Note that Retire for Less was their goal and is the name of their newsletter
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| From “Hanging Bridges” Costa Rica by Charlie Click to enlarge |
Here is an example of a budget for a single person who has no more than $1500:
Rent …………………………………………………………………………………$200 to $300
Electricity and water ………………………………………………………….$20
Cable TV ………………………………………………………………………….$25 Monthly Public Transportation ………………………………………………………….$50
Monthly public health insurance (medicines included) ……………$50
Food ………………………………………………………………………………..$200 Entertainment ……………………………………………………………………$100 -$150
Misc. ……………………………………………………………………………….$200
How to live like a king or queen on $3000 or $4000
When you read the title of this article you will probably think that it is impossible to live so cheaply and so well. This is especially true if you reside in an expensive area of the U.S. like California. You could probably scrape by on a few thousand dollars a month up north but you certainly wouldn’t be living in luxury. Let’s see why the title of this article is true. A couple who owns a $150,000 home (three bedrooms and three baths) free and clear and has a car will probably have the following monthly expenses in Costa Rica.
Private medical insurance ……………………………………………….$200
Dental care ……………………………………………………….$50 per month
A part time maid …………………………………………………$100 to $150
Part time gardener …………………………………………………………….$30
Beauty parlor …………………………………………………………………….$75
Food including inexpensive fruits and vegetables from a Farmer’s market and many imported American products …………………………………….$500 per month
Entertainment (movies, socializing) ……………………….$200- $300
Dining out a couple of times a week ……………………………….$300
Private gym ……………………………………………$50 – $100 per couple
Country Club (after initial fees) …………………………………$100 to $200 per month
Car insurance for a relatively new car …………………………….$100
Utilities (water and electricity) ………………………………………..$100
Telephone (using Vonage or Skype for long distance) ……. $75-$100
High speed Internet …………………………………………………………..$50
Cable or satellite TV …………………………………………………………$50
Car repairs …………………………………………………………………………$50
Garbage ……………………………………………………………….$40 per year
Property taxes on your $150,000 home …………………….$20 per month
Misc. expenses …………………………………………………………………$300
Travel to U.S. or other countries ……………………$3000-$5000 or more per year
Really your lifestyle determines what you will spend here. You can choose to spend a lot more money if you are a high roller or yuppie type or substantially less if you wish to live modestly. I know single people who live for less than $1000 per month and others who have expensive tastes who spend what they would in the States. Nevertheless, you can live very well on the budget above. I should know because I have lived here almost 30 years and buy and do everything I want for under $4,000 monthly.