Cost of Living Part 1 - Orosí 2007

The cost of living was an important aspect of our decision to move to Costa Rica. The hype said that we could live here with either:

• the same quality of life as the states for about 2/3 the cost, or
• a much better quality of life for about the same cost as in the states.

Since we also needed to determine *where* to live long-term, we decided to start with just the basics. Once we find our "perfect place," we could worry about adding in extras. This experiment has had added benefits - we have been living closer to the culture than we would have if we had jumped right into high-end living.

An assessment of the cost of living is meaningless unless you know *how* we lived.

In Orosí, our most representative month was May, 2007. We were renting a small, furnished apartment in a small town. We had no car, no phone, no post office box, no cable TV (the antenna got us a few local channels) - all utilities were included in the rent. We went to internet cafes several times each week. We ate out at restaurants an average of 2 meals per day - none were extravagant though, as they were usually less than $5 each. We shopped at the local supermarkets, and occasionally went into Cartago (when we couldn't find what we needed). We didn't shop at the feria (the nearest was in Paraíso). We hired our landlady's housekeeper to also clean our apartment and do our laundry one day per week. Although we had USA medical insurance at the time, I don't include it as a normal cost of living in Costa Rica. Our total for the month, including averaged one-time-only purchases was $1,060.

Here is the breakdown of costs:

5/1/2007 through 5/31/2007 (in U.S. Dollars)

Item - Dollars - Averaged One-time
--------------------------------------------
Dining Out - $500
Groceries - $280
Rent - $130
Medicine - $30
Local Travel (bus, taxi) - $6
Internet - $15
Electric - $0
Gas (cooking) - $6
Long Distance - $10
Laundry - $20
Cleaning Service - $20
Entertainment - $15
Miscellaneous - $0 - $4
Bank Charges - $0 - $1
Clothing - $0 - $3
Furniture - $0 - $10
Moving - $0 - $10

Total => $1,032 + $28 = $1060

Part 2 is our cost of living in Alajuela in January 2008, and part 3 is our cost of living in San Pedro in early 2009.

March 30, 2008 - Orosi Day Trip

We finally made it back to Orosí - it is almost unbelievable how long it took us to make the trip.

We first tried in the middle of December - we planned take the bus and stay several days with our Spanish School Family. When that didn't work out, we next tried in January - but that time, we didn't even get as far as details. So many things interfere - we were sick, I was trying to schedule surgery, life happened... We were stuck with this idea that we couldn't make such a long trip (and back) in only one day. Then you have to consider all the junk we have to take with us if we stay even one night - yikes! By March, we had gone on enough multi-hour bus trips that a full day didn't phase us as much, so we thought we would try renting a car for the day, and plan on a single-day trip. Well, the car-rental thing was a bust. This is the time that you really appreciate the culture here - Each time we called the family to plan a trip (and then when we called to re-schedule), they were unfazed. I could feel my whole body clench, but they were super-cool.

Here we were, running out of Costa Rica time, brains adjusted to the idea of a day trip, with a load of gifts (not something you want to take back to the states with you). So, we did it! We caught the 8:00 bus from Alajuela to San José, took a taxi to the Cartago bus stop, where we just caught the bus to Cartago. Ahhh. We recognized the right place to get off the bus - an easy half-block walk later, we are on the Orosí bus! Unbelievably, we were in Orosí just 2 hours after leaving Alajuela!

We had a great visit - my Spanish is getting better (but still very halting, and I don't really "hear" it well), and Rick's Spanish is *great*! There is a new baby, so we got to make a fuss :).



Since we got there so early, we had coffee while they had a late breakfast. They have been through some tough times - their oldest son was in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. He had an attack while working in Guanacaste, then a stressful ride in the ambulance to Cartago - the ambulance driver from Nicoya didn't know Cartago, and so got a bit lost. The family had made trips to Nicoya to see him while he was in the hospital there (he had to stabilize before the ambulance ride), and they were talking about how long it took to drive there - they got home at 3:00 in the morning one time. But now he is in the Cartago hospital - it is the premier hospital in Costa Rica for stomach problems (and Costa Rica has a *very* high incidence of stomach cancer). They had put off visiting their son that day because we were coming to see them - yikes!

A bit later, José took us up to his family´s finca - it is a short (but steep and bumpy) drive up the mountain. No one really lives there, but there is a shack where people can stay overnight if needed. The views are amazing! While we were there, we saw a helicopter - José said that it was owned by a gringo who lives on the other side of the ridge - he can get to San José in 20 minutes. Talk about decadent!



The finca is in coffee country, but the coffee plants are in trouble - José showed us the damage caused by an insect infestation. The healthy beans are normally white inside...



We got back to the house and had a fabulous Tico lunch - Teresita cooked chicken soup (my mouth is watering just thinking about it). It is so rich!

Lunch just added to the feeling that could only be described as homesick. It seems strange to say it, especially since we really only spent 3 months there, but there is no more accurate word. From the time we entered the valley, past the coffee plants and the orange-blooming trees, recognizing friends´ houses, familiar restaurants, the rocky river, the soccer field - well, just about everything - I had a lump somewhere in the vicinity of my throat.



I thought again about living nearby - if we do end up close, I think I *will* talk to Teresita about getting cooking lessons from her...

Well, our return trip was not as smooth as coming to Orosí - it took us 3 hours instead of 2. We hit some traffic, but we also found out where a lot of buses leave from Cartago (about 4 blocks North of the Ruins / Central Park). All told, we spent 5 hours of travel for 5 hours of visiting - a pretty good rate I´d say!

OK, so this has been something of a ramble - I'm out of practice...

October 02, 2007 - Orosí Map

Here´s my working map of Orosí.
We stayed in a house (#4 on the map) for about two and a half months.

September 15, 2007 - Orosi Pictures

I got the pictures from Orosí uploaded - finally!!!
Check them out on Flickr.

August 03, 2007 - Orosi Living: Pros and Cons

Our plan for Costa Rica is to live in several towns for several months each before deciding where to settle down. During our visits, we have been trying to keep in mind that we are looking for the best place for us - this is difficult because it is so easy to focus on the positive and ignore or downplay any negatives. It is easy to say "Oh, we can live without that," etc.

We lived in Orosí for almost 3 months, from the end of the dry season through the beginning of the rainy season. When we left, we knew the town wasn´t a perfect match for us. We let our impressions settle for a while, then came up with this list of Pros and Cons.

Overall: Orosí is a small town of about 2,000. The surrounding community brings the population to 10,000. It is near a wildlife reserve and a lake (used for hydroelectricity and fishing). It is about 20 km South of Cartago - about 45 minutes by bus, or 25 minutes by car. It is in a small valley, surrounded by coffee fincas - a bit lower in elevation than Cartago.

Pro:

· Very Friendly

· Easy to have a horse nearby

· Not a tourist town, but you will see a lot of travelers

· We made many good friends there

· ¨Good¨ climate - not too hot or humid, although we needed a fan

· Quiet; not much going on; easy to get lazy

· Good dentist available in town

· Some opportunities for social interactions via Montaña Linda Spanish School and private music parties

· Good place to visit and have visitors

· Very few of the helpful people have ulterior motives (e.g., they genuinely want to help; they are not just trying to sell you something)

· Affordable

Con:

· No Park

· No Central Market

· San José is multiple-bus-rides away

· Neighboring cities are uninspiring (that is an opinion, based on *our* needs)

· No ethnic restaurants

· The locals do not recommend the local doctor or clinic; it is a long way (San José or Cartago) for good health care

· Neither of us could drink the tap water without some degree of discomfort; we ended up using bottled water for drinking and for making soups

· There were a few aggressive drunks - in a small town, you have to avoid the same ones

If a small town suits you, Orosí is a wonderful place to consider. You can click on the ¨orosi¨ tag to see more posts on the town.

Something we have noticed in general is that the people in small towns have lives which are more influenced by religion. The church is a central part of the community.

July 12, 2007 - Orosi Celebration

Thanks to Roni, I now know
what happened in Orosi in mid-May

June 23, 2007 - Miscellaneous

I guess I´m catching up a bit...
We *have* noticed that Grecia is pricier than Orosí. We admittedly went to the Perimercado, which is an expensive supermarket, but we also went to the central market. Examples: chicken breast is about $1 per kilogram more in Grecia (my upbringing tells me that that adds up); a bottle of soda in a restaurant is 200 colones more in Grecia, compared to 500 colones ($1) in Orosí.
--- thunder and lightning are close, will continue later ---

June 23, 2007 - Memorable Restaurants and Hotels

Memorable Restaurants and Hotels

(I have no business affiliation with any of these, just good history)

Alajuela

· Cugini's - Italian, ~2 blocks west of the central park

· Hotel Santamaría, SW corner of Juan SantaMaría park; Aldo and Jorge (and Jorge & Rosaria) are helpful and interesting (art, movies, movie-making, world travel, Antarctica, Argentina...)

· Jalapeño's - TexMex, ~2 blocks north of the central park

· Soda el Banco - best Gallo Pinto so far, across the street from the south-west corner of Juan SantaMaría park

· Vida Tropical, B&B in a nice quiet neighborhood, ~5 blocks north of the central park; Norman and Isabel are great! Lots of interesting breakfast chatter.

Grecia

· B&B Grecia - less than 2 blocks south of the park; Karl and Monika look out for you!

· Café Delicias - half block west of the park

· Colbert's - near Poás; "Fancy French" restaurant, with great view. We had a lunch of paté, main course, wine, and dessert for $22 each (plus the gas to get there....). Good to do once in a while.

Heredia

· Hotel Heredia - 4 blocks north-west of the central park; Don Carlos is the owner of this and 3 others, but lives behind this one. He is very interesting to talk to (Spanish only).

· Le Petite Paris - near the central park - look for their signs with directions; excellent French meals, for not much $

Orosí

· Montaña Linda Hostel (250 m west of Bar Primavera) or Guest House (just south of the Montaña Linda Spanish School)

· Hotel Reventezón (and restaurant) - on the corner south of super anita #2

· Otiac - restaurant attached to the Spanish school (also contains the "post office")

· Pizzeria Valle de Luz - in the Super Anita #2 center

· Tia´s Jardin - 2 blocks north of the church; excellent vegetarian (Thai on Friday nights)

June 12, 2007 - to Grecia

A few days ago, we decided to leave Orosí a bit early, and spend more time in Grecia instead. We had hoped to show some of Orosí to some of our friends, but life got in the way. So, we will inflict ourselves on them in Grecia :D.

We spent Sunday starting our good-byes; we visited with José and Rita, and had pizza and music with Tom and Jill. Monday, we had a final dinner with Teresita and José Miguel (our Tico family), and had a lovely celebration. Today, we finally went on an Orosí photo safari, then had Katia and Susan for cafecito. Excellent visits, all.

We found out that while you can visit Costa Rica from the United States very easily, the reverse is just not so. A Costa Rican must pay $160 just to _apply_ for a visa - this is often denied, with no refund. Hopefully, we will one day be able to show the states to some of our Tico friends.

We arranged for Tom and Jill to take over our apartment - they will be staying a bit longer than we had originally planned. It is a ¨gana-gana¨ (win-win) situation, as they say.

So, tomorrow - Grecia!

June 12, 2007 - Home?

When you start looking for another place to live, you think of what “home” is really like. Right now, I have three places I think of as Home.

“Home-home” is (and probably always will be) where I grew up, and where my parents still live. It is where sentimental “stuff” is stored; things I can't just throw out, and that are safely tucked away. It is where I left my dog when I moved to an apartment; where he and my parents took care of each other. It will always mean Saturday pancakes followed by chores. It means hikes in the buttes, strolls in the orchards, and horse-back riding on the levees.

Another home is where I have lived for the last twenty years. It is where Rick and I met and married; where I grew into the person I am. It means the scent of the ocean, the sound of the waves crashing, and long drives with the top down. It means long hours of work, with excellent people, exhilaration when a bug is fixed, when others share a discovery, and celebratory coffee trips.

As we get ready to leave Orosí, I know we will cherish memories of visits with our neighbors, the scenery, birdsong, and the pace of life; where walking down the street means impromptu visits and scatterings of “adiós” and “buenas.” We have left enough things not-yet-done to give us excuses to return.

May 31, 2007 - Small-Town Crime Wave

Well, we´ve had a rash of burglaries in our small town of Orosí. Over the last 2 weeks, several homes and businesses have been broken into, including a supermarket, billiards hall, hostel, and several homes.

We get all of our news by word-of-mouth (e.g., gossip - it IS a small town after all...). And now to do my part :D. The host at the hostel was asleep when someone came in to the common area and ate some stuff from the fridge, drank some beer, then took his glasses and shaved with his razor (hmmm). The cash registers were emptied at the businesses, and at least one computer was taken out through a (small!) window of a house. One person had just arrived, with all her stuff at the entrance to a business, and someone walked off with it - she was packed for a 6 month trip!

What is the effect on people when this stuff happens? Well, one person has decided to sell her house instead of renting it out (she was planning to leave the country anyway). One person is moving to another town (but still in Costa Rica) earlier than planned. We had a fairly sleepless night planning our escape from small-town CR. Rumors run wild - ¨Everyone knows who did it (implying that all were robbed by one person), but no one is doing anything (implying complicity).¨ Some people are careful to state how they heard items of interest, and look for alternative interpretations, so other possibilities temper the building panic. Instead of ¨Oh my god! We have to get out of here! We´re next!¨ We get a chance to look around and realize that our situation is not all bad. After all, we do have nosy neighbors ;)

May 27, 2007 - Rain?

I thought I knew rain.

I survived the many winter floods of California, and summer visits to the Pacific Northwest, so I thought I knew rain.

I outlasted a week of afternoon drenches one summer in Denver, so I thought I knew downpours.

HAH!

Yesterday we had a DOWNPOUR! For an hour, we couldn´t even see the mountains through the rain - these are mountains that you can walk to in less than 15 minutes! The house across the street had a foot of extra ¨haze¨ above the roof where the rain was bouncing - ¨double rain¨ if you will. The streets were rivers. The place we were eating lunch flooded. We couldn´t hear anything over the rain on the roof - we shouted to order our lunch; they turned off the radio; every once in a while, we imagined we heard the waiter singing. It was better than in the shower! NO ONE could HEAR YOU!

Then! the thunder and lightning came! Most strikes were 5 seconds (between lightning and thunder), but several times I only got to ONE second. That is darned close... =:-)

An hour after the rain stopped, the rivers were once again streets with little puddles, the sun came out, and people creeped out of their houses and went about their business. Our host tells us that in October, this sort of rain is common - but it lasts 6 hours instead of one (!!!)

We found out later that downhill of the soccer field, the lightning had struck - phones were out for a while at least.

Today - sunny and warm, no rain so far (but I´ve got my umbrella)...

May 25, 2007 - Light Sights

Light Sights around Orosí:

Watching the clouds from our table in the restaurant (on a covered patio, no glass between us and the elements), I see 4 green parrots flying free across the valley.

Three generations walking in the rain: grandmother with an umbrella, mother with an umbrella, and a child in a rain poncho - pushing off the hood...

A gaggle of school children (in uniform) walking to the swimming pool - holding hands in pairs, following their teacher.

Hearing a bird chirping outside the Internet café, looking out to see my new favorite bird - a bright yellow-breasted, grey-backed bird, with grey, white, and red striped head.

A school-yard full of 7-year olds in rain gear, getting sprayed with the hose - after one WHOLE day of no rain...

May 22, 2007 - Day trippin´ to San José

Yesterday we spent the day in San José (and a *lot* of that day getting there and back). We had a list a mile long, and accomplished only a fraction of what we intended. But, it was more a day trip than a "must do this list of things" trip.

Our list:
- look for / buy Tums, Liqui-Gel Advil, Tinactin, Salad dressing (Ranch and Blue Cheese), different scotch or bourbon
- get information on CPAP machine replacement (for when mine breaks; it's ok now, but I dread it breaking again, and want to know exactly what to expect in Costa Rica)
- get shoes that fit
- go to ARCR; get El Residente magazine, set up mail forwarding, buy ¨Costa Rica by Bus¨ book, get info on medical insurance, get directions to shoe place and return bus to Cartago
- talk to a guitar-maker recommended by a neighbor
- go to a book store
- go to a museum

What we accomplished:
- no Tums, salad dressing, scotch, or bourbon; found a possible replacement for tinactin; found that Liqui-Gel Advil is sold (as is, different name) as a remedy for ¨woman´s troubles¨
- found the ¨Praxair¨ (c 4y6, A16 - SW of Clínica Bíblica) place, and talked to a woman about CPAPs. She said they are just starting to handle them, and the person who knows more wasn´t there just then. We got her card and need to call back. BUT! she did mention perhaps providing a loaner if we had to wait for a replacement machine.
- got cowboy boots that fit great (even with my orthotics) on the first try! Off-the-shelf even! Skipped the custom-boot makers. Went on to the custom-shoe-makers, but couldn´t find them.
- got info, etc from ARCR; skipping medical insurance questions until later
- skipped the guitar-maker, bookstore, and museum...

Our loooong day (7 bus trips and a taxi ride, PLUS walking, walking, walking):
Caught the 9:15 bus from Orosí to Cartago, then found the San José bus with enough time to spare for a bathroom break. Landed in San José at 11:00, spent a few minutes flailing around figuring out where we were exactly (asked a few bus drivers, bank guards, and unfortunate passers-by). Walked to Praxair, then caught a taxi to ARCR environs and had lunch. Found out about the Periférica bus line from ARCR, and took it - got off and on THREE times and saw a bit of San José and San Pedro. Went to several malls, walked around looking for stuff. HUGE help from the last Periférica bus driver, who pointed out our Periférica stop, and more help from a fellow passenger who walked us down to the San Pedro bus stop for Cartago. We left San Pedro at 4:40, and got to Cartago at 5:30; immediately hopped on the bus for Orosí, and got home at 6:00. WHEW!

Some items:
Our bus driver from Cartago to San José was pulled over for speeding. Almost all of the buses started before we were seated - we both have numerous bruises and wrenches. At the San Pedro bus stop, we saw all sorts of interesting attractions: another guitar-maker, foreign-film festival, books, used DVDs and CDs, Indian food...

May 20, 2007 - Racing through Orosí

Orosí was full of spandex, bikes, energy drinks, and huffing-and-puffing yesterday.

It was the day of the Orosí Valley Race, put on by Adventure Racing Costa Rica (http://www.adventureracingcostarica.com/orosi.html)

Stories abounded - one ¨test¨ was for the team to read clues to a destination; for example, ¨turn right at a golden building where foreigners learn a language¨ meant to turn right at the Montaña Linda Spanish School. This instruction led the team to the swimming pools, where they had to dive for a brick, take it to the edge of the pool, and recite a sentence (inflections and all) perfectly. If they stumbled in the recitation, they had to start the swim over.

We saw several teams while we were at the school. Some asked questions of the cook, and some asked for refills for their water.

For some reason, I kept thinking of Todd - he would enjoy this...

May 15, 2007 - Perfect Time of Year?

There are plenty of arguments about when is the best time of year to be in Costa Rica. Other than _all_ the time, most people go for the dry season - generally between late November and early April. It is a nice time, in part because you don´t have to worry about forgetting your umbrella - you don´t need it.

We haven´t been here for each part of the year yet, but the first part of May has captured us. There are afternoon and/or evening rains every few days, cooling the air and settling the dust. The sky is a fabulous blue, offset by brilliant white clouds, and the occasional boiling dark clouds bringing rain. The sun streaks through fluffy clouds to light the bright green mountains surrounding our small valley. Thunder and lightning roll through and give the town cannon some competition.

We expect that the next month will bring daily afternoon deluges - those are fun in their own way...

May 06, 2007 - Orosi vs Orosí

Orosi vs Orosí

Solved!

I asked a group of Ticas about the pronunciation of Orosí, and they said this: the *town* is pronounced oh-ROH-si. But there is a Volcán Orosí that is pronounced oh-roh-SI! I looked for this volcano on my maps, and can *not* find it. I didn´t think until later to ask how the name of the *Valley* is pronounced. Oh well.

Of course, *all* of the above are spelled the same way: Orosí.

Update: the valley of Orosí is pronounced the same as the town.

Update (July 22, 2008): I finally ran across an article about the volcano - it is in Guanacaste, no where *near* Cartago!

http://www.journalcr.com/news_article.php?edition=99&article=2039

"The Orosi Volcano is one of the main natural treasures at the Guanacaste National Park..."

May 03, 2007 - Orosí info

We have heard, seen, or read many different ways of pronouncing Orosí. In guide books and most maps, it is Orosí, which usually means the accent is on the final syllable. But we had heard others pronounce it with the accent in the middle (as if the accent mark were absent). So when we knew we were coming here, we asked everyone - is it Orosi or Orosí? We always heard Orosi. Hmm. When I got to Spanish School, I asked my teacher - why is it pronounced Orosi, but spelled Orosí? He said that it started out as two words, meaning ¨Gold? Yes!¨(Oro? Sí!). They just kept the spelling when they combined the two words for the name of the town. Next! Someone else in the school thought she was hearing Órosi (accent on the first syllable), and had heard the same story. Her pronunciation sounds like it should be the correct one if you stick to the two-word idea. We´re still listening...

PS - we confirmed that the most-often quoted population of a town includes all the outlying communities as well. Orosí proper does not have 10,000 people in it - more like 2000. This would also mean that Grecia and Atenas (guessed at earlier) follow the same ¨rule.¨

April 28, 2007 - our Orosi house

We are learning how to live in Orosi (poco a poco - bit by bit).

Our house in Orosi is definitely Tico style, and not fancy. But it is giving us a taste of how we will live here long term.
It has two bedrooms, a living room (with a TV in a cage - it must be dangerous ;)), a bathroom, and a shared kitchen. Sometimes I feel like I am camping - we have a two-burner gas stovetop (no oven), and we pour hot water thru a filter to make coffee. We have a few plates and silverware (I bought two steak knives, so we have more than one big chef's knife now), and so we wash dishes as soon as we use them - even during cooking, because we use the eating utinsels to cook with :) . Then we bring everything into our living room to eat (the kitchen is outside our apartment, and the fridge is outside under an overhang). We go shopping every day (especially good since the electricity is going out a lot now - no food to throw away). The grocery store is only a block away, so it is *really* convenient.
Orosi is interesting, and cool enough when the rains hit. There are quite a few places we haven't been yet, but plan on visiting - Cartago, swimming hole, hot springs, etc. I have started a map, and expect to fill in some gaps over time. My foot is bothering me though, so I haven't been able to walk very far very often yet.

We were just going to ask our landlady if we could borrow some cleaning equipment, when she asked if we wanted to hire her cleaning lady. Good timing! We hired her on the spot, for $4 per visit (she cleans the main - big - house for $5, so we are probably paying more than if we had bargained). Interesting though; when we asked about caja and taxes (like social security here), they both almost gasped and said no, no, no. So we are trying it out for one day per week. She will also wash our clothes for an additional charge (our house has no facilities for this). We also found out that our landlady will take care of our sheets - we had assumed that she was just lending them to us, and we had to wash them.

Visiting friends and family is very important here - we moved out of Teresita's house on Sunday, and saw them on Tuesday - they said "didn't you miss us? why haven't you visited?" They see each other several times a day.

We had lunch at Susan's house last Sunday, and met her Tico neighbors (Susan is a gringa who bought a house in Orosi - we met here at the Spanish school). On Friday, we walked down to see her (the walk takes about 15 minutes). She was sick, so we brought her a book and some soup. On the way there, we talked with her neighbor for a few minutes. When Susan didn't answer our call of "upe," we figured she was asleep, so we left the goodies with her neighbor (and visited for a few more minutes). As we were leaving, they invited us to lunch on the coming Sunday :D.

After the electricity came back on last night, Rick wasn't feeling well, so I went to Teresita's house to say we weren't sure we could visit the finca with them Saturday (today). I brought a list of baby names Rick had put together for Mariela, and I spent close to an hour with them - talking about electricity outages and baby names. Teresita said she would come by our house soon to visit - I couldn't state a date and time, since our kitchen set-up is so limited. I think cafecito would be best - I think food (or at least offering food) is an important element of these visits.

April 26, 2007 - rainy season?

It hasn´t rained in almost 2 weeks - we got a sprinkle last night, but no real rain yet. I´ve been told that Orosi has different weather - it is pretty much between the Carribean and the Pacific, so it mainly depends on which side is more dominant at any given time. My teacher said that March and April are the hottest and driest months, and that October, November, and December are the wettest.

Update: most people still say that August and September are the wettest months...