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Chris Douglass wrote:

You said "The days of surviving on just a Social Security check have come to an end."聽 This is a HUGE factor in my relocation efforts.聽 Is all this stuff I've been reading from "International Living" true or hype.聽 I'm only renting, no intention of buying.聽 Can I really live comfortably on $1,500 - $2,000 USD month in Costa Rica?
Are there any WHITE sand beaches ( Not grey or brown ) anywhere?聽 Did you also check out Panama, Ecuador or any others to relocate to?聽 How do they compare?
Thank you!
Chris

Chris, some other forum members will disagree but I insist on stating the truth I have found for myself that food prices are cheaper in Costa Rica than in the USA as are rent and other things.

Maybe it depends somewhat on where you are used to living in the USA. I live in Los Angeles and I can tell you food prices are cheaper in聽 Costa Rica unless you buy imported stuff. SOME food is as high or higher in Costa Rica. Cheese and beer for example are higher in Costa Rica, in general. Staples and veges and fruit are generally cheaper in聽 Costa Rica than in the USA. Labor is far cheaper in Costa Rica.

I have been living in Costa Rica off and on and visiting聽 Costa Rica over 20 years and I also know a dozen or so people - Ticos and Americans and Europeans - who live there full time so I know how much it costs to live in Costa Rica. Rent can be cheaper. Food can be cheaper. Utilities can be cheaper. Internet is about the same or more than in the USA. Phone is cheaper in Costa Rica. Gasoline and electronics and appliances generally cost more in Costa Rica.聽 Food at the BEACH MAY BE as high as in the USA - that I cannot say for sure; but in San Ramon where I am most familiar with, food is generally cheaper in Costa Rica.

When you ask "Can I live on $1500-2k/month?" if you mean just YOU, then the answer is yes. I'd even say a couple can live on that - in fact I聽 KNOW they can; I know some who are doing it. Depending on what kind of lifestyle you expect, yes, you can live on $1500/month. $2k should be easy.

My advice to live more cheaply:
*Buy groceries at the feria (local farmers market). Eat local food, not imported.
*Live above 2500 feet where you will not need a.c. - a fan or two will do.
*Once you're living in the area look around for a good cheap rental. You can find good deals. I have done so on numerous occasions. You should not need to spend over $400/month - maybe substantially less - for a small place for one or two people
*If you can live without a car you will save a lot of money. If you need a car, drive it minimally and use buses when you can.
*Beach town rent and food will cost more than mountain town rent and food

Maybe others can chime in on other ways to reduce your cost of living.

The bottom line is a single person can live well on $1500-$2000 a month. For a couple I'd say $2k would be better but it can also be done on $1500/month.

International Living is designed to promote real estate sales and such so take their info with a grain of salt.

2nd bottom line:
NEVER MOVE TO Costa Rica or any foreign country without spending as long as possible there first before you decide to move - that means a minimum of 30 days, preferably 60-90 days living there before moving. Try various areas that you think you'll like, then choose 1 or 2 to live in for 30 days or more at a time.

White sand beaches are not plentiful in Costa Rica. I'm not a beach nut so I can't tell you where the white sand is. I know there are some up in northern Costa Rica but that is an expensive area and far from any main cities as well.

Panama I did check out and may check it out again some day, once I'm living in Costa Rica . My exploratory trip there to look at places to live was less than convincing for me and the friend who went with me. We both found Costa Rica much friendlier and attractive as a place to live. Your mileage may vary.

Panama has better infrastructure but it's also kind of a police state, much more like the USA is becoming which is one reason I don't want to live in the USA. In Panama my experience was we were always being stopped by police or border people to check our i.d.'s and it was annoying as hell, just not my cup of tea. I've never been stopped in聽 Costa Rica like that, though I know聽 Costa Rica also is getting more U.S.-like in that way, what with more traffic tickets and higher fines than ever before. However I still find Costa Rica much less invasive and less regulated than in the USA. At least in the town I spend most of my time in there (San Ramon) the police don't bother people. Nor have I been hassled on the highway/freeway going to San Jose'. But in Panama it seemed the police were everywhere, probably because of the cocaine problem. (?) Note that my friend and I are conservative looking guys, not hippies or bums or anything so it wasn't for that reason we were being stopped, EVERYONE was being stopped and hassled in Panama.

I found people in Panama friendly but not AS friendly over all as in Costa Rica.

Another difference is that Panama generally does not have as much free-flowing nature as聽 Costa Rica does. They say it has more acreage of forest, but the parks are kind of off to the side like they are in the USA whereas in Costa Rica the forests are everywhere, all around you as you drive throughout the country.