retired early; moved abroad; living on less than $500/month

[Alan]

The wife and I are dreaming about retiring there not sure if full-time or part-time. How would one go about being able to save on income taxes over there. The wife and I will both have pensions and we both qualify for social security. If we had to drop citizenship from the US to Costa Rica to save on taxes would we still qualify for our social security that we contributed to. are there other ways to save money on taxes. Would you suggest becoming a full citizen there or just a partial type citizenship.

Giving up US citizenship can be expensive (exit payment) depending on your individual finances and it won’t necessarily eliminate the need to file a US tax return if you have US income. You would need to research it carefully for the country you are residing or planning to reside in.

Social Security is independent of citizenship or residency and the SSA are quite used to paying SS payments directly to a foreign bank.

 

[Gumby]

....

Social Security is independent of citizenship or residency and the SSA are quite used to paying SS payments directly to a foreign bank.

Unless you live in Cuba, North Korea or one of several other countries (generally in and around the "-stans"). They absolutely will not send a payment to the first two and may not send a payment to the latter. https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

 

[happyhere]

The wife and I are dreaming about retiring there not sure if full-time or part-time. How would one go about being able to save on income taxes over there. The wife and I will both have pensions and we both qualify for social security. If we had to drop citizenship from the US to Costa Rica to save on taxes would we still qualify for our social security that we contributed to. are there other ways to save money on taxes. Would you suggest becoming a full citizen there or just a partial type citizenship.

ok. i am not a lawyer, but i will tell you what i 'think' i know, thus far.
As a resident of costa rica, i am Still a 'citizen' of the US. if i have income in the US, i have to pay taxes on it regardless of where i live. Even if i don't have income (like now) in the US, i still need to file taxes. Example... I just filed my US taxes yesterday... they were $0. (i used turbotax 'free')
As you collect your pensions and start to collect your SS, you will need to file your US taxes and report that income and pay taxes on it, regardless of the fact that you live abroad. It's normal.
No matter where you live, your SS is still yours. You can have it direct deposited into a US bank, or possibly a bank here in costa rica or wherever you end up.
As a resident of costa rica who doesn't make an income Here... i don't pay income taxes here; only property taxes... which are very very low.

The one thing that i do have to do yearly, is file an FBAR with the US gov't. it is a 'Foreign Bank Account Report' ... because they want to know if you are making an income abroad (you, as a US citizen, need to pay taxes on that income to Uncle Sam). most foreign banks (in countries 'friendly' to the US) send your account info to the US gov't. Basically, the US gov't needs to know where the money in your foreign account is coming from. all i do is show proof of electronic deposits from my US banks, etc. If the money is coming from your US accounts, then it was probably already taxed 'up there' before you deposited it down here... so it's not an issue.

i am not collecting SS yet, but when i do, i hope to have it directly deposited into my account here at Banco Nacional. If not, it can go to my account at a US bank, and a family member can wire the money to my bank here in costa rica if and when i need it. I will still need to file income taxes yearly and i will need to receive some sort of w2? in order to file them correctly... (income, interest, etc.) it's good to have a US mailing address (friend or family member's address) for that sort of thing.

no reason to 'quit' your US citizenship. But having residency here is very very important. The residency results in a costa rican ID card, called a cedula. it's great to have; and easier to carry around than a passport. Plus, it's in Spanish, so no translation issues. plus:
1) you don't need to leave every 90 days
2) you can join the 'caja' ... costa rica's national public health system
3) you will have a local ID ... comes in handy.
4) you will get discounted admittance to lots of things like nat'l parks; reserves; etc.

hope this helps a little.
it really wasn't too difficult to get residency... and i used a service in California/costa rica to do the leg work for me because i was already here i think it was called 'Residency in Costa Rica' ... his name is Javier Zavaleta. it wasn't expensive and he's really smart. He took care of all the FBI background check stuff up there; and his sister here in CR took care of things on this end.

 

[frank]

how do you communicate with relatives, banks, and other places you do business in the US? is the wifi good where you are? phone service international or local? is the area you live close enough to walk to stores or do you have to take public transport? why not own a car?

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

Unless you live in Cuba, North Korea or one of several other countries (generally in and around the "-stans"). They absolutely will not send a payment to the first two and may not send a payment to the latter. https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

Absolutely true about Cuba and North Korea. I am not sure about the -stans countries you mentioned, but it may be possible to get SS payments in other former USSR countries by going to a US embassy or a nearby US embassy in another country and following certain rules and getting SS payments that way.

 

[happyhere]

how do you communicate with relatives, banks, and other places you do business in the US? is the wifi good where you are? phone service international or local? is the area you live close enough to walk to stores or do you have to take public transport? why not own a car?

hi Frank.

Communication.
i have wifi at my house here (approx. $30/mo) so it allows me to use email, and it provides enough 'signal' to use the app 'whatsapp' on my phone for calls, texts, and messages. whatsapp is free and i use it to communicate with people here and people abroad.
Communication with businesses/banks in the US is via email or regular 'phone'... so i have to travel somewhere that has a better signal, like in front of a store or almost anywhere in a bigger town or city.
80% of my communications here are via whatsapp. I am not on any social media.
Luckily, i moved my US bank accounts to a bank where my niece lives; so she is named on my accounts and can take care of deposits and wire transfers; etc. I use her address as my US mailing address. It is invaluable.

Shopping and such:
My village is located about 300 yards (on a dead end road; so very quiet) from a main highway, and we have a tiny shop and a small bar in the village. If i walk up to the highway, there is a small supermarket and a bus stop... another mile or so is a small roadside cafe. There are busses that go to Quesada, San Ramon, and La Fortuna... so i have really good options for going to bigger towns for banking; food; vet; pharmacy; etc. I made certain, when searching for a property, that public transport was close, and that a hospital wasn't more than an hour away. I love living rural; but i am not isolated nor living 'off the grid'.

i do not have a car, but i am thinking of getting a motorcycle. the nearest gas station is 5 miles. I love not having a car. I lived in Philadelphia and didn't have a car. I walk and ride my bike here, like the locals do. There are taxis in nearby towns and you can text/call them to come here. Very cheap.
i did rent a car a few times to shop for materials for the renovation of my house; it cost the same as the US to rent a car. I had to take a bus to a bigger town to do so, but i made the trip worth it...
hope that helps a little.

 

[frank]

it sounds like you have everything figured out and it is working for you. it is always interesting to know how people do things when they move out of the country and the hurtles they have to overcome. good luck.

 

[texasdiver]

Cool. Short version, we sold house in the states to travel the world. Came to CR for 6-9 months, had friends in Atenas. Covid happened so we stayed. Taking Spanish classes and like you, obviously more difficult having conversations and practicing, especially with masks.

In some ways too many gringos. But in some ways makes it more comfortable. Hate the driving restrictions but gotta play by their rules.

Lease is up in October, owners in the states want to come back down. So starting to look for another house. Pickings are slim, lots of people hunkered down here.

Sorry to jump into the thread late. but what driving restrictions are you talking about? We've been to Costa Rica about half a dozen times over the past decade and I never experienced any driving restrictions. Always just rented a car and drove where we wanted.

 

[rt-texas]

Sorry to jump into the thread late. but what driving restrictions are you talking about? We've been to Costa Rica about half a dozen times over the past decade and I never experienced any driving restrictions. Always just rented a car and drove where we wanted.

Had this hard core during the first lock downs last year. But basically you can't drive your car one day a week and one weekend day depending on last digit of license plate. We end in one, so no driving on Saturday's and Monday's for us.

If you have a Dr's appt or a hotel reservation you can drive for that. Just have printed proof if you are stopped.

They can and will take your license plates if your caught; nice size fine and fees to get your plates back. So real PIA.

If you have a rental from a true rental agency (not just an individual) you can drive all days as well. Again, have paperwork, car and hotel with you!!! Gov doesn't want to inconvenience the touristas.

As of now continues through the month of May. Extensions TBD.

 

[UKadventurer]

Thanks for sharing. I’m based in Mongolia but leave for the winter to avoid the worst of the winter (-40). So last winter my Mongolian wife and I came to Nha Trang, Vietnam. We’re still here 16 months later due to covid19.

I took early retirement almost 1 year ago due to a decent inheritance that should cover us until my USA/UK pensions kick in. We live on about $1000-1500 per month. We hope to build a house in Mongolia on land each citizen is entitled to. That should cut our monthly costs considerably.

 

[texasdiver]

Had this hard core during the first lock downs last year. But basically you can't drive your car one day a week and one weekend day depending on last digit of license plate. We end in one, so no driving on Saturday's and Monday's for us.

If you have a Dr's appt or a hotel reservation you can drive for that. Just have printed proof if you are stopped.

They can and will take your license plates if your caught; nice size fine and fees to get your plates back. So real PIA.

If you have a rental from a true rental agency (not just an individual) you can drive all days as well. Again, have paperwork, car and hotel with you!!! Gov doesn't want to inconvenience the touristas.

As of now continues through the month of May. Extensions TBD.

So it is a Covid quarantine measure and not something permanent?

 

[texasdiver]

FYI, my wife is Chilean and we visit Chile every year or so. Her family and extended family own a lot of property in Chile. We are contemplating retiring in Chile but I would absolutely NOT recommend it as a cheap place to retire. There is a LOT of hidden wealth in Chile, it is more European or American in the level of affluence compared to Central America so property values are high and the cost of living is roughly comparable to coastal US outside of say California. At least the nice places where you'd want to live. it is a very nice country but no cheaper than the US.

 

[rt-texas]

So it is a Covid quarantine measure and not something permanent?

Yes for covid. They did it last year when they closed the border. Cases have been going back up since Easter, so they put it back in place for now.

It is a permanent feature in downtown San Jose but I avoid driving in that place like the plague so it doesn't affect us at all.

 

[tenant13]

I think it’s really cool that you are able to live how you want to live - I’m all for everyone finding their happy place on earth. You lost me at “gardening all day” however. I barely know the difference between fruit and vegetable and I probably couldn’t tell what grows above and what underground. As far as I know vegetables are from Whole Foods.

 

[SMCOLTON]

Would love to travel around. I am 59 and have have been widowed for 5 years. Looking for a partner who needs some excitement in their life.

 

[rt-texas]

It's been a bit strange I have to admit during covid times to be in another country with a different primary language. But in some ways I think it has helped not being in the US. Since everything is different here anyway it's just part of the mix.

This was just the first real stop of traveling round the world with 2-3 months in different locations. So, like everyone else, we've adapted. There are a hell of a lot worse places to ride something like this out.

Hoping by this time next year we can continue on with the travel. But we like Costa Rica as a new base to be from for awhile.

 

[FIREarly]

i left the US at 57; decided i could live on a small amount of savings until age 62. needed a new country to live in on future SS payments of $1500/mo. I sold all i had, came to Costa Rica... and it was/is the best decision i ever made.
i own a house, live in a rural area, garden all day... and spend less than $500 a month (including healthcare and utilities). And i hear it's even less expensive in some other countries; but i think this is paradise. ask me questions if you are curious...

Oh wow, amazing and congratulations!

I visited Panama City in school and we took a day-trip to the jungle in Costa Rica... saw wild monkeys! Stopped for the MOST AMAZING bread at some rinky dink stop along the way. Think it was .50 a loaf and so unbelievable. On the other end of the spectrum, at an outdoor eatery type stop, I tried some beef stew looking item and it was so slimy. The bus drive came over and said, "do you know what you're eating?" "No" "That's tripe." (cow's stomach) That was the end of that FOREVER!

Long story about me, back to your amazing story. Heard Costa Rica has one of the longest lifespans and no military. Imagine they have amazing culture too. If you look up Short-term Rental University (STRU) on YouTube, the vlogger, Richard Fertig, has a STR in Costa Rica that was not making much money due to the restrictions with tourists visiting and he was staying there.

Questions:
1. Is the weather near perfect temperature year round?
2. Is there a rain season?
3. What other countries did you research before moving to Costa Rica and, besides CR winning, what other places almost won?
4. How is the expat application process for CR? What is required?
5. How good is the healthcare/medical in CR? (heard great things about Portugal and Australia... now CR)
6. How are you staying in touch with family/friends and possibly seeing them? (beyond/pre COVID restrictions)
7. How much Spanish do you know when you arrived and now?

Thank you for reading my abbreviated CR... writing Costa Rica was a lot of work and felt the abbreviation was helpful

 

[harllee]

happyhere, thanks so much for posting this, I am really enjoying your story. What about making friends? Did you have any trouble making friends and meeting people when you got there? Did you already know people in CR? I assume you are not married. Do you ever date anyone there?

 

[Gumby]

FYI, my wife is Chilean and we visit Chile every year or so. Her family and extended family own a lot of property in Chile. We are contemplating retiring in Chile but I would absolutely NOT recommend it as a cheap place to retire. There is a LOT of hidden wealth in Chile, it is more European or American in the level of affluence compared to Central America so property values are high and the cost of living is roughly comparable to coastal US outside of say California. At least the nice places where you'd want to live. it is a very nice country but no cheaper than the US.

I have been to many South American countries. Chile is far and away my favorite. I was especially fond of Valparaiso.

 

[kgtest]

i left the US at 57; decided i could live on a small amount of savings until age 62. ask me questions if you are curious...

Do you ever travel off island? How much is a gallon of milk? Gas?

 

[melijov]

All you story is very inspiring. I am planning to retire in Costa Rica next year with my wife. I would love to hear more on what steps I need to take to make it happen. Your lifestyle in Costa Rica really appeals to us. Any recommendations on what to do and not to do will be really appreciated. I do speak Spanish, and my wife as well.

I would really love to hear more stories. Kind regards, Vlad

 

[happyhere]

Oh wow, amazing and congratulations!

I visited Panama City in school and we took a day-trip to the jungle in Costa Rica... saw wild monkeys! Stopped for the MOST AMAZING bread at some rinky dink stop along the way. Think it was .50 a loaf and so unbelievable. On the other end of the spectrum, at an outdoor eatery type stop, I tried some beef stew looking item and it was so slimy. The bus drive came over and said, "do you know what you're eating?" "No" "That's tripe." (cow's stomach) That was the end of that FOREVER!

Long story about me, back to your amazing story. Heard Costa Rica has one of the longest lifespans and no military. Imagine they have amazing culture too. If you look up Short-term Rental University (STRU) on YouTube, the vlogger, Richard Fertig, has a STR in Costa Rica that was not making much money due to the restrictions with tourists visiting and he was staying there.

Questions:
1. Is the weather near perfect temperature year round?
2. Is there a rain season?
3. What other countries did you research before moving to Costa Rica and, besides CR winning, what other places almost won?
4. How is the expat application process for CR? What is required?
5. How good is the healthcare/medical in CR? (heard great things about Portugal and Australia... now CR)
6. How are you staying in touch with family/friends and possibly seeing them? (beyond/pre COVID restrictions)
7. How much Spanish do you know when you arrived and now?

Thank you for reading my abbreviated CR... writing Costa Rica was a lot of work and felt the abbreviation was helpful

Hello FIREarly.
sorry to reply late... i am finding that 'retired?' life is really busy.
i shall attempt to answer your Q's...

1) weather: It's tropical. i am on the east flank of some mountains at the edge of a valley. never below 70F, and rarely over 90F. it's humid a lot.. but i am used to it already. There is actually a lot of breeze and some days during the 'dry' season (summer) can be very windy. I have lost some banana and plantain plants to the wind. I know that the higher elev. you live, the cooler it can be... and probably hotter near the carribean. I came from Philadelphia and the summers are hotter 'up' there than they are here. Honestly, i don't think I've worn long pants or a shirt with sleeves (or any shirt at all) for over a year. But i do wear tall rubber boots a lot. kind of goofy, but i am in a farming village and everybody wears them not just for the mud, but to keep bugs and scratchy/sharp things from your legs. I garden a lot. Otherwise, sandals and sneakers.

2) Rain!!! yes!!!!! lots. where i am, rainy season (they call it winter) is from May thru... Nov/Dec.? but it can last into Jan as it did this year. The dry season (they call it summer?) is from Jan till end of April early May. The temps don't change that much season to season. 12 hours of sunlight almost every day all year... but i think the days are a little longer in May-July. Sun up between 5-5:30a.m. goes down between 5-6 p.m. depending on the month.
Note: it doesn't rain all day, every day, during the rainy season. It can... but most times it is dry until 2 or 3 pm... then downpours that really can cool things off. The rain also makes things 'clean' and of course... it is very very very Green here. you can stick a stick in the ground and it will grow 'something'. But the rain is intense... i have seen it rain for over 40 hours and it can easily rain 5-6 inches + in a day. I enjoy falling asleep to the sound of the rain on the metal roof.

3) other Countries: i first went to Nicaragua, got an apartment, and started to hunt for a property to buy. It was a wonderful place, the people were very kind and helpful (lots of english speaking people) and it was incredibly inexpensive. example: house on 2-3 acres with mature fruit trees... etc. can be less than $40K. (rural) but there was a socio-political issue that disrupted life for all Nicaraguans in spring of 2018 and i had to leave as things were going 'boom' in the night. I will return there someday to visit as i made good, fast friends.
My list included Morocco, Croatia, Bulgaria, Paraguay, Ecuador, Guatemala and Colombia. I really like Colombia and it is surprisingly safe since their conflict ended. Bogota had a great vibe and great art scene. I have been to all the other places except Paraguay, but i read a lot about the city of Asuncion... it sounded like the more affordable and smaller version of Buenos Aires. But i am here. San Jose is only a 3 hour flight to Miami/4 hours to Charlotte... so it is actually as close to the east coast of the US as Seattle is.

4) Process. it depends on you. I started the 'rentista' residency application process immediately. Its for people that don't have a pension yet. it wasn't too difficult and i used a service because i was already here. The service had a person in the US to do the legwork up there (FBI checks, etc.) and they had a person here who took me thru the finger-printing and legal processes. Less than a day. Until the application is considered 'accepted' for processing... you have to leave every 90 days. You can go by road/bus to Nicaragua or Panama... or you can fly somewhere. Once my application was officially being 'processed' i didn't have to leave. Once it was 'approved' (about 9 months later) ... i got my Costa Rican ID and joined (mandatory for the ID) the 'caja' which is the national health care system. I have used it and it is ok. I actually had retina and cataract surgeries here... excellent doctors.
After 2 years, i will apply for Permanent Residency. There are financial requirements for all of this stuff... but not steep at all. I am still a US citizen and always will be.

5) as i said above... the healthcare is fine. I have to pay roughly $200 a month as a foreigner (the locals pay a fraction of that) I am not a 'run to the doctor' kind of person. There are private clinics that are quite popular and not too pricey if you don't want to wait in line at your local clinic.
(i had an EKG at a cardiologists office... it was about $60) i used a lawyer to help me opt 'out' of the pension plan here as I don't need it. It saved me, as a foreigner, about $200 a month. his legal fees were less than $100 and he was a really nice guy.

6) communications: They're pretty much the same here as they are in the rest of the world. Email, 'whatsapp', etc. whatsapp is the #1 way that people here communicate via phone for talking, texting, video chats, fotos, etc. There is no 'phone' bill. You buy a phone and pay an initial 'purchase' fee to join a service provider. After that, no bills. it's a one-time payment. You have to add minutes to your phone and can do that almost anywhere. It's very cheap. I put about $20 in minutes on my phone in Nov. of 2019 and i still have time left. !!! That was more than 18 months ago. But i don't call people much... mostly texts. Most smart phones already have 'whatsapp' on them. i have wifi at my house... it is about $30 a month. no cable yet, i don't really use TV.

7) Spanish?? not much at first. I had a few semesters of Spanish in University... and I spoke enough Italian to live in Italy for a year... a long time ago. So that all helped a bit... and I studied on the free website, Duolingo, intensely before coming to central america and since i got here in 2018 i have lived in a tiny village where nobody speaks ANY english... except the little kids that learn to say ByeBye in school; and a french lady. So between Duo and full blown emersion... i am already conversational (somewhat) and can read, ask questions, etc. It sneaks up on you. Suddenly, you just start to understand and communicate. There is some frustration, but i am a grownup, i think. Google translate and other apps are very handy to have. i honestly think that learning English would be so much harder. Pronunciation is quite easy in Spanish once you know your vowels and such.
Note: because i live in a small village (150 people) and it's on a dead-end road... it is very social. I see many of the same people every day and we seem to have things to say. it seems isolated, but it's not. I got adopted by an abandoned dog when i first 'landed' and so walking Azel has it's advantages... i am not hiding at home. the neighbors share extra produce and such, and my left-over construction materials became a great way to make friends as people would say "hey, are you using that metal post?" we all sort of rely on each other and i have had to help dig yucca, carry heavy bunches of plantains, baby-sit some little rascals, cut the grass on the soccer field, and chase cows, horses, goats, dogs, etc. (usually out of my garden!).
Maybe i got lucky and found the ideal little niche. But i think it's more about me accepting everything 'Tico' and forgetting about any/all american expectations.

Get out there and try something new!!!!!!!!! sincerely, happyhere

 

[happyhere]

happyhere, thanks so much for posting this, I am really enjoying your story. What about making friends? Did you have any trouble making friends and meeting people when you got there? Did you already know people in CR? I assume you are not married. Do you ever date anyone there?

Making friends has been effortless, for the most part. You know, things just sort of fell into place. when hunting for property, i hired a cab driver from a nearby city to drive me to properties in this area. we are still friends to this day!! we had a great time and laughed a lot... he spoke no english, and i knew bits and pieces of Spanish. He was my go-to guy when i flew back and forth to the US to sell my house and then bring all that I could (on a plane) and my 3 cats and such.
when i found a property to buy (made an offer at the 'showing'), the owner immediately (that day!) hooked me up with some locals that could do some immediate work. They are now my neighbors/friends and i have used them for two good-sized projects. I think there may be at least 10 guys in the village who have worked here at one time or another... and i know their families and such. walking the dog 5x a day helps a lot to see people regularly and become part of the fabric of everyday life.
I didn't know anybody here, but a little humor breaks the ice rather quickly; regardless of language barriers.
I am a deliriously happy single person. Big city life in the US meant good friends; but insane work hours/job stress. I am a creative person and I don't know what 'boring' is. it's amazing how much of 'american' life is simply not needed nor important; nor does it 'exist' in other parts of the world. i think i shed a truckload of nonsense within my first 2 years of being here.
example: Mail. there is no mail here. it doesn't exist. the 'idea' of mail doesn't exist. I don't even have an address... my house has no number and my road has no name. Only my Property has a number.. but thats for tax purposes only. bills are electronic and everybody pays everything the first 10 days of the month... at the local store. no mail. You can use a private service (good luck!)... but no mail.
i don't date nor plan to here. that's all i'll say except that it is 'latin' america... wink, wink.

 

[happyhere]

Do you ever travel off island? How much is a gallon of milk? Gas?

Ahhhh... Costa Rica isn't an island. it's at the lower, narrow end of the Isthus of land that connects South America (at Colombia) to North America (at Mexico). we are between Panama (to our south) and Nicaragua (to our north)... to the west is the Pacific, and to the east is the Caribbean. It's fun to look at a map of the area... i actually live due north of the Galapagos Islands, and i actually live a little more 'south' than the northern most tip of Colombia... so there are people in Colombia that live further north, on the globe, than I do. who knew

i haven't bought a gallon of milk... a quart is about $1 ... i think??
not sure about gas; i don't and never will have a car here; i use public transport (busses). There are as many motorcycles as there are cars, so they are probably less to operate than a car... and walking and biking are Normal... even for distances of a few miles on mountainous roads.

 

[happyhere]

All you story is very inspiring. I am planning to retire in Costa Rica next year with my wife. I would love to hear more on what steps I need to take to make it happen. Your lifestyle in Costa Rica really appeals to us. Any recommendations on what to do and not to do will be really appreciated. I do speak Spanish, and my wife as well.

I would really love to hear more stories. Kind regards, Vlad

Hello Vlad;
Happy to share.
1st: I think that the most important 'recommendation' i can make is to put together a reasonably well thought-thru, List of things that are important to your lifestyle and needs; taking 'future' into consideration as non of us are lucky enough to be getting younger.
example: i wanted rural, but with a paved road and easy access to public transport (busses) to good sized towns/small cities for shopping/pharmacy/vet/etc. I didn't want to be around tourists or concentrations of expats/english speakers.
2nd: look all over the country, if you can, for a place that 'feels' right for you. i spent 10 days on a whirlwind adventure of looking at properties for sale in the far corners of CR... thinking that i would end up on the Nicoya Penninsula. Boy was i wrong. I saw a lot; but the places that 'visually' appealed to me were all going to be a challenge to live in as i got older. I didn't want to have a car or 4x4, nor did i want a trip to the nearest big town to be 3.5 hours on a muddy/rocky road. I ended up in a lush green valley edged with mountains full of rainforest/wildlife reserves, numerous rivers, creeks and streams, and just a couple hundred yards off a main highway that has busses to good sized cities and the craziness of La Fortuna & the majestic Arenal Volcano and lake. (fun to just go for the day and enjoy some pizza and cappuccino... and soak in natural hot springs)
My village is tiny, and the people around here are farmers for the most part. I learn so much from them... they really understand the land, the plants, the weather, the wildlife... and they are incredibly resourceful and capable and kind and generous; and funny!
3rd... when looking for real estate (maybe rent for a year first??... while you are looking around,) i suggest going to a not so fancy pants website called Encuentra 24... it is sort of like an old fashioned 'want-ads'. i found a ton of houses/properties on there... and prices for houses sold by local realtors were far less than those sold by the big realtors that you'll recognize as being 'american'. And... even more importantly; once you find an 'area' during your search that seems to fit your style, talk to the locals. There are MANY properties for sale that just aren't listed... and are better/bigger and cheaper than those on paper. the locals will tell you about them. I was told, by the man living in a house that i saw for sale, about a better property in the same village, and he called the owner, on the spot, to show it to me... i went, and fell in love, and made an offer within 15 minutes. I now call it home.
You already speak Spanish... so you're half way there buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pura Vida, Timoteo