AARP has just released their September/October issue, which covers the best places to retire abroad. AARP enlisted Barry Golson, an award-winning travel writer and founder of ForbesTraveler.com, to cover what exactly makes a destination an all-around choice for peaceful, comfortable living for the retiree.

Costa Rica has long been recommended by international living experts, as a destination seemingly designed for retirees, but until now there has not been such specific mention of a particular town that stands out above the rest. I live and work in Atenas, so at times I do feel biased; it was refreshing to read that the very same criteria I had used to select Atenas, as someone in their late-30s, also have been used to recommend this medium-sized Central Valley town to retirees.

Atenas has been selected, because it is representative of Costa Rica itself. According to Golson:

“It is lush with nature, extraordinary wildlife, active volcanoes — as well as such comforting amenities as malls, supermarkets, and restaurants. Retirees have flocked here for years, drawn my its mild climate, its prosperity, its literacy rate, its health care, and, significantly, its stable government — with no army. This is as bio-diverse a country as you’ll find anywhere.”

The above Costa Rica qualities are exactly those found in Atenas. Although Atenas is rooted in agriculture and coffee production, expats from Canada and the U.S. found the town decades ago. Naturally, one of the first concerns of those from the north is the temperature. Being a Northeasterner, I certainly looked for a destination where I would never have to pick up another shovel full of snow.

The town slogan of Atenas is “The Best Climate in The World.” That certainly worked for me. There is a rainy and dry season, but the temperature always hovers around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius). One unique aspect of Atenas is that it is quite mountainous. The dramatic change in elevation offers just the right climate for nearly anyone. A five-minute drive up or down the mountain can result in much cooler or warmer temperatures and different wind patterns.

Golson’s second category covers the social aspect of retirement. Although I’m not a retiree, I found Atenas to have just the right balance between Costa Ricans and expats. In fact, Atenas has the largest number of foreigners, per capita, outside of San Jose. I certainly wanted to be a part of Costa Rican culture, learn Spanish, and be involved on the local level, as many retirees wish to do. However, it is natural to seek people from your home culture to share common experiences, talk about news from home, offer support when needed, or just to observe the cultural differences.

Atenas’ expats are predominantly American and Canadian, but there is large group of Europeans as well: German, Dutch, and Belgian. This cultural diversity makes Atenas an exceedingly welcoming place for retirees.

The cost of living in Atenas, while a bit higher than other smaller Central Valley towns, is much less expensive than living in the San Jose area. Compared to North America, the cost is a fraction. Golson is correct to say that $2,000 is a comfortable amount per month for a retired couple (after housing), with $2,500 – $3,000 certainly allowing for more travel and dining. Services such as domestic and garden help are in the $3 per hour range. The temperate climate leads to reduced utility bills, insurance costs are a fraction, and health care (for both people and pets) is incredibly affordable.

Golson does make one error in his housing costs. A house for $100,000 certainly can be found in Atenas, but it is not likely to be to North American standards. At this price, a home will be a typical, simple Costa Rican home; certainly comfortable, but without the finishing details and cosmetic enhancements that North Americans have come to desire.

A 3 bed, 2 bath home in a gated community is likely to be above the $200,000 level that Golson states, but there certainly are some wonderful homes under $300,000.

Rentals are hard to come by, but when available in Atenas they are an excellent value between $700-$1,500 per month for a two- or three-bedroom home.

A key concern for the retiree, but for myself as well, was access to quality health care. I have a genetic condition which results in a high risk for blood clots, so having a private clinic in town and a less than 30-minute drive to a good hospital was a must. Atenas has a private clinic called Linea Vitalwhich offers emergency services, as well as 24-hour walk-in care.

Most of the staff speaks English, nearly all were trained in the United States, and they are much more attentive and caring than their U.S. counterparts, in my experience.

The same is true for one of Latin America’s best hospitals, Hospital CIMA, now just a 20-minute drive via the newly completed San Jose-Caldera highway. I found that their equipment and their protocol for treating my condition was exactly the same level as I encountered in the United States . . . but administered with far more compassion.

The cost for my two-day stay, medicine, and testing was $1,600, exactly 1/10th the costs as my visit to a U.S. hospital. Residents can become part of the social health care system, but private insurance is available starting around $2,200 per year.

Golson correctly highlights the leisure and abundant cultural activities to be found. Atenas has many traditional festivals and parades where both expat and locals share a terrific time. Located just 30 minutes from the beach and the city respectively, there is no shortage of things to do. In fact, in my five years of living in Atenas I have never heard a retiree tell me that they were bored. In addition to a wealth of sites to see within Costa Rica, I have enjoyed Costa Rica’s central location for quick trips to Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, and Colombia as well.

The last category cited by Golson is access to the U.S. I would expand this to say access to North America, as travel to and from Canada is also quite simple. Access to the U.S. certainly was a key consideration for me. I can get a direct flight to my home state of New Jersey and be there in 5 hours — a quicker trip than from NJ to California!

Most people who choose to live abroad are certainly independent types, but it is nice to feel easily connected to home when the need or desire arises. Atenas is just 25 minutes to the international airport, so returning to visit friends and family (or having them visit you, better yet) is never an issue.

The title of the AARP feature is “Paradise Found.” I have seen the qualities described by Barry Golson first hand, on a daily basis, and many more that one must live here full time in order to appreciate: the weekend farmers market; the music; the sense of community; the peaceful Costa Rican people; and the Costa Rican trademark greeting of “Pura Vida” spoken in a way that indeed says, Paradise Found.

The first six months of 2010 are already behind us and since this has been an extraordinarily good year for publicity about Costa Rica, I wanted to take a quick look back over the last six months to remind ourselves how bloody lucky we are to be living in Costa Rica:

In case you missed it, New York Times op-ed columnist Nicolas Kristoff wrote a terrific article in early January about Costa Rica entitled: The Happiest People. The first paragraph gives you all you need when Kristoff says: “Hmmm. You think it’s a coincidence? Costa Rica is one of the very few countries to have abolished its army, and it’s also arguably the happiest nation on earth.”

Kristoff adds that: “What sets Costa Rica apart is its remarkable decision in 1949 to dissolve its armed forces and invest instead in education. Increased schooling created a more stable society, less prone to the conflicts that have raged elsewhere in Central America. Education also boosted the economy, enabling the country to become a major exporter of computer chips and improving English-language skills so as to attract American eco-tourists.”

The title of Deloitte’s April 2010 report about business in Costa Rica is ‘Excellent prospects for the future of business’ and when Deloitte says Costa Rica’s business prospects are “excellent”, isn’t that great news?

Moth with it’s own fur coat..

Costa Rica was also ranked the 8th Most Stable Country in the world by The Economist, the 5th Cleanest Country in the world by Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the first country to be designated a “BioGem” by the Natural Resource Defense Counsel.

When the President of Intel, Paul Otellini says the education system in Costa Rica is “outstanding”, and speaks of his “…incredible engineering team” in Costa Rica and raves about the: “…caliber and quality of the people who work here”, that’s not just great news for entrepreneurs thinking about setting up new businesses in Costa Rica, having a polite, well educated, multi-lingual society is good for everyone living in Costa Rica, including retired people, right?

Can you believe these red legs and transparent wings?

The 2010 Global Peace Index was published by the Sydney, Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace and rankes Costa Rica was #1 in all of Central America and in July 2010 Costa Rica was recognized as the Greenest and Happiest country on the Planet by the British independent research group New Economics Foundation. “Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the new world (second to Canada),” the organization said in a statement.

None of these accolades mention the perfect Spring-like weather all year round and the very amiable and attractive Costa Rican people – the Ticos – however, all of this confirms what we already know, that Costa Rica is the wealthiest, safest and most peaceful country in Central America, that Costa Rica has “excellent prospects” and is the greenest and happiest place on earth so it’s not so much of a secret anymore but maybe, just maybe there’s space enough for you…

The Violet Sabrewing hummingbird

One of our VIP Members wrote to me saying: “Scott, what you write about the cost of living in Costa Rica is too true to be tolerated. Please withdraw this article immediately or we’ll be awash in the unwashed of the Northern Hemisphere looking for a place they can survive and thrive. Can’t we just keep Costa Rica our little secret?”

Sunset from my San Jose apartment…

Looking at data collected across 132 countries, the Gallup Organization based their marks — released this month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology — on representative samples of more than 136,000 people in each country. Respondents were asked how they would rate their lives on a scale from zero (worst possible) to 10 (best possible), as well as answering a series of questions on positive or negative emotions.

See Gallup’s top 15 countries, each with a mean score between 7.0 and 7.7, HERE

Inside Costa Rica

Money boosts life satisfaction, but not necessarily positive feelings, study finds. A list of rankings of selected nations on types of prosperity, Costa Rica placed 4th in “positive feelings” while placing 41st in GDP/Capita.

In contrast countries like the United States, Italy and Japan, who ranked 1st, 18th and 14th, respectively in GDP/Capita, ranked 26th, 67th and 44th, respectively, in positive feelings.

An analysis of the findings from a study of 136.000 people in 132 countries suggests there is no single prescription for happiness, which depends on many factors, including local culture and expectations.

The findings from the data, gathered in the first Gallup World Poll, are published in the July issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

“The public always wonders: Does money make you happy?” Ed Diener, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Illinois and a senior scientist with the Gallup Organization, says in a news release. “This study shows that it all depends on how you define happiness, because if you look at life satisfaction, how you evaluate your life as a whole, you see a pretty strong correlation around the world between income and happiness.”

The pollsters asked people questions on a wide range of topics, including whether their basic needs were met, what kinds of conveniences they owned, and whether their psychological needs were met.

Participants were also asked about positive and negative emotions experienced the previous day, whether they felt respected, had family and friends they could count on in an emergency, and how free they felt to choose their daily activities.

Diener says positive feelings are much more associated with factors such as whether they feel respected, have autonomy, and if their jobs are fulfilling.

“Everybody has been looking at just life satisfaction and income,” he says. “And while it is true that getting richer will make you more satisfied with your life, it may not have the big impact we thought on enjoying life.”

Among findings:

* The United States had the highest income but ranked 16th in life satisfaction and 26th on positive feelings.

* Some nations such as Costa Rica and New Zealand are happier than their income levels would suggest. Costa Rica ranks 41st in income but fourth in positive feelings, while New Zealand ranks 22nd in incomes but first in positive feelings.

* Some mid-level countries such as Costa Rica do well and some like South Korea less well “in part because of the quality of social relationships,” Diener says in emailed responses to questions from WebMD.

* Denmark ranks high across categories. The country ranked No. 1 on life satisfaction, seventh on positive feelings, and fifth in income.

* Extremely impoverished countries in Africa generally scored low on various categories, but no nation came in lowest in all types of happiness.

* Self-esteem is more important to happiness in the U.S. than in “traditional” cultures.

Also, factors that influence feelings of well-being vary from country to country, Deiner says, adding that the study “clearly shows” that there is no single prescription for happiness.

Money, he says, no more guarantees happiness than cigarette smoking guarantees cancer, but they increase the chances.

In studies of poor people, researchers find that some are happy, in part because their needs are met.

“We have interviewed happy people in the slums of Calcutta and they can be relatively happy, although dissatisfied with their poverty, because they are rich in family and friends,” he says.

Money makes a bigger difference to happiness among poor people, but it takes a lot more additional money to change the happiness of a person who is well-off, Diener says.

By Mike McDonald
Tico Times Staff | mmcdonald@ticotimes.net

Nearly two years after receiving unanimous approval from the Legislative Assembly’s Special Environment Commission, The Integrated Waste Management Bill (GIR) became law on Tuesday through a vote of 51 to zero.

The new law directs funds and resources to the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Education to help promote waste management and to launch public education campaigns. It mandates that municipalities create waste management plans and penalizes citizens, companies and local governments that litter.

Sanctions range from fines to up to 15 years in prison, although jail time is reserved for serious offenses, such as deliberately contaminating a river.

Under the new law, companies that produce hazardous waste must sign contracts with treatment facilities that safely dispose of products’ harmful leftovers.

A commission of representatives from the Institute for Municipal Development, The Health Ministry and the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications will be in charge of enforcing the new law.

Costa Rica produces 11,000 metric tons of solid waste every day. Roughly 30 percent of that trash ends up in streets, rivers and vacant lots, the introduction to the new law estimates.

Since 1991, when the Costa Rican government declared a national emergency over the problem of trash disposal, 15 different bills have been presented to the legislative assembly in an attempt to solve the dilemma. None of them had passed until Tuesday.

Nydia Rodríguez, director of the recycling group Terra Nostra, said the approval of the new waste manage law is an important step to a cleaner future in Costa Rica.

“This law legally regulates the responsible management of waste throughout the whole country,” Rodríguez said in a press release. “It involves the participation and the responsibility of all the actors that make up the Costa Rican population…and makes crucial the role of local governments in their communities.”

Residents will enjoy the tranquility of country living with the convenience of modern services.  Located in Cañas Dulces – only 30 minutes from Liberia – where modern shopping, fine dining, and premium services are abundant.  The international airport in Liberia is just 40 minutes away, and some of Costa Rica’s best white-sand beaches and fishing are also an easy drive from the community.

Rancho San Roque is situated at a comfortable 1500 feet above sea level, offering fresh cool mountain breezes.  The area is host to a growing number of ecotourism facilities such as Buena Vista Adventure Center and Spa, which offers adventure sports such as canopy tours, rappelling, waterslides, horseback riding, hiking, thermal spa baths, and much more.  A high-end eco-resort, Borinquen Mountain Spa, showcases hot springs, a luxury hotel, restaurants, nature trails, and many more attractions within just minutes of the community.  The community is also located within minutes from the planned Guanacaste Country Club designed by Jack Nicklaus and being developed by a U.S. group that includes Frank Biden (Joe Biden’s brother).

“Most of the development in Guanacaste has happened at the beaches, but an increasing number of full-time expats find it to be too hot and too touristy,” said Dan Harris the CEO of The Project Office. “That is why we chose a tranquil country setting with a cooler climate for our community.  We’re in a laid-back rural area, yet still close to all modern services and amenities in Liberia.”

The city of Liberia is continually expanding with modern services.  Several banks, shopping centers and restaurants make up the town center along with the Home Depot-style hardware store called the Do It Center.  Large commercial developers are betting that Liberia becomes the business capital of northern Costa Rica, similar to the Central Valley, as evidenced by the million square-meter Solarium office industrial complex.  Furthermore, the best hospital in Central America, CIMA Hospital San Jose, has plans to build a new full-scale private hospital in Liberia.

Rancho San Roque will engage in a permaculture project to restore the pastureland, and will feature a community center with a pool and fitness center, walking trails through orchards, a greenhouse, organic gardens and aquaculture ponds.  The rich volcanic soil is perfect for gardening where the project aims to produce fresh organic vegetables, many fruit and nuts, fresh-water fish, chickens and eggs for the residents.

“Our goal is to restore the land with an edible forest and permaculture gardens producing healthy food security for residents” Harris added. “The intention of permaculture is not only to produce food, but also give immeasurable benefits to the environment while creating a beautiful and diverse landscape to enjoy.”

All environmental permitting is in place and all lots are ready to sell with clear title.  The developers are encouraging alternative energy such as wind and solar power, but are providing electric grid service in the community.  Satellite TV is readily available and high-speed Internet will be on site creating a fully connected community.

Each lot comes with a Costa Rica corporation allowing for clean transfers with low fees, and gives buyers a vehicle to obtain cell phones and other utilities.  The community is currently one of the best values in Costa Rica starting at $50,000 during the development phase. Financing is available with 40% down at 8% interest for 5 years ($20K down, $608/mth).

CONTACT US HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Retiring to a foreign country comes with many challenges. First, you must decide what type of lifestyle you desire in retirement.

Lifestyle choices like climate, cost of living, access to services (especially quality health care), quality of life, social opportunities, and distance from loved ones seem to be the most important to the average retiree.

Increasingly, it is becoming more difficult financially to retire in the United States. Although real estate prices have come down in popular retirement areas like Florida and Arizona, the cost of taxes, health insurance, food, and other necessities have skyrocketed making it very difficult for North Americans to retire comfortably in the States.

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Great Opportunity for Investors!
Ocean view residential community, ready to go!
$350,000–possibly negotiable

A new ocean-view project of 7 lots has recently become available in San Ramon. Perfect for investors not wanting to put a lot of time and effort into real estate development. This project includes fully segregated and titled lots, water service to each lot and electricity. Lots range in size from 2100 square meters or .5 acres, to over 16,000 square meters or over 4 acres. Situated on an active coffee farm, residents will live in the real Costa Rica, but not isolated. The development also features many fruit trees including oranges, limes, tangerines, bananas and plantains. The land is largely rolling hills directly facing the ocean with home sites strategically nestled within coffee and fruit trees.

Located just five minutes from downtown San Ramon, this project is in an area being recognized as a foreign enclave, but providing much natural beauty and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, Nicoya Peninsula, Puntarenas, and various islands. The sunsets over the Nicoya Peninsula are spectacular as are the nighttime lights of Puntarenas. During holidays, you’ll be able to see numerous fireworks shows in the many towns surrounding Puntarenas. San Ramon has a very temperate climate at about 3200 feet above sea level. The temperature averages about 78 degrees year round and dips down to about 68 degrees at night. Due to its location and rains, the area stays green throughout the year.

The seller’s Costa Rican partner, who was the first person here to receive USDA organic certification for his coffee and vegetable farms, can maintain the project for the new owners including cultivating and picking the coffee, repairing internal roads as needed and keeping the project tidy. He is currently converting this community to organic.

Perfect for retirees, San Ramon offers all services including a large hospital, several clinics, a shopping mall with three-screen movie theater, many restaurants, swimming and other recreational facilities, and the largest branch of the University of Costa Rica outside of San Jose. The town also offers several museums and high-speed Internet is available throughout the area. It is about 40 minutes to the Pacific Coast and 45 minutes to the main international airport (SJO) near San Jose.

At $6.31 per square meter, this project is a real steal AND all of the work has already been completed by the current owners. In this area lots tend to retail in the range of $13 per square meter to $18 per square meter. In the past three years, about 35 lots have been sold in this up and coming area. Please contact us for additional information and to schedule a time to see this stunning residential community.

SEE THE FULL LISTING HERE

CONTACT US NOW

Property Highlights:

* 37 titled lots

* 1,500 foot elevation offers much cooler weather than the Guanacaste coast

* Many nearby activities

* 40 minutes to Liberia international airport

* 30 minutes to Liberia city center — many shops and restaurants

* Permaculture design focused on self-sufficiency

* OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE: $20,000 DOWN $608 PER MONTH FOR 5 YEARS

Property Description:

New sustainable community nestled in the foothills of Rincon de la Vieja volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica has 37 titled lots of 1.25-acres (5000M2) each. Pristine country setting in an area famous for nature-loving adventure sports like canopy tours, rappelling, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, thermal baths, and much more. Only 30 minutes to Liberia center, 40 minutes to international airport, and less than an hour to Northern Pacific beaches.
Situated above 1500ft elevation with a cooler mountain climate, the majority of lots are flat and entirely usable while offering sweeping views of the Guanacaste countryside, the Rincon volcano, mountain ridges and sunsets over the Pacific.

The community is being developed in harmony with nature using the rich volcanic soil for a permaculture project creating edible forests, organic gardens, aquaculture ponds, and small livestock. The community center will include a pool, fitness center, sporting and wellness facilities.

The developers are offering special pricing of $50,000 per lot during the development phase. Developer financing is available for $20K down, $608/mth for 5 years. Excellent investment and beautiful setting for full-time natural living in Costa Rica.

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