10 Reasons Why We Moved to Costa Rica from The United States
By now, I am sure most of our readers know that Chris and I moved to Costa Rica from The United States. However, moving to another country is never an easy task or decision. But sometimes, for your benefit, you have to make such decisions.
Chris and I wanted to pursue a life of digital nomadism and remote work, so we moved to Costa Rica. But there are many more reasons. Keep reading to learn why we decided to make such a giant leap of faith!
#1: Because We Can!
The first reason is that, as citizens of the United States, we have access to a passport. It is widely regarded as among the strongest in all international law. We can enter over 180 countries without having to obtain a visa.
The shift to the residence in Costa Rica was easy to access for us. We were granted long-term tourist visas that allowed us to remain in the country for up to 90 days before we were granted permanent residency.
In the past year, Chris and I visited five different countries. One of our goals this year is to better use our passports and travel even more.
You don’t have to be tied down to a specific location when you work from home. Which is another incredible perk of this arrangement.
Some of the luggage that I used over my travels can be found here:
- Sports Travel Duffel Bag with USB Charging Port
- SwissGear Sion Softside Expandable Roller Luggage
- Nefeeko Collapsible Water Bottle, 26oz
I was able to bring my job with me to Costa Rica and continue blogging while I was there. In addition, I recently found a new job that allows me to work remotely for that company.
#2: We Want to Take a Step Back
We wanted to escape the political climate in the United States, which was the second driving force behind our decision to move to Costa Rica. Even though we are not entirely surrounded by it, we often find ourselves paying attention to the news of everything happening in the United States.
So it does feel a bit different.
I will be the first to admit that it is possible to not pay attention to politics while not being present. However, the fact of the matter is that despite this, we are still impacted by what occurs in the United States because the politics of the United States affect the rest of the world. But we did this because we want to be humanitarians and see the world from a different point of view.
#3: Wanting to Make Lifestyle Changes
Changes to our lifestyle came in at number three. Some of the things we wanted to accomplish included eating better and living healthier. And the healthcare system is universal!
Regarding our efforts to improve the quality of the food we consume, we had the impression that once we arrived in Costa Rica, all the food would be organic.
And when we want some fresh produce, all we have to do is step outside and grab some. However, once we were here, we understood this was not necessarily the situation.
Farmer’s Markets
Even though fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available, every city has at least one farmer’s market. At these markets, you can purchase food that is grown locally.
The food may not be organic, but it is cheap and readily available, which is not the case in many parts of the United States. We know where our food comes from.
Living On the Coast
When we first moved to Costa Rica, we settled on the coast. We lived in a quaint little town known as the Widow. The cost of living was low, and the dry season was terrific.
I often daydreamed about going surfing and doing yoga at sunset every day. You know, just living the pura vida lifestyle! After approximately three months, we moved to San José, where we have been ever since.
No matter where we were, we experienced greater unity with the natural world here.
Healthier Work/Life Balance
Even though it’s not part of our regular routine, we still like to get out of the house and try new things. We try to keep a healthy balance between work and personal life, so we save a lot of that for the weekends.
It is something that I don’t think we did a good job of when we were in the United States. But now I know that we take a once it’s time to log out of work and enjoy family time. We take that more seriously and are obligated to do that as my career has changed.
We are now more active and do not rely on cars constantly. Costa Rica is in a Blue Zone, and Costa Ricans usually live 2 years more than Americans.
#4: Better Race Relations
The desire to find more positive interactions between different race relations was the fourth motivation behind our decision to relocate to Costa Rica. When we first considered moving here, one of the things that helped sway our decision was hearing from black people who had lived here for several years that they had not encountered any instances of racism during that time.
I thought it sounded too good to be true when I heard about it. As a black person who lived in the United States and grew up in that country, I never believed it was possible to go an entire month without experiencing racism.
It has been a pleasant surprise to find that I have not been subjected to any form of racism during my time in Costa Rica, and it feels incredible. I feel like I am walking with an ease I simply did not have in the United States.
Not having to worry about how other people see me or whether or not they think I’m doing something wrong because of the color of my skin or whether or not I’m afraid that someone is going to touch my hair or any number of other things that I have encountered in my life while living in the United States of America.
Since I have lived in Costa Rica for an entire year without encountering any of those issues, I can assure you that your family will feel very secure and at ease here. If this is your concern, you can rest assured that it is not an issue in Costa Rica.
#5: Beauty of Costa Rica
Number five was given because of the gorgeous weather and the breathtaking scenery. It could get warm and muggy when we lived on the coast.
However, after moving to Kazu, we discovered that the weather there is practically ideal throughout the year. I’d say somewhere in the middle to high 70s, and sometimes it gets close to the low 80s, but it’s still pretty awesome.
Regarding seeing the mountains and incredible landscapes, the city where we currently reside also provides us with some stunning vistas. We can still see valleys when we look out the window of our homes.
We’ve been to volcanoes, rainforests, jungles, secluded waterfalls, and hidden rivers, in addition to all kinds of beautiful beaches, in Costa Rica, which has 12 distinct microclimates and a lot of biodiversities.
We make an effort to make the most of the country’s rich biodiversity on the weekends, and Costa Rica’s land mass is roughly equivalent to that of West Virginia, a relatively small state in the United States.
A weekend trip to these different cities and towns shouldn’t be difficult. I’ve been to one of the active volcanoes, and I absolutely adored it; it’s probably one of my top picks for the best place to visit in Costa Rica.
#6: Broaden Our Horizons
Expanding our horizons and improving our blog’s POV was the sixth primary motivation behind our decision to relocate to Costa Rica. We can view the world from a viewpoint other than our own. I just get that different people have different ways of doing things, and I think that out of everything, that is true.
I feel like I’ve learned a lot of things recently, some of which I’ve forgotten, and I’ve also recently realized that the rest of the world is a lot bigger than the United States.
#7: Challenge Ourselves and Grow
The seventh intention was to stretch ourselves, and I succeeded. Getting here wasn’t too tricky, but this has been quite the ordeal.
The journey here was easy; settling in and adapting to Costa Rican culture has been difficult. We’ve had a steep learning curve, but we’re getting there.
Another factor to consider is that there is a cultural barrier as well as a language barrier. So there are some things we’re used to doing, such as paying all of our bills online and putting them on autopilot.
In the United States, I don’t even check to see if my bills were paid; I just see them come online, whereas, in Costa Rica, we have to physically go into a place to pay our bills, which we tell many of our American friends. Although paying bills online in Costa Rica is possible, doing so before you have permanent residency can be difficult.
We have significantly improved our ability to ask for assistance when needed. For example, if you don’t know where to find something, you should go to ex-pat groups and ask, “Hey, has anyone found this in Costa Rica, or does anyone in this area know where I can find help doing this thing?” This has likely proven to be one of the most helpful resources for figuring things out.
#8: Opportunity to Learn a New Language
The eighth reason is to learn a new language. We’ve been in Costa Rica for a year and have yet to learn Spanish, which I believe is because many people speak English here.
We had a baby who is almost five months old over a year, we moved three times, and there’s just a lot that goes into learning the culture. So we try not to be too hard on ourselves for not understanding Spanish. But we’re actively working on it and getting better every day.
Many people speak English and are very quick to talk to us in English. I believe they want to practice their English just as badly as we want to practice our Spanish, but because their English is superior to our Spanish, English is usually the default. We recently hired a nanny to assist us with Luca, and she only speaks Spanish, not English, so you know that’s a daily lesson.
#9: Make New Friends
Number nine is to make new friends. Consequently, our experience making new friends in Costa Rica has been relatively positive overall.
It has been much more straightforward than I had anticipated being able to cultivate some good relationships, and one of the aspects that I enjoy the most about them is the fact that they come from such a wide variety of backgrounds.
Therefore, we are not only meeting and spending time with people from Costa Rica, but our friends are from all over the world, including places like Honduras and Colombia, as well as the United States and Canada.
#10: To Start a Brand New Life
The beginning of a new chapter in our lives is the tenth inspiration behind our move to Costa Rica. When I think back to where I was two years ago, I wouldn’t have ever expected to live outside of the United States.
Three years ago, I wouldn’t have ever expected to live outside of the United States. This has absolutely been an entirely new chapter. Now that I think about where we are, I realize we’ve come a long way.
Not only have we expanded our family—we now have a son who lives with us here in Costa Rica—but we’ve also come a long way as individuals.
Wrapping Up
Above I have mentioned all the reasons that were the cause of our shift from the United States to Costa Rica. Moving to Costa Rica was one of the best decisions we have made so far. We are really enjoying our lives here. It is good, from the health care system to monthly income.
