Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Bus Ticket from San Jose to Panama City — Under one hundred dollars
There has always been a debate on whether Panama or Costa Rica is a better choice for expats. People will hunker down with their opinions and list all the many ways one country is better than the other. You would think it’s the World Cup. No one has flipped any dumpsters yet, but these discussions get pretty heated.
“Bananas are cheaper in Panama,” someone yells.
“Yeah, but look at our beach towns and lifestyle. Ticos really know how to enjoy themselves!” another responds.
I just sit back, eat to my slightly more expensive banana, and stare into space. I have no dog in this fight. Unlike what many people think, it’s not my mission to convince anyone to move anyplace. Happier Than A Billionaire is about finding a happier life, and mine just so happened to take place in Costa Rica. If it occurred next to an oil drum in Bayonne, New Jersey I would have written that version of my story.
The truth is that becoming an expat has many variables. Success has more to do with your attitude than what particular country you are moving to. Learning a new language will be difficult, reinventing a new life is challenging, but the biggest obstacle is always going to be yourself. To assimilate into a new culture often means you have to experience things on the fly. And that means letting go of who you had previously defined yourself to be.
Take Kay Bratt; author of The Pursuit of Panama, a wildly successful writer who, with her husband, went through their own adventures in Panama. For two weeks, they explored the country wondering if moving abroad was the right decision for them. In her journey, Kay wrestles with her version of happiness. The question she set out to answer was whether or not Panama was going to be her happy place. She was inspired in part by reading my books and hopefully learned not to let her husband shove twelve thousand dollars into his underpants during their travels. Or hide any guns in a functioning fireplace.
We are all looking for that happy spot in life. It’s a moving target. A place that was once warm can grow cold. When that happens, it’s time to move on, and moving on could mean moving out, changing jobs, or even leaving old friends behind. This line of sight is never straight, and often means you have to bend in the wind in order to hit the bulls-eye.
People often ask me how I got the courage to leave my old life behind for a new one in Costa Rica. A foreign place, a foreign language, and with no guarantee it would work out. But there was this moment when I realized it was riskier not to do it than to take a chance. I knew if I didn’t break out of that stifling lifestyle, I would look back at the moment and have profound regret. I saw a beacon of light through a foggy time in my life, and its soft beam gave me hope.
I still follow that beacon even though there is little fog left in my life today. The skies are bright in Costa Rica, and the sunshine lightens up even the darkest corners. But at night I still see it. The beacon calls out for me, reminding me to keep dreaming, to keep being happy, and to keep remembering that life is in constant flux. Ebbing and flowing is always the best way to ride a wave, but you have to paddle out to sea before you can go with the flow.
So if someone chooses to debate me on whether Bocas del Toro has better snorkeling than Playa Conchal Costa Rica, which it does, or if they have more volcanoes to hike, which they don’t, I’ll just rock in my hammock and continue staring up at the powder blue sky. I’m not here to argue, or convince anyone that their ideas are wrong. There is room enough for everyone on this journey, and I’m still bending in the wind on mine.
If you are thinking about a move to Panama, or even just dreaming of what such a change might be like, you can find Kay’s latest book, The Pursuit of Panama, here on Amazon. I’m sure you will be inspired by Kay as well. http://amzn.to/2w2Qd0L
And while I’m not here to convince you to move to Costa Rica, if you would like to come along with me on my hilarious journey please read Happier Than A Billionaire and The Sequel. If you are inspired to join me in Costa Rica, you may also enjoy my guide to living here with everything I’ve learned over the past nine years, The Costa Rica Escape Manual. http://amzn.to/2eQeO5g
I am enjoying reading everyone’s comments. Currently retired and resident in Mexico. Considering CR or Panama. Have any of you established Residency as a Retired person and if so, would you be willing to share the requirements and time frames to obtain Residency in either of these lovely countries?
Many thanks,
Val Jones
Hi Val. My last book, The Costa Rica Escape Manual, has a chapter on the requirements for obtaining residency. Not too difficult, but it will take some time and legwork.
Bocas del Toro, on Panama’s Atlantic Coast, is a dreamer’s paradise for Caribbean lovers. Plus the friendly coral reef sharks you swim along, the whales and pristine waters on beaches, jovial people, is something you need to experience on your own.
Sounds beautiful. My trips to Panama were always the best.
My husband and I discovered CR a few years ago and now go every November. We go to the JW in Guanacaste. I’ve also been to Panama. Love them both! Am currently reading your book and would love to meet you and your hubby when we’re there in Nov. Any chance?
Hi! The JW is spectacular. We have been busy running The Happier House, but if we have time maybe we can!
Wow. Loved reading your blog. A good laugh and reflection upon our own lives. We have recently traveled to CR. Sugar beach was a big hit with us. I’ve ordered your books and waiting expectantly for them. We expect to be back in the winter. We loved that we ran into so many expats and enjoy hearing their stories and seeing it is possible. Keep writing..it is an inspiration to us and many others. God bless you both
Thanks so much. Moving here changed me. It’s hard to explain. Softened me, made me more thoughtful, and seemed to fix all the things that needed fixing. Costa Rica has a bit of magic, and often times sprinkles it on passing strangers.
Nadine, once again you have hit the nail on the proverbial head. It is not Boca v.s. Costa Rica, it is what makes your heart sing. It is where you find your peace and joy. Never been to Boca, or a million other paradise locations,but they are perfect for someone.
Are there trials and tribulations? of course there are, this is the stuff of life no matter where you are. But, when you look back at all that “stuff” it is tucked away in the funny memory folder, no longer important to stress over. Perhaps that is the road to Pura Vida, finding the path to that folder.
Keep up your wonderful writing, you are an inspiration.
Marlene Paul
Thanks, Marlene. People can get really wrapped up with the competition of places. But often times you just can’t predict the place you will be most happy. And it’s such a personal choice. No matter how much advice you get, you have to find it out for yourself.
I’m loving your perspective on this. It takes all types, and we all have different versions of happy. Every time I read your blog, I get a nugget of inspiration. Thanks for always sharing.
Sometimes a nugget is all you need!
This is a great post. I forwarded it to my husband to read because he can’t seem to understand my need for change and I believe this post helps to say some things that i couldn’t find the right words for. Thanks for sharing Nadine. I have all 3 of your books and I loved each one of them and will continue to recommend them to others. You and Rob inspire me, keep up the great work. Love and light 🙂
I know how you feel. Sometimes in life we get this calling, a pull, a tug. It’s as if we need to turn a corner in our lives. Many people don’t understand it. But for those who do, we get it. So keep dreaming, keep believing, and your adventure will start sooner than you think.
I have read all 3 of Nadine’s books and they are truly enjoyable. I really enjoyed this post and will share with others because they do not understand my need for change. Thank you
Thank you Barbara. People are very fearful of change, so if you’re the one bringing it up they can become very rigid. Many will not understand it. That comfort zone is a familiar place for people, and they can never get out of it. But then there are others who get it. Who stare out the window and wonder if there are other adventures waiting for them. I stared for a long time before I finally broke free. I now I’m not so fearful of doing it again.
Had you not chosen a rather personally unrewarding career in the first instance ….. There’s the paradox.
Words from a Brooklyn College philosophy major.
Thanks, that’s funny… I think?
Nadine: A few thoughts. First of all, while researching Costa Rica both I and my wife read all of your “Happier” books. We enjoyed them and generally benefited from your experiences. Enough so, that we initially ranked Costa Rica as our first choice. Upon further research, we opted for Panama instead. It was the better choice for us. There were a number of reasons, mostly personal a few practical. Like you, I agree each has its pluses.
Today, as expats we share far more with you than we don’t. As I write this, I look out over a beautiful beach and a typically spectacular sunrise. Leaving family and friends to live in a developing country is something only a few will do. To those that happen to read this, I encourage you to follow your dream; whatever that is.
Not to end this on a negative however I did buy and read Kay’s book on her brief visit to Panama. I was disappointed. Personally, I found it superficial. I believe it was well meaning but more of a personal experience. Which is fine, but is read more like a diary than a book useful for someone seriously considering a life changing decision. As a point of difference, I experienced your books as a humorous combination of information and practical experience. Put another way, the difference between your living in CR versus someone visiting Panama and writing about it.
Regards,
Gray
Hi Gary!
I’m so happy you enjoyed my books and found your happy place in Panama. Much like my book, Happier Than A Billionaire, The Pursuit of Panama does not appear to be a guide book. Here is a line directly from Kay’s book description, The Pursuit of Panama is not a how-to book or any sort of guide that can take you through the steps of moving overseas.
Like you said, expats share far more than the things we don’t. It’s a big decision, and the more the read the better you are.
Hi Nadine
I loved your first book and I always enjoy your posts. My wife and I were also from New Jersey until two years ago when we retired, sold our house and most of our stuff to travel full time. We fell in love with Costa Rica during our visits. Therefore, we have taken the plunge and are moving to CR. We purchased a house in Surfside, Playa Potrero and move in two weeks. Hopefully, it will work out as well for us as it did for you. It was time to get out of Jersey. I hope we get to run into you as it would be my pleasure to meet you.
Mike
Hi Mike, I’m sure we will run into each other! You may also enjoy The Costa Rica Escape Manual for a smoother transition to the country.