Traveling to COSTA RICA in 2024? You NEED to Watch This Video!

I didn’t think San Jose was that bad when I went. Going this weekend to Liberia and people are already telling me it’s super expensive vs SJ . I rented a vehicle I hope I do ok down there . What other spots can I visit close to tamrindo?

I’ll take CR over Mexico any time .

Don't ever use red taxis!!!! 90% of them are thieves. Uber is the #1 service in CR today. Also, there are no gangs here, there are areas with lots of immigrants and poverty and these areas are only in the metropolitan area. San Jose down town is ugly as f*** and 70% are not costaricans.

Nothing special about SJ. Stay on the coast and enjoy.

The Visa is now 180 days, this is an older video.

I am spending the month of March in Costa Rica. I think my travel experience will probably be a little bit different than most people. A friend I went to high school with moved back to Costa Rica after graduation. I won’t need to pay for a hotel as I will be staying with her for the duration of my trip. Obviously, I’m definitely bringing plenty of cash to pay for food and touristy stuff. I was thinking of transferring my USD into the Costa Rican currency. Will I be able to get away with doing that and using the Costa Rican currency while I’m there? I had US$5000 saved for the trip and when transferring that the Costa Rican currency is currently about $2.5 million, or colones. She also has her own car, so transportation probably won’t be an issue either. We plan to mostly stay in Alajuela and San Jose, she lives just north of Alajuela, but we do have some trips planned to go see some other cool stuff around the country. Anyways, if you have any tips for this sort of unique experience so I can better be prepared that would be greatly appreciated. I am a big nature person and a big hiking person… So 90% of the things I’m looking to do I’m going to involve the outdoors. It’s also nice that where my friend lives is not really an urban area. It’s a little bit north of the Alajuela/San Jose big metro area. It’s less than a 20 minute drive into those cities, but there’s reasonable nature around there too, so I’m really looking forward to it.

Do you think people coming for a 3 week vacation need to get cdc vaccines recommended? We really don’t want to but will, thanks

I want to thank you for seriously telling the honest information about Costa Rica. I moved here 6 months ago and cannot agree with you more. I'm starting side hustle to show people how to do Costa Rica "off the beaten path". I'm going to share your video to my first group because you touch on many of things I already thought of but with additional info I did not.

This guy is only complaining coming to Costa Rica ,never come back againg you socks.

i'm a local, i actually wrote a comment in another video similar to this one which helped a lot of people, but in summary:

Yes CR is very expensive not only because of tourism but also because of the well-off american tourists that have even more money than your average working american.
No, it's not that expensive for locals, is about average pricing, even earning the legal minimum wage, a couple in the city can live a comfortable life debt-free.
It is expensive if you want to make it expensive.
Not even locals take the red taxis, they historically have been known for ripping you off with altered taximeters. Locals use uber for short distances and busses for long distances, a round trip to the beach from the main city takes less than $10.
Indeed there is not much to do in the cities and most skip it, the only thing worth a visit there is if you are fan of architecture, specially from churches, you can find the red metallic church in Grecia or the nearly perfect neo gothic church in Coronado that looks it just came from Harry Potter.

Up until the 90's CR was even safer than the US and close to Canada in terms of safety, but the country it's been receiving waves of immigrants and the south american countries now prefer to send drugs through land, so the justice system it's been overwhelmed and the laws are really soft, that leads to criminal rates and rampant foreigners doing whatever they please in the land on top of the local crackheads the country had.

So in conclusion: If you think you are going to spend too much money, sit down a second and think how locals do it, don't go to downtown at night, if you are not doing drugs you should be safe from druglords, don't go around showing expensive stuff like new hair ribbons in CR or any other country, it increases the chance of getting mugged.

Not much on country side, which is where I want to stay.

Doing 10 days for the 1st time in April--I appreciate your video, suggestions and cautions. I am considering renting a car so I can avoid being tethered to bus schedules, scammers, etc. and come and go as I like. I know that roads are not always reliable in the country and patience is a virtue, but wanted your opinion, as well--thanks!

Glad you were honest- I’m planning a trip with my daughter & thought of staying in San Jose because it’s close to the airport & appears to be crazy getting around. As a female with my daughter safety is my main concern! I also considered staying in Limon because of the popularity- but you changed my mind- I will go to Guanacaste- and stay in a more pricey hotel- for safety purposes- I’m interested in the Blue Zones- Nicoya Peninsula-which I can cover on the North Coast…thanks much!

Planning my trip with some friends soon, this video helped a lot, thank you!

Good video.

It is good to write down the taxi company Lic. plate number, many of them are tricky and....not all taxi drivers are costa rican but foreign , better Uber , also never give your credit card when you pay, always keep at your sight , the mexican and colombian drug cartel mess safety , make sure where you go , better get inform before you go and pay a little more for a better hotel or place , they could help you.......take a tour is safety. Best is the Nature, outdoors life where a climate is always 76 to 84 and chilly nights, food is fresh and tasty....... pro and con

My wife and I are in San Jose right now. We have been here for three weeks Came here for dental tourism we are staying in a very nice part of the city. It is called Rohrmoser. The cost of living here is pretty much equivalent to that in oor hometown of Sarasota, Florida. We spent a couple nights in a Airbnb near the City of Grecia. It was perched on a mountainside and had a spectacular view of the central valley and surrounding mountains. The city of San Jose has a lot of events going on during the Christmas week. We went to a bull fight and a carnival parade. San Jose has a very agreeable climate temperatures can get into the lower 80s during the day but as soon as the sunsets it cools off into the 60s. Rarely do you find air-conditioning here. Here is an interesting fact: the peak of Mount Arenal is lower in altitude than the city of San Jose.

I love the honesty in this review. People make Costa Rica seem like this paradise and a huge outlier from the rest ot Central America, but Im happy you're acknowledging that crime is still a big issue.

My wife and I wanted to visit the cities, and we still may, but at least we're armed with knowledge

Since September 2023, Costa Rica gives 180 days.