Summary after travel to Costa Rica in December 2021: peaceful third-world country, for peaceful country living. Costs seemed same as Portugal, but infrastructure worse, with more obvious poverty. Costa Rica impromptu visit 8-14December2021: tropical except for higher-altitude coffee-growing areas; capital San José is not pleasant, though not threatening either; secure, friendly feeling, though poverty is obvious and widespread, unclean. Infrastructure is minimal. Expats are not obvious at all. Tourism is important. Coffee is important. Little public transport, inter-city transportation only by car, small roads. Costs, a bit less than Portugal. Summary: place for retiring to your tropical paradise on beach or mountain or gated community, or coffee farm.
Log of our travels and thoughts.