The warm climate
For Brits who enjoy mild winters and warm summers, Costa Rica is the perfect place. The mean temperature in San José, Costa Rica’s capital city is 18°C (64°F), with highs of around 27°C (80°F), and lows that rarely dip below 13°C (55°F).
The year-round tropical climate in Costa Rica means you can forget about snow shovels and snow boots, as well as air conditioning units or costly heating systems. If you’re used to running a heater to keep your home warm in England during winter months, then you’ll certainly appreciate the savings from not needing one at all in Costa Rica.
The strong community
The real magic of Costa Rica is the strong community feeling you get here. It’s about so much more than sitting on the beach with a cocktail in your hand; it’s about having a better quality of life and enjoying everything that goes along with it:
- Community events like live music, plays and farmers’ markets are great excuses to get out and meet people.
- Social groups like book clubs and bridge groups are excellent ways to bond with others.
- Local shops give you the chance to make small talk with shopkeepers as you purchase everyday items.
- Town halls let residents gather together for meetings, festivals or fundraisers.
- Churches, schools and humanitarian organizations are excellent places for volunteering.
- Local pubs offer a casual environment where you can run into friends, old or new.
This kind of community is invaluable if you’re moving abroad – something I realized when we first moved here. I was used to seeing familiar faces at my local supermarket back home; but our closest grocery store in Costa Rica was 45 minutes away!
Visit Property Costa Rica for houses for sale in Costa Rica.
Fresh organic food
Costa Rica is a haven for organic food and fresh ingredients. The country has no genetically modified foods, and it’s illegal to use pesticides in many areas. One reason for this is the Ministry of Agriculture allows only a few brands of pesticide to be sold and used on crops, which limits the options for farmers. You’ll find that many fruits and vegetables are grown organically here, even if they are not certified as such.
Fruit markets take place almost every day at local schools, or escuelas in your community. Farmers from all over Costa Rica arrive early in the morning to set up stalls with their wares—from mangoes (mangos) and avocados (aguacates) to yucca (yuca) and passion fruit (maracuyá). They bring fresh meat, seafood, honey and eggs too! And if you don’t see what you’re looking for? Ask a vendor where he buys his produce—chances are they’ll know exactly where to go!
Spanish lessons
If you’re retiring to Costa Rica, you will probably have a goal of picking up the local language. And since Spanish is one of the most popular languages in the world, there are many options for affordable courses and quality instruction. Here are some of the methods many expats use:
- Language schools. There are plenty to choose from on your own or by asking other expats for recommendations.
- Online tutors. Classy but effective, this option allows you to save time on commuting and also gives you flexibility in scheduling as well as cost (you only pay for what you get).
- Classes at a local community center. Most towns in Costa Rica have a cultural center that offers lessons; and if they don’t already offer Spanish, they will know where they can be found nearby.
- Language exchanges with locals. If you’re not worried about learning proper grammar right away and just want to learn the basics—which will make life much easier—this can be an excellent way to meet natives who might help teach you their language and might even become friends or acquaintances! The exchange may involve money but it could also involve helping them with English practice or performing some other service: babysitting, cooking dinner once in a while, etcetera. This is not as much of an organised activity as the above options but rather something that would be arranged informally through socialization opportunities such as Meetup groups, bars and clubs, Facebook groups… whatever works!
Surfing
It would be a shame not to take advantage of the excellent surfing at Playa Hermosa and Playa Jaco. Year-round warm water, consistent waves and affordable surfboard rentals make Costa Rica the perfect place for people of all abilities to try this exhilarating sport. Surf lessons are available from one-on-one courses with reputable surfing schools in Jaco and Tamarindo, or a week long intensive course on one of the quieter beaches. The best advice is to choose a school that has been recommended by other surfers as you’re likely to meet some fun new friends in the process. Most instructors can also advise on the best places to practice based on your ability and most schools offer tours further up the coast when conditions are right.
Volunteering opportunities
If you’re looking for a way to get involved with your new community, volunteering can be a great way to do it. But first, ask yourself: why do I want to volunteer? Are you hoping to make new friends or learn more about the local culture? Or are you just looking for something to fill your time? You should also consider what skills and experience you have that could benefit others. If there’s a particular cause that’s close to your heart, investigate organizations in Costa Rica that are working for the same goals.
There are plenty of opportunities in Costa Rica where volunteers can have a positive impact on the lives of others. Organizations like We Care For Your Health (WCYH) bring physicians and nurses from around the world to serve at local clinics throughout Costa Rica. The work is rewarding (and free) but don’t expect an easy schedule—volunteers work long hours, often with little rest between shifts. Another worthwhile organization is Wildlife Rescue and Conservation, dedicated to improving the standard of care for captive wild animals around the world by providing volunteer training programs in animal rescue and rehabilitation. As with WCYH, volunteers here will find their days filled with satisfying work while they earn valuable experience toward future careers in conservation or animal care.
The wildlife
Costa Rica is famous for its wildlife. There are over 500,000 species, some of which are endangered. Watching them in the wild is a great experience.
More than 25% of Costa Rica is protected by the government. The rainforests and cloud forests are stunning and full of exotic animals, like sloths and toucans. The beaches have sea turtles and whale sharks to look at, too!
The country created its first national park system before any other country did. That’s how much they love animals!
Plus, you can see all this without taking a long flight from England or spending too much money on travel costs once you get there.
Eco-tourism
Don’t let the country’s beautiful beaches fool you: Costa Rica is a nature lover’s paradise. It’s the country with the largest percentage of protected land in the world, and the government has been committed to preserving natural resources since it abolished its military in 1949. There are plenty of hiking trails and national parks all over Costa Rica. The country also has a wonderful wildlife population—it is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world!
Healthcare (at least for now)
It is important to note that the pandemic has had a huge impact on Costa Rica for better or worse. While it has been a bummer for retirees who want to get out and enjoy all of the things the country has to offer, it is great for those looking to move there because you don’t have to worry about your health insurance and costs going through the roof! In fact, it’s actually quite inexpensive at around $35 per month while services like prescription drugs are free regardless of age or income level (provided they meet certain criteria).
A reliable electricity grid
In Costa Rica, you can find a reliable electricity grid. This means that you won’t have to worry about the lights going out or your food in the refrigerator spoiling due to a power outage. Additionally, electric service is provided by the government, which will help you avoid issues with billing and collection agencies. The grid is also powered almost entirely by renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectric power plants, geothermal energy (heat generated from within the earth), wind farms and solar panels.
The climate in Costa Rica is another reason that retired Britons choose it as their new home. There are twelve different microclimates throughout the country—so regardless of what kind of weather you prefer, there’s a spot for everyone. From dry tropical forests in Guanacaste Province to rainforests near San José or mountains near Cartago Province; there’s an area for every type of climate preference!
Costa Rica has many things going for it for retirees.
Costa Rica has many things going for it for retirees. For a start, its climate is pleasant, even tropical in parts. The country is blessed with warm, sunny weather all year round and temperatures rarely exceed 87 degrees Fahrenheit (31 Celsius). It means that, as you get older and your body needs less sleep and your sight gets worse, you’ll be able to enjoy the perfect balance of sunshine and restorative shade.
Costa Ricans are friendly and welcoming. This is an attitude we can all appreciate when making a new home for ourselves abroad. As one of our readers put it: “Like many places I have visited, Costa Rica has been full of great people… I was taken aback by how nice everyone was to me – from young boys selling fruit on the street, to others in stores wanting to know where I was from.”
Costa Rica’s fresh organic food is healthy. Thanks to its long coastline and fertile soil, the country produces some of the world’s freshest produce. Admittedly this isn’t always convenient or available at every supermarket—but when you’re cutting out processed foods that are loaded with salt or sugar, it can feel like heaven!
Spanish is a useful language to learn. There are several million Spanish-speaking expats living in Costa Rica who speak English fluently—so if you’d prefer to stick with Spanish you’re in luck here too! With just 15 hours’ worth of lessons with an online teacher before your arrival, learning Spanish will give you a head start over those who don’t know another language at all once they arrive here.
Costa Rica is a surfer’s paradise—and not just for sports enthusiasts either! If this sounds like somewhere where you’d like to live after retirement but don’t want big waves breaking in along the coast every day or two during winter months then consider trading ocean surf for soaring above it; the country boasts an abundance of mountains ideal for adventure sports such as climbing and hiking too—perfect stuff