It was 2001 and it was only a month after the World Trade Center was destroyed...my wife and I looked at each other and said "let's see if we can afford to retire."

We had worked 12 hour days for as long as we could remember running our own business.  And we were getting nowhere ... taxes, regulations, and competition was eating us alive (a printing business)... I was about to turn 60 and Rhonda was almost 50 and the kids were out of the house.  

We couldn't afford it.   We had a lake home, we had new cars, we had the same horrendous debts that everyone has.   The most we could afford after we sold everything, before Social Security, was "maybe" $2000 per month. 

Then we remembered Costa Rica...and the one and only time we had visited...and how much we admired the country, its beauty and friendliness. 

We visited, we studied, and decided to go for broke...and in 2002 we moved to Costa Rica.  

Of course initially, it was "only" for six months a year...the rest was back in Minnesota at our lake home.  We didn't know anyone...we didn't speak Spanish...and everyone we knew thought we were totally insane...
we had sold everything and were moving to a country where we didn't know a soul!  (it did cross our minds many times...in the beginning...that maybe we were insane... or at the best, maybe only "rowing with only one oar in the water!")

What has happened since we moved?  Well, for starters, we built a house, we started a business, we made friends and we realized that suddenly we were living the life we always dreamed of.   Instead of the glass being "half empty", now it was "half full".   If we had written a movie script about "retirement" and the future it could not have turned out better. 

We know that what we have done is not for everyone.   But...Costa Rica is more possible and more affordable than you can realize.   And it (for us, anyhow...) was no further away than a plane flight to Arizona or Florida. (we were from Minnesota).   We see our relatives more often now than we did before (after all, who wouldn't want to visit Costa Rica?)

What makes Costa Rica a better place for many retirees?  
Here's a short list...
...cost of living...about 25% of what it costs in Canada or the States.
...top notch medical care and insurance is available for less than $100 per month.
...housing and land , depending upon location, typically costs about 25% of what it does in the States.
...you can find almost everything in Costa Rica that you can where you live now!
...Costa Rica is safe and almost everywhere you go Americans are welcomed with open arms.
...the country is incredibly beautiful and diverse...over 25% of the country is set aside for national parks.
...Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia and yet it contains literally dozens of microclimates and different regions ranging from mountains to cloud forests, to jungle, to beach...all within a day's drive.
...there are virtually no taxes here.   And yes, you can still collect your pension or social security and live in Costa Rica WITHOUT giving up your Stateside citizenship. 
...if you do not speak Spanish, you will not be alone... many "ticos" (Costa Ricans) speak English and it is easy to make yourself understood.   

There are many many more reasons why Costa Rica can make sense for retirees.  We are also the first to admit that Costa Rica is not for everyone.   My own parents, who are in their mid-80s, categorically refuse to move because they simply "would not feel comfortable" and would miss other family members.   

It is our feeling that Costa Rica is not for the timid or shy but for those who are still "young" and adventurous.   Moving to Costa Rica is not something to be done on the spur of the moment...but to be done with deliberation and after discussion with others who have already made the move.   there is no substitute for "being here", visiting, and talking to others who live here now. 

Consider Costa Rica.  

Are you ready to Explore Costa Rica? Visit Our FAQ page here and then visit our website
www.cr-home.com

Hope to see you soon! ...feel free to write or call with any questions you might have!
Rhonda and Randy Berg

Office/Home: 011(506)444-8716
Cell: 011-506-841-5782
Toll-free:  1 (877) 247-3014