Week-by-week schedule
Arriving in Costa Rica without a plan is like jumping into a pool with your eyes closed. This is the sequence we recommend: twelve weeks, without overwhelming yourself. If you take longer on some points, even better — rushing is expensive.
- Don't sign anything definitive. Stay in temporary rental (Airbnb, monthly lodging) while you get to know the neighborhood.
- Buy a local SIM card (Kölbi, Movistar, Claro). It opens everything: WhatsApp, banking, apps.
- Exploratory visits: nearest supermarket, hardware store, cheap soda restaurant, local bakery. Not the big box store on day one.
- Walk your neighborhood at different hours (morning, midday, night). What's paradise by day is sometimes different at night.
- In-person meeting with immigration lawyer. Sign special power of attorney.
- Open a temporary bank account with your passport (BCR and Banco Nacional accept tourists; private banks are stricter).
- If you brought a pet: visit a local vet to register it and enter the local check-up network.
- Register at your home country's consulate (they can find you in a consular emergency).
- Set up residential internet at your temporary or first permanent rental. Kölbi and Tigo have better rural coverage; Liberty is stronger in the GAM.
- Transport decision: rent a car for a month? Buy right away? If you don't know the area, rent. Rushed buying is the most expensive mistake.
- Learn the essential apps: Sinpe Móvil (transfers), Uber/inDriver (taxi), Auto Mercado/Más x Menos (supermarket with delivery), Pedidos Ya.
- Decide your healthcare structure (the most important decision of the first month): CAJA, INS, or private.
- If going private: get quotes from BlueCross, Mapfre, or international (GeoBlue, Cigna Global) based on budget.
- Find a local primary care doctor. Ask neighbors for referrals before searching Google.
- Find a trusted pharmacy: Fischel, La Bomba, San José, or a local pharmacy in rural areas.
- If buying: start serious property due diligence (see checklist). Minimum 3-month process, not 3 weeks.
- If renting long-term: 1-year contract, 1-month deposit, 1-month bond. NEVER pay 6 months upfront to someone you just met.
- If still exploring: extend temporary rental and make zone decisions before choosing a house.
- Local Development Association or community committee: introduce yourself. In CR everything moves through relationships, not paperwork.
- Neighborhood pulpería (corner store): shop there even if the supermarket has better prices. That connection gives you local info Google doesn't.
- If you have children: enrollment in public school, private school, or homeschool.
- Take a class in something: yoga, surf, dance, language. Community is built through repetition, not events.
- If buying a car: technical inspection + due diligence with a trusted mechanic. Rural zone brands: Toyota, Suzuki, Nissan (parts everywhere).
- If importing: the full process takes 3–5 months; plan ahead.
- License conversion: with DIMEX or passport + valid foreign license.
- Meeting with a certified public accountant. Decide whether to file as an individual or open a corporation.
- Registration with Hacienda if you'll generate income in CR.
- Quarter review: what worked, what didn't, what would you change? Write it down.
After day 90
If you followed this sequence, by day 91 you'll have: stable housing, bank account, healthcare, internet, transport, and a minimum community. Residency is probably still in process (normal). The next block is months 4–12: deepening your network, deciding on property purchase, adjusting your tax structure, and building daily life.
The most common mistake after day 90 is losing the rhythm of exploration. People stay home, put on Netflix, and after 6 months wonder why they have no friends. Integration is not passive — ask, go, introduce yourself.
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