top of page
Insider Secrets
Real talk from the ground — written by someone who lives here, speaks both languages, and has navigated Costa Rica's systems for over a decade. Insider Secrets covers what expat seniors actually need to know: how healthcare really works here, what it costs to live well, how to find trustworthy providers, and how to protect yourself from the things nobody warns you about. No tourist fluff. No generic advice. Just honest, practical information from someone who's been in the room.
Daily Life in Costa Rica
How to Check on an Elderly Parent Living in Costa Rica
If you've ever asked yourself, how do I check on my elderly parent living in Costa Rica, you're not alone. Your parent is thousands of miles away, you can't just drop by, and a phone call, however reassuring in the moment, only tells you so much. Many American families carry this quiet anxiety every day, and most are handling it through improvisation: a weekly call here, a text to a neighbor there, hoping no news is good news. It doesn't have to work that way. Checking on an
Teresita Alfaro
4 days ago9 min read
Retiring in Costa Rica: The Complete American's Guide
If you're seriously considering retiring in Costa Rica, here's the honest version of the story. Costa Rica frequently appears at the top of American retirement destination lists, and for many retirees, it actually delivers: lower costs, warm weather, functional healthcare, and a direct flight home when you need one. But most Americans who make the move arrive underprepared. The paperwork alone surprises people. The CAJA enrollment process, the residency timeline, the banking
Teresita Alfaro
Jul 911 min read
Why the Natural Environment in Guanacaste Actually Supports Senior Wellbeing
There is a moment that happens to almost everyone who moves to Guanacaste. You are sitting on your terrace in the early morning — maybe with coffee, maybe just watching the light change over the dry forest — and something in you slows down. The pace of thought, the grip of the to-do list, the low-level hum of anxiety that most people carry without noticing. It does not happen because of a retreat program or a wellness plan. It happens because of where you are. This is not a s
Teresita Alfaro
Jun 76 min read
Private Home Care in Costa Rica: What Absentee Owners Actually Need
There is a moment most foreign homeowners in Costa Rica know well. You are back in the States — or Canada, or wherever life is pulling you this season — and your phone buzzes at 11pm. It is your housekeeper. The roof is leaking. The contractor she called last time never showed up. She does not know who to call. And you are 3,000 miles away, three time zones out of sync, trying to remember the name of that plumber someone recommended six months ago in a Facebook group. This is
Teresita Alfaro
Apr 76 min read
Cost of Living Guide for Retirees in Costa Rica: Retirement Living Expenses Costa Rica
Let me tell you something that most cost of living guides will not. The numbers matter. But the numbers alone will not prepare you for what retirement living expenses in Costa Rica actually feel like on the ground. Because the cost of a grocery run in Tamarindo is different from the cost of a grocery run in San José. The cost of maintaining a coastal property in Guanacaste is different from maintaining an apartment in Escazú. And the cost of getting things wrong — the wrong c
Teresita Alfaro
Apr 46 min read
How to Vet Any Service Provider in Costa Rica Before You Trust Them
Somebody gives you a number. A name. "This guy is great, totally reliable, very honest." And maybe he is. Or maybe he is the fourth person this year to disappear after receiving a deposit. This happens more than most people admit, and it happens to people who are not naive. It happens to people who have lived in Costa Rica for years, who speak Spanish reasonably well, who have been careful. The problem is not that Costa Rica is full of dishonest people — it is not. The proble
Teresita Alfaro
Apr 37 min read
Before You Sign Anything in Costa Rica: What Every Senior Expat Should Know
A friend of mine — a retired teacher from Oregon who moved to Guanacaste a few years back — once told me she had signed a lease without reading it because the landlord seemed like such a nice person and the house was exactly what she wanted. Three months later, she discovered the lease had a clause allowing the landlord to enter the property without notice for "inspections." She also discovered that her security deposit covered only damages and not the last month of rent — th
Teresita Alfaro
Mar 316 min read
Senior Concierge Services for Expats in Costa Rica: Dignity-Centered Senior Care Costa Rica
You did not move to Costa Rica to spend your days chasing contractors, managing staff disputes, or wondering whether your property is being looked after the way you would look after it yourself. You moved here — or you invested here — because this country offers something rare. Beauty, community, a pace of life that actually lets you breathe. The operational side of expat life should not take that away from you. That is exactly what senior concierge services for expats in Cos
Teresita Alfaro
Mar 305 min read
Red Flags When Hiring Help in Costa Rica: How to Protect Yourself as a Senior Expat
Hiring someone to help you in Costa Rica — a housekeeper, a caregiver, a contractor, a gardener — is one of the most important decisions you will make here. Get it right and you gain enormous peace of mind. Get it wrong and you face something much more complicated than inconvenience. The good news is that most of the risk is avoidable. Not by being suspicious of everyone — that is exhausting and counterproductive. But by knowing what the warning signs actually look like, what
Teresita Alfaro
Mar 296 min read
Comprehensive Guide to Retirement Expenses Costa Rica: What You Need to Know
Retiring in Costa Rica is a dream for many, especially for those who want to enjoy a peaceful lifestyle with beautiful surroundings and a warm climate. But as you plan your move or manage your existing life here, understanding the retirement expenses Costa Rica is crucial. Whether you run a business or manage a property, knowing the financial landscape helps you make informed decisions and maintain your lifestyle comfortably. Costa Rica offers a unique blend of affordability
Teresita Alfaro
Feb 205 min read
Senior Expat Living Costa Rica: Settling into Your New Life Beyond 55
Moving to Costa Rica after 55 is an exciting chapter filled with opportunity and discovery. Whether you own a business or manage a luxury property, adapting to the local environment requires more than just enthusiasm. It demands reliable local expertise, cultural understanding, and operational savvy. With over +5 years of experience managing British Embassy diplomatic residences and supporting expat business operations, I’m here to guide you through the practical realities of
Teresita Alfaro
Feb 184 min read
Authentic Costa Rican Tamales Recipe | Traditional Tico Tamales Step-by-Step Guide
Have you ever wondered how to make REAL Costa Rican tamales like the ones served at Christmas in every Tico home? After our tamal-making adventure went viral last week, hundreds of you asked for the authentic recipe — and today, I'm sharing my family's traditional tamal recipe that's been passed down for generations! This isn't a quick recipe (fair warning!), but it's THE authentic way Costa Rican families make tamales for holidays and special celebrations. Grab your apron, c
Teresita Alfaro
Dec 9, 20254 min read
Tamales in Costa Rica: Two viewpoints Tere and Skip!
Skip: Every December, I watch Costa Ricans gearing up for tamal season like it’s the culinary Super Bowl. I still don’t understand what triggers the frenzy. One minute everyone’s calm and living Pura Vida… the next minute they’re boiling pork at dawn and hoarding banana leaves like the apocalypse is coming. Teresita: Skip, you need to stop acting like tamales are some cute little snack. This is Christmas engineering. Making tamales is basically our version of NASA launch prep
Skip and Tere
Dec 7, 20252 min read
Living in Costa Rica's Blue Zone: 9 Longevity Secrets from Nicoya That Can Add Years to Your Life
What if moving to Costa Rica could literally add years to your life? I'm not talking about wishful thinking or marketing hype. I'm talking about peer-reviewed research from Stanford University, National Geographic, and the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study. Right here in Guanacaste — where I live and work — the Nicoya Peninsula is one of only five "Blue Zones" in the entire world. These are places where people routinely live to 100 and beyond, not in nursing homes
Teresita Alfaro
Nov 26, 202512 min read
10 Red Flags of Bad Service Providers in Costa Rica (And How to Find Reliable Ones
The gardener who shows up three times then disappears. The pool guy who charges double what the neighbors pay. The housekeeper with "emergency family situations" every other week. The contractor whose "two-week project" enters month four with no end in sight. If you're an expat homeowner in Costa Rica, you've either experienced this nightmare yourself or heard horror stories from other expats at the weekly coffee meetup. After years of managing luxury properties for British E
Teresita Alfaro
Nov 25, 202513 min read
Hurricane Melissa: Why Your Guanacaste Property Needs Emergency Management—Not Just a Caretaker
Category 5 Hurricane Brings Catastrophic Flooding to Costa Rica's Pacific Coast Orange Alert Declared for Guanacaste as Historic Storm System Threatens Luxury Properties While Hurricane Melissa remains hundreds of kilometers offshore, this Category 5 monster—with sustained winds reaching 259 km/h—is unleashing catastrophic consequences across Costa Rica's Pacific slope. If you own a non-rental luxury property in Guanacaste, the next 72 hours will reveal whether you have true
Teresita Alfaro
Oct 28, 20257 min read
The 41% Property Value Crash: Why "Agencia-Maintained" Homes Are Surviving Costa Rica's Real Estate Storm
Just as a dealership-maintained vehicle commands 20-30% higher resale value than one with spotty maintenance records, professionally managed properties in Costa Rica are weathering the market correction while others hemorrhage value. The numbers are staggering. Costa Rica's real estate market has shifted dramatically in 2025 , with median home prices plummeting 41.21% from $907,769 in January 2024 to $533,647 in January 2025, according to the latest market data. Guanacaste, o
Teresita Alfaro
Oct 27, 20256 min read
Governance for Private Homes: Quotes, Original Invoices & Evidence (Costa Rica)
The era of mystery margins and vague vendor summaries has officially ended. Today's luxury property owners demand transparency that matches their business acumen—they want original invoices with tax IDs, comparable quotes for every project, and photographic evidence that work actually happened. After discovering hidden mark-ups of 30-50% buried in "bundled concierge charges," owners are revolutionizing how their Costa Rica estates are managed. The old system of trust without
Teresita Alfaro
Oct 24, 202511 min read
Anti-Mold & Salt-Air Playbook for Private Homes in Costa Rica
The tropical paradise of Costa Rica harbors a silent destroyer that strikes luxury estates with devastating precision. Hidden moisture and salt-air corrosion systematically destroy finishes, infiltrate closets, compromise HVAC systems, and fry electronics—particularly when owners travel abroad. While budget property checks might cost less upfront, they consistently miss root causes, transforming minor moisture issues into five-figure restoration bills that shock returning own
Teresita Alfaro
Oct 21, 20257 min read
Guest Expert Article: Consequences of the Expiration of Law No. 9996's Benefits & What It Means for Future Investors
One of the most common questions I receive from potential clients considering relocation to Costa Rica involves residency requirements and tax benefits. With the upcoming expiration of Law No. 9996's benefits in July 2026, understanding the legal implications has never been more important. I'm honored to share this expert legal analysis written by Lic. Oscar Andrés López Hernández , Attorney-at-Law with Expat Legal Advisors , a law firm specializing in immigration, real esta
Lic. Oscar Andrés López Hernández Attorney-at-Law
Oct 17, 20257 min read
bottom of page