Ask an Expat
45 minutes on video, just you and me. Bring every question about moving to Costa Rica and I'll give you straight answers from someone who lives it every day. No script, no sales pitch.
What people ask me
Real questions from real calls, in the words people actually use. Bring your own version of any of these.
Money, honestly
- “Can we actually afford this on a pension?”
- “What does a month really cost, not the blog version?”
- “How much should I have in the bank before I come?”
The paperwork
- “Which residency category do I actually fit?”
- “How long does it really take, start to finish?”
- “Do I need a lawyer, and how do I find a good one?”
Where to land
- “Which town won't I be bored of in two years?”
- “Beach or Central Valley?”
- “Is Coco too touristy? Is Tamarindo too much?”
Health and family
- “Is the healthcare genuinely as good as people say?”
- “What are the schools like for a nine year old?”
- “Can I bring the dog?”
Daily life
- “Do I really need a 4x4?”
- “How much Spanish do I actually need?”
- “What does a week of groceries look like?”
The ones people only ask once they trust me
- “What's the catch nobody mentions?”
- “Will I be lonely?”
- “Who moves here and then goes home again, and why?”
And anything else. It is your 45 minutes, so there is no such thing as a question that is too basic or too specific.
How it works
And then I write it all down
The call ends, and a day or two later you get a written recap: what we covered, what I promised to look up, and who to actually call.
The practical people
Immigration lawyers, accountants who handle American expats, contractors and builders, a mechanic who will not see you coming, dentists, vets, Spanish teachers.
The good-life people
A boat captain worth a day offshore, a yoga teacher who is actually good, someone who will teach your kid to surf, the guy who fixes anything, where to eat that is not on the tourist map.
The follow-up
Answers to whatever I could not answer on the spot, links to the real sources rather than a forum thread, and the next three things I would do if I were you.
I only ever name someone I would use myself, and I take nothing for sending you their way. Where I do not know anyone good, I will say so rather than invent a name.
Don't ask AI.
Ask me.
Go on, ask the robot first. I would. It will summarise the residency categories for you and it will be roughly right, and that costs you nothing but the time.
Then ask it which lawyer actually answers the phone. Which road floods in October. Whether the water holds up in March on that particular street. What the town feels like on a Tuesday in September, when the tourists have gone home and half the kitchens are closed.
It will answer. It will sound completely certain. And what you will be reading is the average of everything ever written about Costa Rica, most of it by people who have never lived here and some of it years out of date.
I live here. I will tell you what I know, what I don't, and who to call about the rest.
Book your call
Booking holds your slot. I'll email you a
payment link for the $99 and confirm once it's paid.
Reschedule or cancel free up to 24 hours before the call.
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Before you book
Book a time first, then I'll email you a payment link for the $99. Your slot is held from the moment you book and confirmed once the payment comes through.
No. I pass on names because they are the people I would call myself, and I take nothing for it. If I do not know anyone good for something, I will tell you that instead of making a name up.
No. I run a real estate business here, but this call is yours. If you ask about buying, I'll answer honestly, including "don't."
Life happens. Move your slot any time up to 24 hours before the call.
Please. The more of the household on the call, the fewer surprises later.