since you have an EU passport, have you considered Cyprus at all? Right now, I am looking at some of the Caribbean Islands like St Martin or even the Mexican Riviera around Playa Del Carmen.

10-30-2007, 12:58 PM	#84
puravida Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 186	healthcare here is awesome. especially at CIMA hospital ... part of the Baylor hospital in the states. very high standards, and it's all pretty cheap. last time i was in there was for a mountain bike accident - torn abdominal wall, nothing huge. there was no wait time for me, i got in and out in about 30 minutes total. so, emergency room visit, bloodwork, xray, and all medicine, totalled out at 50,000 colones, which is bout 96-97 bucks