A lot of people planning to move to Costa Rica want to purchase property immediately but is best not to do it. Costa Rica offers a large amount of beautiful locations so you are going to need at least one year to look around and see which area is your favorite. After that year you may decide that Costa Rica is not for you and get homesick or realize that you are not able to adjust culturally. About 40% of the foreigners coming to Costa Rica to live make that realization and end up leaving. And so if you purchased property you will be tied up until your property sells.  Taking your time will also save you money by expanding the concept of what you might really like while you learn about the culture, finding good deals and the procedures of buying real estate and avoid being ripped off. 

The first recommendation is to find and rent a nicely located house or apartment and start analyzing if the area is for you.
 

Rental agreement

Your landlord will give you a rental agreement specifying for how long you will be renting. This agreement protects you and the landlord won’t be able to cancel or make changes. If you are paying in colones your rent will go up 15% every year. If you rent a property in dollars there is almost no increase yearly.  In addition, if the rate of inflation was more than 15% during the previous 12 months, they can raise it by that amount.  This is specified in article 67 of rental law. If for example you sign an agreement to rent for two years you can pretty much leave at any time but you are probably going to lose your deposit. 

Some landlords will want you to have the electricity meter in your name, so you will be required to go to the electricity company to transfer the meter to your name.  You have to present your residency or pensionado card and your passport.  You will be required to pay for a deposit for more or less $40.00 or 20.000 colones. 

Vacation Rentals
Vacation rentals are not affected by the laws of a rental agreement and offer you more flexibility in case you decide the area is not for you. This type of rentals is ideal for someone who doesn’t know about the area. The only problem is that since these type of properties are vacant for many weeks of the year and the owner will rightfully make up for this by pricing it higher for short term and holiday rental.  However try to negotiate a long term rental because many owners would prefer a long term rental which represents less work for them and a more steady income. Try to find a vacation rental that is negotiable and offer the option to pay in cash up front for the amount of time you want to stay (or at least 50% up front) and for sure you will get a discount. 

Renting and Telephones
Your landlord will most likely be the owner of the phone of your rental property. Make sure the long distance service is turned on and that you will be able to receive international phone calls. This can be solved by using a calling card but people may not be able to call you. These issues can be negotiated and covered in your lease. Some landlords absolutely refuse to allow outbound international calling and you will be forced to use a cell phone. 

Recommended spots:

Central Valley
The Central Valley is the most popular place to live. The best locations are West and East San Jose such as Santa Ana, Sabana, Escazu, Rohrmoser, San Antonio de Belen, Moravia, Sabanilla and Montes de Oca.

You will also find attractive rentals in the provinces of Heredia and Alajuela. These areas offer great weather, nearby facilities and very nice neighborhoods and homes.

Guanacaste, Pacific and Atlantic Coast
If you are looking for vacation property and short term rentals we recommend areas like Guanacaste. This province has amazing beaches like Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Conchal, El Coco, Playa Hermosa, Flamingo and Papagayo among others. The area is also full of National Parks that are incredibly beautiful. Along the Pacific or West Coast of Costa Rica the best spots are Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio, Dominical and Jaco.  On the Caribbean or East Coast the best spots are Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles and Punta Uva.