The experiences you’ll have here when you shut your laptop are the reasons Costa Rica is the ideal place for digital nomads.
1. Comfortable weather year-round
When it comes to weather, Costa Rica has it all. It may be known as a tropical beach locale, but there are also cooler mountains and lakes inland. The Central Valley has beautiful year round spring-like weather, the Caribbean coast is more humid, the Guanacaste coast is dry and the Central Pacific is somewhere in between. There are actually 12 microclimates here, plus there’s usually a wet and dry season for each area. But in all these microclimates, the weather is generally on the warmer side and quite comfortable year-round – especially if you are coming from a place with snowy winters and freezing temperatures.
2. High-speed internet in more places than ever before
During the pandemic, Costa Rica made a huge push to extend high-speed internet coverage to more remote areas. Fiber optic internet is now available in many beach towns, in the mountains, and of course in the metropolitan area as well. Connections are fairly reliable, but you still should have a backup plan for internet and power outages because hey – it’s still jungle living!
3. Proximity to the US and Canada
Costa Rica is just a quick flight from the US and Canada with many direct flights to both San José and Liberia airports. If your job is based there or you have family and friends in North America, it’s easy to jump on a flight for a quick trip up north.
4. Located in the Central Standard Timezone
All of Costa Rica is in one timezone, Central Standard Time (GMT-6). This makes it the perfect place to remotely work for a company in any timezone in the US or Canada. You’ll never be more than two hours ahead or behind anywhere in those countries. The time difference will actually change though, depending on Daylight Savings time, since Costa Rica doesn’t turn the clocks forward like most of the US and Canada does for half the year. So part of the year you may be synced with the US Central time, and part of the year you’ll be on US Mountain time.
5. Affordable cost of living
While Costa Rica is not the cheapest country in Central America by any means, with the income requirement of $3,000 per month for the Digital Nomad Visa, you’ll be able to live quite comfortably. The more touristy areas do tend to be more pricey, and unfortunately that also correlates with where the better wifi is, more activities are and the more international communities are. So you get what you pay for, like everywhere else in the world. In general, being close to these hubs will make your life easier, especially if you are a less experienced traveler. But there are still many, many places to go off the beaten path and find great deals outside the tourist areas. If you’re on a budget you can make the necessary adjustments to still enjoy Costa Rica, because many of the best activities here are free.
6. English is widely spoken
Since Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination with such close ties to the US, English is widely spoken here. If you stick to tourist areas, you’ll be fine with just knowing some Spanish basics since most people will speak English. But you will be limited in the experiences you have if you don’t learn any Spanish at all.
7. It’s a great place to learn Spanish
Costa Rica has many Spanish schools and plenty of friendly locals to practice your Spanish with if you want to learn while you’re here.
8. A balanced, healthy lifestyle is easy to achieve
When the national slogan is “pura vida” (pure life), you can be sure it’s a place that values a healthy, balanced lifestyle. With one of the Blue Zones located in the Nicoya peninsula, Ticos have definitely mastered how to manage stress and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. The warm weather and abundance of healthy tropical fruits helps, too! In recent years yoga and surf communities have grown immensely in the coastal regions as well, making it easy to stay fit and happy while you’re here.
9. It’s the safest country in Central America
Costa Rica ranks as the safest country in Central America, with violent crime rates low and usually isolated incidents. You do need to watch your belongings, since petty theft is common, as it is in many tourist areas around the world. Learning about other potentially dangerous things in your new tropical environment is also recommended. Rip tides, bugs, snakes, etc. might be things you’re not used to watching out for! But once you become accustomed to your surroundings, it’s a safe place to be.
10. You’re always close to nature and adventure
One of the top reasons to come work remotely in Costa Rica is to be able to enjoy the beautiful natural environment when your work is done! Catching sunset at the beach will become part of your daily routine. Hiking through the jungle to a waterfall could be a weekend activity. Relaxing in a volcanic hot spring with breathtaking views of the volcano is how you’ll unwind after the work week. The experiences you’ll have here when you shut your laptop are the reasons Costa Rica is the ideal place for digital nomads.