IKEA Begins Costa Rica Rollout: Start Practicing Your Allen Wrench Skills Now
IKEA is moving closer to opening in Costa Rica, and the country’s future furniture shoppers may want to start getting familiar with flat-pack boxes, tiny hardware bags and the Allen wrench. The Swedish home furnishings brand is entering the Costa Rican market through Sarton Group, the franchise operator already behind IKEA operations in the Dominican […]
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What It Really Costs to Live in Costa Rica as an Expat in 2026
Costa Rica remains one of the most popular destinations in Latin America for retirees, remote workers and foreign residents, but the old idea that the country is automatically cheap no longer tells the full story. In 2026, the cost of living in Costa Rica depends heavily on location, lifestyle and housing expectations. A single person […]
The post What It Really Costs to L [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/06/12/what-it-really-costs-to-live-in-costa-rica-as-an-expat-in-2026
How much does it cost to live in Costa Rica as an expat in 2026? A practical look at rent, healthcare, beach town prices and monthly budgets.
The Costa Rica Taxi Rule Every Newcomer Learns Fast
Newcomers to Costa Rica have to adjust to certain cultural and lifestyle habits here. A short list might include rice and beans being a breakfast staple, one-lane bridges on busy two-lane roads, milk sold at room temperature, pedestrians walking three abreast with their backs to traffic, and the difference most mentioned by first-time visitors: used […]
The post The Costa Rica Taxi R [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/06/07/the-costa-rica-taxi-rule-every-newcomer-learns-fast
A funny expat look at Costa Rica culture shock, from toilet paper rules to the taxi etiquette every newcomer should learn fast: don’t slam the door.
Costa Rica’s OIJ Warns of Surge in Virtual Kidnapping Scams
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) is warning of a steep rise in “virtual kidnapping” extortion, with complaints jumping more than sevenfold over the past year — a pattern that authorities say increasingly targets people who run businesses or advertise services. Reports of the scam climbed from eight cases between January and May 2025 to […]
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https://ticotimes.net/2026/06/02/costa-ricas-oij-warns-of-surge-in-virtual-kidnapping-scams
Costa Rica's OIJ reports virtual kidnapping complaints surged from 8 to 58 this year, with business owners and online advertisers most at risk.
Life in Costa Rica Shows Expats a Different Side of Politics
I moved permanently to Costa Rica for many reasons, but the political situation in the United States was not one of them. And to this day, I do my best to live unaffected by whatever is transpiring in my home country, as difficult as that can sometimes be. Recently, on a Facebook page dedicated to […]
The post Life in Costa Rica Shows Expats a Different Side of Politics appe [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/05/30/life-in-costa-rica-shows-expats-a-different-side-of-politics
Costa Rica Coffee Culture and the Surprising Numbers Behind It
I just read a statistic that I find difficult to believe. According to worldpopulationreview.com, Hong Kong consumed a heart-racing 43 kilos of coffee per capita in 2023. This has to be some kind of record. I combed through other websites and found no other place or year anywhere close to this number. I thought I […]
The post Costa Rica Coffee Culture and the Surprising Nu [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/05/26/costa-rica-coffee-culture-and-the-surprising-numbers-behind-it
Costa Rica Named Latin America Leader for Immigrant Well-Being
Costa Rica ranked 44th out of 82 countries in the 2026 Remitly Immigration Index, placing it in the middle of the global list of immigrant destinations but near the top of the world for happiness and social well-being. The index, which compares countries across 34 indicators in 16 categories, ranked Switzerland No. 1 overall, followed […]
The post Costa Rica Named Latin Am [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/05/23/costa-rica-named-latin-america-leader-for-immigrant-well-being
Costa Rica Bus and Taxi Fares Rise After Fuel Price Spike
Costa Rica approved higher bus and taxi fares this week after a rise in international fuel prices pushed up operating costs for public transport operators. The Public Services Regulatory Authority, known here as Aresep, approved a 5.43% increase for bus fares nationwide and increases ranging from 1.39% to 2.82% for taxi service. The adjustment covers […]
The post Costa Rica Bus [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/05/23/costa-rica-bus-and-taxi-fares-rise-after-fuel-price-spike
How Cell Phones Took Over Public Life in Costa Rica
Is there any device that humans now use more frequently and publicly than the cell phone? Once merely a portable telephone and text message sender, the cell phone is now an all-purpose communication and life center, indispensable to most, and certainly to anyone living and working on the grid. With more than 4,000 signal towers […]
The post How Cell Phones Took Over Public Life in Co [...]
https://ticotimes.net/2026/05/22/how-cell-phones-took-over-public-life-in-costa-rica
Cell phones are everywhere now, but not long ago they were banned in banks and feared at gas stations. A look back at how public cell phone use changed.
Costa Rica to Offer No-Appointment Driver’s Tests at National Stadium
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport will hold a special no-appointment driving test event at the National Stadium on Wednesday, June 17, in an effort to reduce waiting times for one of our country’s most in-demand license services. The event will run from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the northeast sector of […]
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