Operating/living in Costa Rica
 

I'm thinking of moving to C.R. hows the skilled labr down there? Like designers/copy writers/etc? Is it much cheaper that US labor?

Also, what about office space, housing,medical care, the whole 9 yards?

How about taxes? :winkwink:

yeah that too :thumbsup

I know a ton of casinos are setup down there, would assume there is plenty of cheap designers, houses, etc.

Heard nothing but awesome things about the place

yeah i've heard housing is cheap, but what about the nicaragua factor? guerillas n shit

C.R. is very nice! If I didn't have family I would move in a heartbeat.

The WHOLE 9 yards?? :1orglaugh That would take ages!

OK.. First bit... skilled labor, if you are thinking IT/net related, is good. There are plenty grads being chucked out of colleges with IT/programming training. Currently, there is also around 2000 multi-lingual and computer literate people who have just became unemployed (because of the termination of the BetOnSports operation here).

Sure it's cheaper than US labor - rough monthly salaries for an experienced IT person with a degree would be around... ranging from $800 to $1500/month - tho they have to be good to get the higher end. For stuff like full-time maids and gardners - around $300 ish a month.

No biggie with office space, tho may be better with a large home and having offices within it. Medical care is on two levels - one is similar to the US, but costs are about a third. (It's the same hospital chains as in the US).

There is no taxation on net earnings and no problems pulling money into the country.

:winkwink: Nicaragua is no biggie and little chance any effects will overspill into Costa Rica. CR (and Panama) are nowhere like the rest of Latin America - both are stable and no problems.

Ah.. housing... Property values are increasing rapidly here, tho with variances on differing areas.

On the Pacific coast - average annual increases are tween 40-60%/year. In Central Valley (where the capital is) - it's less, but prob in the 20% range on average.

Three or four years ago - housing and land was very cheap by western standards, but changed a lot since then - and no signs of any cooling off. Basically CR is in relatively high-demand and likely to have plenty more immigrants over the next 10 years.

2,000 unemployed from BetOnSports? That is amazing!

Yea.. don't think that saga is finished yet L-Pink. Forgetting the US action against David, there's still a WTO investigation going on and due to report in about 8 weeks to determine what action they will be considering against the US in trade deals. Basically there has been a WTO judgement already against the legality of the Wire Act and several others which contravene WTO regulations - so time will tell.

BetOnSports also laid off another 2000 in Antigua, but their Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatamala and Malaysia offices are still operating as normal.

Webby, is it safe to say the US gambling issue boiled down to ... Major banks lobbying for restrictions based on huge charge-backs?

Or am I off base?

It is extremely dangerous here, don't move.

The CR government said there are too many gringos here already and if you land they will shoot you at the airport.

Thank you and please consider another country.

Mmmm.. don't think so L-Pink. The case against.. primarily Gary Kaplan, hate to say it, but appears it's not without foundation. He is a US citizen and has a previous record of gaming-related issues in the US (mainly New York and Florida). He was the founder of BOS and set up this corp from various jurisdictions while he was (and is still) a US citizen. That is basically illegal under US law, irrespective of where he may be operating - he is really contravening the Wire Act etc - tho a good defense may claim otherwise.

Suspect the US issue has more to do with containing US gambling - and keeping this "in-house" in Vegas and elsewhere. Think we can dump to excuses of the evils of gambling etc - doubt that is the main concern :)

The credit card issue is one of the items that provoked a WTO judgement a few years back. Basically the govt of Antigua, Canada and several other countries complained that the US was "inhibiting" the transfer of funds to other countries (specifically gaming regions) and that this was in violation of ratified treaties for open market trading. Since that judgement time (about 2 years back)... the WTO has given the US an opportunity to work out a deal with the complaining nations - and this negotiation crumbled about 4 months ago and the complainants terminated further meetings and requested enforcement by the WTO. WTO is currently reviewing what has happened up till now and due to report in 8 weeks.

The next stage is basically sanctions against the US - but chances are something will be worked out. Tho, only my :2 cents: - it appears this is not going to be easy for the US DOJ since the claims are various domestic laws are "illegal" and think there is a bill currently being debated to make it illegal for card companies to pay on gaming debts? Who knows - but smells like a clash is on the way :)

There are no problems with the other card operators or with VISA in other banking regions eg - gambling is generally legal in the EU and card companies appear to be fine with that. (They prob have no choice else there would be action taken against them within the EU).

The "Costa Rica army" has taken up postions at the airport and have gringo detection devices in place designed to vaporize all gringo flesh.

Ooops... can you send a new Ambassador? Like all things Costa Rican, the vaporizer is still under testing and the Ambassador is no longer of this world :1orglaugh

right , you really want us to believe that it's US GFY'ERS that you gonna ask for advicing you to move to another country .
oh well ... i've seen worse ... :1orglaugh

Elron... I don't say this often to anyone, but shut the fuck up and behave.

Let me guess, your mother dropped you on your head when you were a kid, right?

Costa Rica is a shit hole! If you go make sure you get a 4x4!

Liberia has to be the most dangerous city I have ever visited. My car got broken into 3 mins after I parked it outside Churchs Chicken.

The women stink, Jaco beach is dirty, people are unfriendly, andrains all the time. The only two positive things are Tamarindo and the Volcano.

Other than that you should forget CR, go to Tampa or Miami instead!:2 cents:

ok... that HAS to be the funniest post all day!:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Take a 2 week vacation and travel around see if you like it first

Any good websites for checking out long term rental houses/apartments?

In which part of the country do most webmasters live down there?

If the rental house/apartment is listed on line, you're getting ripped off. The best way is too have a tico look around here for you and check the spanish sources.

Most webmasters live in San Jose (almost 2 hours from the nearest beach) mostly because of the availability of fast internet. (That is, the webmasters who have survived the brutal execution due to the overpopulation of gringos in costa rica)

Damn, you're scaring the shit out of me! :helpme

Better brush up on my Spanish. Me no espico Ingles. :)

Move to Brasil instead :2 cents:

so San Jose is the place to be then eh?

Well said.

Costa Rica is a pretty good place to live. There are things you need to get adjusted to, such as food, small inconvieniences like not many 24/7 stores, drinking 7 nights a week for less than $50 each night :thumbsup

Just remember, the locals are fucking usesless and they will screw you whenever they get a chance.

How do you know a Tico's lying? His mouth is moving.

How's your spanish, Spermy?

I lived in CR all of last year, and got laid 5.47 times as much as a friend of mine that didn't speak any spanish. Even broken spanish will really change how you're perceived.

Also, the ability to dance to reggaeton music can only help. Check out San Pedro for central, inexpensive and fun places to live. Stay away from Escazu.. all the gringos that can't get laid, overpay to live there.

:1orglaugh all true :thumbsup

good read

Mr. Romance

Yeah, go live in some welfare neighborhood in Heredia or San Pedro, where you'll surely find a place to live for under $400. You really will get to live like a Tico, too. Free tip: Don't touch the pipes that the suicide shower head is hooked up to either. :2 cents:

Personally, things like hotwater, big houses, big yards and general better security are worth paying for. Escazu/Santa Ana is more expensive, but who wants to live like a Tico in the city? I mean, living at the beaches is one thing, but San Jose fucking sucks ass.

You have to learn Spanish. It is not difficult.
Or you already know?

not too interested in the getting laid part lol I've got a lady I've been with for a little over 8 years. ;)

All though... if I move to CR she'd probably leave me LOL anyone got a link to one of those learn spanish computer programs? :pimp

It does not matter how skilled their homegrown laborers are, no matter where you are in the world as long as your connected you will always be able to stay intouch with your www.iwebmasters.com employees. So move where ever you would like, let us be your remote infrastructure:thumbsup :thumbsup

San Jose itself is.. well.. a place you would never want to actually live :winkwink:

There are OK places outside San Jose - in fact, most of the country is fine - apart from San Jose. It's like WarChild said - Santa Ana and Escazu are two examples - both on the western outskirts of the capital. There is some truth in the fact they do not represent the real Costa Rica and are predominately North American style homes - but I like my home comforts :)

The best coastal area is the Pacific side and constuction there is booming (already was high previously, but last 12 months saw another 70%+ increase in construction) - if you prefer a coastline, that's got to be it, but check the availability of good cabling which varies depending on which part of the coast.

Personally, I'd stick to Central Valley and the outskirts of San Jose initially till you get time to explore the whole country. It has lots to offer and over a series of microclimates.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh I didn't tell you that story did I?

PS The gringo vaporizer at the airport failed again this morning. They are saving up for a new part from Finland - so all gringo executions on entry to CR have been suspended - so get in quick :)

Yeah I'm pretty sure it was you :)

LOL what about highspeed internet? I'd LOVE to live on the coast but only if there's decent access to high speed

Ah.. the renowned suicide showers? :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Could not believe it fuzebox... the maid seemed to be saying she was being electocuted when doing the laundry. I checked trying to see what she was talking about - and sure as hell, was getting shocks from the washing thingy and the dryer.

Pulled the power stuff out of the wall and the alleged electrician was obviously color blind - and connected the live to neutral and earth to whatever. Just as well it's 120volt - if it was UK voltage, there would be a vacancy for another maid :winkwink: