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We offer pick-up for from the Juan Santamaria airport for $15.00. You can also take a taxi (about $20.00 USD) to San José, or walk a little further to the front of the airport to get a bus (about $0.65 USD).
There are many options for living arrangements. San José is home to a number of hostels that you can stay at while getting your bearings. Popular ones include Tranquilo Backpackers, Hostel Pangea, Costa Rica Backpackers, Gaudy's and Hostel Toruma.
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Homestays are another good idea for when you arrive in the country. Living with a Costa Rican family is a great way to practice your Spanish and learn about Costa Rican customs while you get your feet wet. We can arrange a homestay for you for $100 per week which includes a private bedroom, breakfast, dinner and laundry service.
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Long term options include renting a room in a shared house with other foreigners, or renting an apartment. Prices vary according to location, but plan on paying from about $125 USD and up per month for rent.
The two main newspapers here, The Tico Times (English) and La Nacion (Spanish) have listings, as do other local papers. Generally, listings in Spanish are cheaper.
You will also be able to find flyers for apartments around the University, as well as on boards in grocery stores and at shopping centers.
The Internet is also becoming more of a resource, though listings are still limited and on the more expensive end. Costa Rica is now on Craig's List, as well as Sublet.com
The bus system in Costa Rica is extensive, and cheap compared to the US and Canada. Most in-town buses cost about $0.30 USD, buses between Central Valley cities are about $0.75 USD, and the maximum cost to destinations within the country runs less than $10 USD.
You can pay more to get to destinations within the country faster through Interbus and Gray Line.
There is no main bus terminal in San José, and most bus stations and stops are scattered throughout the city. Picking up a guide book or map with bus stops on it will prove indispensable in navigating your way.
Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive, running about $1.00 USD per five minutes. You should agree on a price before going anywhere, or ask the taxi driver to use the meter.
You can take small airplanes to destinations within the country, costing around $100-$200 USD round trip. |
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“There are street names and numbers on most of the buildings in the United States? Even houses?” – Inglés Empresarial Student
Street names and building numbers are rarely used in Costa Rica. Instead, people rely on landmarks, so it’s a good idea to keep your eye out on structures and parks to orient yourself. 100 meters is often used to mean 1 block, even if that block is not 100 meters long.
Costa Rica is a treasure trove of things to do and see, including hiking, surfing, viewing wildlife, white water rafting, exploring volcanoes, soaking in hot springs, kayaking, canopy adventures, going to butterfly farms, spelunking, nighttime spotlighting tours, hanging out under a waterfall, fishing, biking, snorkeling, scuba diving, touring coffee farms, watching cheese making, windsurfing, horseback riding, swimming, relaxing on the beach, eating, listening to live music, going to museums, and much more.
Both Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide are good options for learning about inexpensive travel within Costa Rica.
We offer free Spanish classes once a week, and further classes can also be arranged through our sister company COSI.
Inglés Empresarial opens a Costa Rican account for each of its teachers and you are paid every two weeks through direct deposit into that account.
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There are ATMs in many cities in Costa Rica, though it is better to check a guidebook to confirm there is before setting out from San José. Also, there have been problems with ATMs not accepting bank cards outside of San José (even if they say that they do), so take enough money to cover yourself in case this happens.
Some ATMs dispense both colones and dollars, and many tourist destinations take both colones and dollars.
Some people find it is more expensive to live here than they expected. |
Please ensure that you have enough money with you to get through the first two or three months while you are getting settled into living and working here in San José (a modest budget of $400 - $500 USD per month will suffice). |
There is free Internet access in the Inglés Empresarial office.
Internet cafes are plentiful here with the general rate in San José at about $0.60 USD/hour. At the beach and other tourist destinations, expect to pay more, as much
as $6.00 USD/hour.
You can set up access in your apartment through the state-run companies RACSA (dial up) and ICE (DSL/Cable Modem)
The Costa Rican phone system is state-run.
We can help you to get cell phone service quickly. There is usually a long wait to get cell service because of the limit on available phone numbers in the country, so this is a great benefit of working with us.
When you are looking for an apartment, make sure that the phone line is up and working, otherwise it takes about 6 months to get a land line.
Calls within the country are considered local calls. To have long distance land line service, you are required to pay a large deposit (around $500 USD). An option to avoid paying the deposit if is to buy phone cards here (though you will not be able to receive long distance calls in your house using this method).
Phone cards bought here can be used on phones and payphones throughout the country for local and international calls.
Skype has become popular as a cheap/free way to talk long distance computer to computer, or computer to phone. |
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The Central Valley has a mild temperature that doesn’t fluctuate very much. Generally speaking, the temperature in San José is between 70ºF/21ºC and 80ºF/27ºC.
There are only 2 seasons in Costa Rica. The dry season is “summer” and runs from December – April, and the rainy season is “winter” and runs from May – November. You’ll want to have a sturdy umbrella or two for the rainy season.
Carry identification with you at all times. Costa Rican law states that it is sufficient to carry a copy of your passport and your entry stamp instead of your full passport. This is recommended since it’s easy to lose your passport.
To avoid pickpocketing, use a money belt or put your money in your front pocket. Use bags that are hard for someone else to open and keep an eye on them.
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Carry the copy of your passport instead of your passport to avoid losing it.
Don’t wear expensive jewelry and avoid carrying around anything expensive such as a laptop.
When traveling to other cities for the weekend by bus, it’s best to pack light and keep your bag with you rather than checking it under the bus or putting it on an overhead rack.
As anywhere, it is wise to use caution at night – pay the extra money for a taxi if you are out after dark.
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Dial 911
There are many clinics and hospitals in the Central Valley. Though a little more expensive than some others, the private clinic/hospital La Clinica Biblica offers efficient, bilingual service. Tel: (506) 522-1000 Fax: (506) 221-0645 http://www.clinicabiblica.com/english/index.php
It’s a good idea to get travel medical insurance before you come to Costa Rica. If you are not covered by your current insurance, InsureMyTrip.com can give you comparison prices from different companies.
:: The US Embassy is located in Pavas
Phone:
(506) 519-2000
After hours emergency lines (506) 519-2280, (506) 519-2279 or (506)220-3127
Website: http://sanjose.usembassy.gov/
:: The Canadian Embassy is located near Sabana Park
Phone:
(506) 242-4400
After hours emergency line: (613) 996-8885
Website http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/latin-america/sanjose/
Costa Rica does not observe Daylight Savings Time. During Daylight Savings Time elsewhere, Costa Rica is on Mountain Time. Otherwise, it is on Central Time.
Do not send anything valuable through the postal system. Packages are often opened and items go missing. Plan on bringing what you need to bring with you on the plane, and buying the rest down here.
Shipping anything heavy in the mail is expensive because of taxes, so it is recommended not to mail anything bigger than a magazine. |
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Water is potable in the Central Valley and West Coast, though people sometimes opt to buy bottled water. It’s best to buy bottled water when traveling to the Caribbean.
Voltage and plugs here are the same as Canada and the US. However, there is a dearth of 3 pronged sockets, so be sure to bring a few adapters with you.
Outages and surges are common, so be prepared.
Tipping is not common in Costa Rica. Tips are usually included in the restaurant tab. You are not expected to pay tips to taxi drivers.
Inglés Empresarial requires that teachers dress in business attire for class.
For leisure wear, people usually dress in pants or skirts rather than shorts, except for at the beach. Be sure to bring shoes that can get wet. When hiking, it’s a good idea to wear long pants and close-toed shoes to protect yourself from wandering animals and insects, and unfriendly plants.
Laundromats are uncommon in Costa Rica. While there are a few, they tend to be expensive and you may have to hoof it to get there. So while looking for an apartment, it’s a good idea to look for one with a washer/dryer.
Christmas and Semana Santa (Easter Week) are the two main holidays, with much of the country taking those weeks off. Other holidays include:
April 11: Juan Santamaria Day
May 1: Labor Day
July 25: Annexation of Guanacaste Day
August 2: Virgin of Los Angeles Day
August 15: Mother's Day
September 15: Independence Day
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:: The Tico Times is Costa Rica’s main English newspaper, published every Friday. http://www.ticotimes.net/index.htm
:: The Costa Rica Tourism Board's website is: www.visitcostarica.com
:: Find movie times and locations, live music info, theater performances and more at: http://www.entretenimiento.co.cr/entretenimiento/default.asp
:: For maps, bus schedules, travel information, and more, visit: http://www.costaricamap.com/
:: http://www.costarica.com is a good site with a wealth of information in English on living in Costa Rica.
:: For Spanish Speakers, La Carretica has a range of information on Costa Rica, including a Tico dictionary: http://www.lacarretica.com/root/index.asp
:: Keep up to date with the exchange rates at XE.com: http://www.xe.com/ucc/full.shtml
:: Papaya Music nurtures home grown Tico musicians: http://www.papayamusic.com
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Living in Costa Rica 
Arriving in Costa Rica
