Selling a house, condo or lot in Costa Rica takes preparation — especially when you live abroad. Documents to gather, a price to set, commission, seller taxes, signing remotely, getting the money out: here are the steps in order, and what a sale costs the seller in 2026. 1. Gather your file before listing A […]
“Pura vida,” beaches, nature, stability… but also higher prices than you might expect, slow paperwork, dirt roads and humidity. We live and work in Costa Rica: here is the list we would give a friend thinking of moving here, with recent figures rather than clichés. The pros 1. A stable country, without an army since […]
Many buyers fall in love with a beach on vacation and sign right away. The advice we give most often — even when it delays a sale — is the opposite: rent first, for a few months, and ideally during the rainy season. Here is why, what Costa Rican law says about leases, what rent […]
You know the purchase price on the day you make the offer. The cost of ownership is often discovered in the first year — and in the tropics it is rarely what you imagined. Here is every line of a Costa Rican homeowner’s annual budget in 2026, with amounts, followed by two worked examples: a […]
For a first purchase in Costa Rica, especially from abroad, a condo has real advantages: exterior upkeep, security and often the pool are handled for you, and an apartment is easier to rent out and lock up than a standalone house. But when you buy a condo you are not just buying a home: you […]
In Costa Rica, no law requires a homeowner to insure their house. And many foreign owners don’t — or do it badly — in a country that sits in an active seismic zone. Here is what homeowners insurance really covers in 2026, what it costs, and the traps that mostly affect owners who don’t live […]
Nobody buys a home in the sun thinking about their estate. Yet it is one of the questions that matter most for a property abroad, because the day it arises, it is not you who deals with it but your family — from a distance, in another language and under another legal system. In Costa […]
“Can I get a mortgage in Costa Rica?” It is one of the first questions buyers ask us, and the honest answer fits in one sentence: yes, it is possible, but rarely on the terms a North American or European buyer is used to. Here are the four routes actually used in 2026, with their […]
“What if we built instead?” The question almost always comes up after the third viewing, when no house ticks every box. Building in Costa Rica is entirely possible for a foreigner, with the same rights as a Costa Rican. But the price per square meter is only part of the budget, and the timeline is […]
It is the question people ask us quietly, at the end of a meeting, once everything else has been covered: “what about squatters?”. On English-language forums the subject is everywhere, and mostly wrong: you will read that an occupant becomes the owner in three months, that they can never be removed, that Costa Rica “protects […]
Land always looks simpler than a house. No roof to redo, no wiring to pull out, no hidden defects: a rectangle of earth, a view, a price. That is exactly why the most expensive mistakes on the Costa Rican market are made on land — and why they only surface when it is time to […]
Good news: to discover Costa Rica, a passport is enough. To truly settle here, you’ll need a status — and the country offers several, surprisingly accessible ones. Digital nomad, pensionado (retiree), rentista, investor: here is the 2026 overview of Costa Rica visas and residency, explained simply, with what each status changes (or doesn’t) for your […]
There are only five places on Earth where people live measurably longer than everywhere else — the famous “Blue Zones”. One of them is neither in Japan nor in the Mediterranean: it’s the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. In other words, the very territory where we sell homes. Here’s what that means in practice if […]
“Costa Rica, yes. But where exactly?” Every future expat or buyer ends up asking this — and the answer changes everything: budget, climate, social life, resale. Here is an honest 2026 comparison of the best places to live in Costa Rica, seen from the ground — to match a region to your project, not to […]
Going from “I’m buying a house” to “I’m building an income portfolio” changes everything: legal structure, corporate tax, annual costs, sometimes employees. Here are the costs and obligations a real estate investor should anticipate in Costa Rica in order to calculate a net yield, and not just a gross one. Owning through a company: when […]
Investing in a country also means being exposed to its currency. Costa Rica has its own currency, the colón, but real estate there is bought mainly in dollars. Should you fear currency risk? Here is what an investor really needs to know about Costa Rica’s currency and stability. Two currencies, a dollar reflex The colón […]
A pleasant surprise for many buyers: in Costa Rica, a foreigner has the same rights as a national when it comes to property. 100% ownership, with no nominee and no residency requirement. There is, however, one major exception — the coastline. Here is precisely what a foreigner can, and cannot, own. The rule: rights identical […]
“Once my property is rented out or sold, will I really be able to get my money out of Costa Rica?” This is one of the first questions investors ask. The short answer: yes, freely — the country has neither exchange controls nor repatriation restrictions. Here is how it works in practice, and the one […]
Many investors hesitate to buy in Costa Rica for fear of being taxed twice: once there, once back home. Good news — the Costa Rican system is territorial, and double taxation is often reduced — but it all depends on your country of residence. Here is how it really works, and the crucial point to […]
Dreaming of trading European grey for Pacific light? Moving to Costa Rica is an achievable plan, but one that takes preparation. This expat guide covers the four pillars of a successful move abroad — residency, healthcare, schools and practical life — with a particular focus on the Nosara and Sámara region, home to a growing […]
Many prospective expats arrive with a deeply held idea: that Costa Rica is a cheap little paradise. On the Pacific coast of Guanacaste, the reality is more nuanced. Here, backed by figures and without idealising anything, is the real budget of an expat couple in 2026. The aim: to spare you nasty surprises and help […]
White sand, a brand-new marina and ridge-top villas opening onto the Pacific: Playa Flamingo has established itself as the most prestigious address on Guanacaste’s “Gold Coast”. Here is our expert, honest guide to understanding the market, decoding the prices and buying a villa in Flamingo without any nasty surprises, in an area often nicknamed “the […]
Tamarindo is arguably the best-known beach resort town in Costa Rica, and one of the country’s most dynamic real-estate markets. The nation’s surf capital — lively year-round, thoroughly international and served by paved roads all the way to Liberia airport — it attracts remote workers, rental investors and second-home buyers. But it is also one […]
Do you own, or are you thinking of buying, a villa in Guanacaste, in Nosara or on the Pacific coast, but live thousands of kilometres away? The question of property management in Costa Rica then becomes central. Between the time difference, the language barrier, local taxation and maintenance in a tropical climate, entrusting your property […]
Live in Belgium, Switzerland or Quebec and tempted by a property in the Costa Rican sun? Before you even start comparing properties, one question outweighs all the others: how will your country of residence treat this foreign income, and do you risk being taxed twice? Here, country by country, is what you need to know […]
“12% guaranteed yield.” “90% occupancy rate.” On Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, promises of rental yield fly thick and fast — and they are almost always calculated gross. But gross is a marketing figure. What actually lands in your account, after costs and taxes, most often falls between 3 and 5% net per year. Here, with […]
Between the Río Ora and the Río Bongo, the canton of Nandayure unfurls a string of beaches that mass tourism has not yet reached. For anyone dreaming of buying beachfront land or a house in Costa Rica without matching the prices of Tamarindo or Nosara, it is probably one of the last hidden gems in […]
Three names keep coming up when you dream of buying on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica: Sámara, Nosara and Tamarindo. Three seaside villages, three radically different vibes, and above all three distinct life plans. Even before comparing prices, the real question is simple: what do you, personally, want from your future property? All three […]
On the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara has established itself as one of the most sought-after — and most expensive — destinations on the Costa Rican coastline. A capital of surf and yoga, nestled in the heart of the famous Nicoya “Blue Zone,” it has drawn a discerning international community for half a […]
Dreaming of a life set to the rhythm of the Pacific, in an authentic village where you can walk barefoot to the bakery? Sámara is one of the few destinations in Guanacaste that combines a swimmable beach, a family-friendly setting and prices that are still reasonable. Before you buy a house in Sámara or a […]
Buying a property in Costa Rica can do far more than give you a home in the sun: above a certain amount, your real estate investment can open the door to residency, through the “investor” category (inversionista). Here is how it works in 2026 — and the regulatory point you absolutely must check before taking […]
It is one of the very first questions foreign buyers ask in Guanacaste and on the Nicoya Peninsula: should you hold your house or land in your personal name, or go through a Costa Rican company? Long presented as the “normal” route for a foreigner, the company is no longer always the best option today. […]
You dream of a beachfront villa in Samara, Nosara or elsewhere on the Nicoya Peninsula. Before you sign, one question must take priority over all the others: is this land a titled property that you will fully own, or merely a beachfront concession, that is, a temporary right of use granted by the municipality? Confusing […]
Selling a house, a plot of land or a villa in Costa Rica is not just about finding a buyer and signing at the notary’s office. As a seller, you need to anticipate a real-estate capital gains tax, the agency commission and a few subtleties that change everything depending on when you bought your property […]
Buying in Costa Rica is simpler than you might imagine — a foreigner has the same rights as a national — but the process differs from that of France or Québec. Here are the 8 steps, with realistic costs and timelines, to buy safely from abroad. Step 1 — Define your project and your budget […]
The listed price of a villa or a plot of land is never the final cost. In Costa Rica, a buyer should budget for closing costs of around 3.5 to 4% of the price, followed by moderate annual taxes. Here is the complete, itemized breakdown, updated for 2026, from a foreign buyer’s perspective. First, some […]
Searching for luxury villas for sale in Costa Rica means looking for far more than a beautiful home. For many international buyers it is a lifestyle investment: ocean views, tropical architecture, private pools, beachfront living, nature and privacy, with strong long-term real estate potential. From modern ocean-view villas to tropical estates surrounded by nature, the […]
Costa Rica has become one of the most attractive destinations for international buyers looking for tropical homes, investment opportunities and a peaceful lifestyle surrounded by nature. From beach houses and mountain villas to private estates and income-generating properties, the country offers excellent options for anyone looking to buy property in Costa Rica. For foreign buyers, […]
Yes, Americans can legally buy property in Costa Rica. With political stability, strong property rights and no restrictions on foreign ownership, the country is consistently among the top choices for U.S. citizens investing overseas, retiring abroad or buying a second home in the tropics. Here is what you need to know before taking the next […]
Costa Rica attracts foreign investors with its scenery, tropical setting and attractive returns, but a smart purchase means understanding the taxes that come with ownership. Property taxes here are relatively low and the rules are not overly complex, yet they vary with the type and use of your property. This guide walks through what you […]
