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In Costa Rica, But Where?
Now
that you have practically decided to move to Costa Rica, the big
questions is: “where”?
Since
Costa Rica has so many different micro climates, it is necessary
to know what each area is about, what the climate is, what shopping
and schools are available etc. A lot depends upon where you are
coming from; when you come from a cold climate, you like warm weather
and when you come from the hot, you like the cool weather. Below,
I will describe a little of each area.
The
Central Valley offers many different areas with all different climates.
San
José
Is
the capital city of Costa Rica and doesn’t offer much besides some
good museums, the Teatro Nacional, the Teatro Mélico Salazar
and some good private theaters. The city has no space, the streets
are full of traffic and this is really not what you are looking
for if you are moving to Costa Rica. Many cities in other countries
offer a great downtown area with artist's hangouts and other interesting
areas, but San José has nothing to offer and don’t even ask
us for an apartment down there, we won’t even sell it to you.
The
interesting parts, so you can learn a little more about the culture
and habits are:
Costa
Rican Art Museum
All about Costa Rican art: Sabana East. (Behind the Leon Cortes-Castro
Sculpture)
National
Museum
Religious and archaeological objects: between Avenida Central and
Avenida Segunda
Entomological
Museum of University of Costa Rica
Butterflies & insects: Faculty of Music of the University of
Costa Rica
Gold
Museum
All about gold artifacts & coins: Plaza de la Cultura Calle
5, between Avenida Central and Avenida Segunda
Jade
Museum
About jade, stone & gold miniatures: INS Building, Second Floor
Museum
of Contemporary Art and Design
Avenida 3 between Calle 15 and Calle 17
West
side of San José
The
west side of San José is where most ex-pats look for since
it is the most well known area. That’s mainly because the climate
is somewhat warmer than the east side and because the ex-pat community
there is so large, there are more available services than in most
other areas and people like to stick together. The climate between
all these places differs just a little between one and another.
The further west you go, the warmer and drier it becomes.
Escazú
Escazú
is more urban than anywhere else and shopping malls, banks and anything
you need is available. Escazú is a little warmer than San
José. Click
here, Escazú, to find out more.
Santa
Ana
Santa
Ana is growing fast, but the geography will never allow Santa Ana
to grow like Escazú did, therefore it is more rural. Santa
Ana is a couple of degrees warmer than Escazú. Click
here, Santa Ana, to find out more.
Ciudad
Colon
Ciudad
Colon is even more rural, but the new freeway to the beach will
change that in the years to come. It’s only 15 minutes away from
shopping and the climate is just a little warmer than Escazú.
San
Antonio de Belen
San
Antonio de Belen is located between the airport and Santa Ana and
the weather is very much like Ciudad Colon.
Cariari
and Los Arcos
Cariari
and Los Arcos are located between the airport and San Jose, and
they are very urban with small lots. Both areas have 24-hour guards
and function like a gated community. Most homes are high end and
the area offers the large Cariari hotel and country club with golf
course and a large shopping mall across the freeway. Although we
don’t advertise the area very much, our Santa Ana office attends
this area.
Rohrmoser
and Sabana
Rohrmoser
and Sabana are, because of urban growth, now part of San José.
Both are higher end Tico market but offer good location to San José
and real good services. If you are looking for privacy, views or
a garden, this is the wrong area for you.
East
side of San José
Because
the west side is so well advertised by most realtors, most people
think the east side is NOT the place to be. That’s not true; it’s
just that because Escazú has always been what everyone talks
about. The east side of San José is as attractive as any
other place in Costa Rica. The climate is a little cooler (that’s
what many of you are looking for), greener throughout the year and
growing steadily. All the shopping, banking and everything else
you might need, is right there.
You
won’t be able to get around with the English language as much as
on the west side, but that can be attractive too. Maybe someday
you’ll become fluent in Spanish!
"While
the east side of San José has traditionally been overlooking
by many foreigners, it is now undergoing rapid growth (and is projected
to have a higher growth rate than the west side over the next ten
years). Two new mega-malls are currently under construction, along
with lots of new restaurants and stores, as well as many new upscale
residential developments, etc. The east side of San José
is traditionally known as the "old wealth", more subdued
side of town (as compared to the flashy "new wealth" of
Escazú), but it's also home to the University of Costa Rica
and its associated bustling nightlife. The superb climate is like
an eternal Spring (with average daytime temperatures in the low
70s year-round), being a bit cooler than downtown San José
and the areas to the west. So be cool...come to the east side!"
The
higher growth rate for the East side comes from information on the
Terramall website (www.terramall.co.cr).
That mall is due to open in October 2003.
So
you can get comfortable with some east side neighborhoods, I’ll
name a few:
Los
Yoses
Barrio
Dent
Lomas de Ayarco
Curridabat
Tres Ríos
Barrio la Granja
Plaza del Sol
Danza del Sol
Pinares
We
have one of our greatest partners in our group with an office right
there, Patrick Mulheren, he knows the area inside out and will show
you around with pleasure. In fact, because it’s an area not so well
know in the ex-pat community, the area offers much better real estate
prices than the west side.
The
Heredia Mountains
Heredia
mountains are getting more popular little by little. A few years
ago a kind of forgotten area, many foreigners are attracted to the
cooler climate, the greener look throughout the year and the better
real estate prices. It is generally very rural, but even there you
can find all kinds of malls, a Price Mart, supermarkets etc. Access
is good but full of traffic. If you plan to live there and do all
your shopping there too, you wouldn’t be bothered by the access.
The climate again differs from mile to mile. Areas like Los Angeles
de Heredia, Tirol (the name says enough), El Castillo, Barva, San
José de la Montaña and Birrí see a lot of rain
and always look green. Also the climate is much colder there and
you need to use a sweater most evenings during the rainy season
and you’ll love to light the fire place. Other areas like Santa
Barbara, San Joaquín de Flores, San Pablo and Santo Tomas
de Santo Domingo which are located in the lower parts of the mountains
have a much warmer climate.
Alajuela
Alajuela is a quieter area of the Central Valley. Alajuela is also
warmer than anywhere else in the Central Valley and the best climate
in the world NASA says. Great areas to live are La Garita, Atenas
and Grecia. Shopping is still not as handy as most other areas but
Alajuela itself offers all you need.
Jacó
Beach and Quepos
Jacó
Beach and Quepos is the coastal area closest to the Central valley
and offers a lot to anyone who loves nature. Growing very fast because
the new freeway is going to be built in a very short time, mainly
the Jacó area offers anything you need, including shopping
and banking. Jacó offers mountain properties, beach front
properties and new resort communities with great infrastructure.
Quepos and Manuel Antonio is a touristier destination and offers
very few residential possibilities. The Jacó and Quepos area
is much warmer and more humid than the Central Valley.
Guanacaste
and Its Beaches
Guanacaste
is divided in many different areas; we have partners in some of
them and work together with professional realtors in others. Guanacaste
is much warmer and dryer and therefore many people who like the
beach go there. The airport in Liberia is getting more and more
direct charters in from all over the world and that is opening up
this beautiful province of Costa Rica.
The
main areas are:
Tamarindo
(here we have a partner with an office)
Samara and Nosara
(here we also have a partner)
Playa Grande
Playa Brasilito
Playa Conchal
Playa Flamingo
Playa Pan de Azucar
Playas del Coco
Playa Panama
Of
course some of these beach areas have more to offer than others.
Some of you might be looking for “hot” areas and other for quiet
areas.
The
Osa Peninsula
The
Osa Peninsula is very much the place for eco-friendly buyers. Still
kind of the middle of nowhere, if you are a nature friendly person,
don’t care for shopping malls and want to be left alone.
Dominical
Area
Dominical
is also an area that’s pretty much undeveloped, but the development
is under way. Unfortunately we have not been able to find a good
realtor in that area. We’ve tried several and they all owe us money,
which says enough I think. Beware of illegalities, do your title
search before you go ahead with your purchase.
Lake
Arenal area
Again
a beautiful area with lots of potential, but no realtors around
to protect you. A long drive to get there, but once you’re there,
you’ll love it. Land is still very affordable around there. The
real shopping has to be done in San José, you’ll find only
your day to day needs right there in Arenal.
Limon
area
The
Caribbean side of Costa Rica certainly has its charms; it’s very
tropical with white sand beaches, but still very under developed.
It is home to many foreigners, but mainly those who love the Rasta
culture and like that way of life. For more info go here.
