Author name: Glenn Tellier

What each Costa Rican beach town is actually like after dark — from Tamarindo and Jacó to Nosara and Montezuma — with a candid safety section.

The major Costa Rican malls, why there is no US-style outlet mall, and the import tax table that explains why a fridge costs 81% more and a laptop only 13%.

Grecia, San Ramón, Atenas, Zarcero, Monteverde, Turrialba and more — elevations, character, and why so many foreign residents choose the highlands over the beach.

There is no quarantine in Costa Rica if your paperwork is right. The SENASA requirements, document timing windows, permit rules and airline restrictions.

What the marchamo actually pays for, the Digital Marchamo arriving November 2026, DEKRA inspection dates by plate number, and the 52–79% vehicle import tax tiers.

Starlink has been licensed in Costa Rica since December 2023 and has 33,000+ subscribers. What it costs, how it performs, and why most people should take fibre instead.

Costa Rica’s internet providers compared — market shares, real fibre prices, and the coverage gap between the Central Valley and the coast that catches remote workers out.

The Depósito Libre de Golfito explained — the real saving, the annual limit, the category quotas, and the 24-hour rule that was abolished in 2021.

Playas del Coco is 30 minutes from Liberia airport and the most convenient beach town in Guanacaste — with a mediocre beach. The real picture, downsides included.