What’s the best place to live in Costa Rica?

Will I like living there?

I get these questions all the time. I find that most people, after visiting for a couple weeks, have a pretty good idea if they will like living here or not.  Now of course, some people move here and ultimately decide it’s not for them and go home.  But I have to be honest with you, very few.  Especially if they do their due diligence BEFORE they move.

A very common question I receive when people begin looking at making the move to Costa Rica is, “Should I rent or should I buy a house in Costa Rica“? People make the point that you should rent in Costa Rica for a while, to make sure you like it before you buy. There is obviously some merit to this and of course each person has a different opinion.  Personally, I have always been a firm believer in home ownership as that is the American Dream, right?  

I have owned many properties in my life, buying my first house at 23 years old. I have never wanted to rent a property for quite a few different reasons.  First of all, it isn’t MY property.  So I can’t do what I want.  I can’t paint it the color I like, build the BBQ I need, or plant the landscaping I want to see every day.  I am at the mercy of the owner and must live by their rules.  Now, if the owner happens to be a great guy, who is very flexible, then that might work out ok.  But what if the owner isn’t easy to deal with?  We have all heard the horror stories of crazy landlords and I have never wanted to put myself in that situation.  I have owned every property I have ever lived in, and I also own the real estate that my businesses operate on.