Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: Expat Living in Costa Rica's Latest Hotspot

Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, located on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, were once remote fishing villages that now rely on tourism as the main source of income. Expat residents can enjoy amazing surf, restaurants, and a range of housing from luxury to budget.
Patrick and Aaron recently toured Santa Teresa and nearby communities for their clients who are considering a move to this popular Nicoya Peninsula hotspot. In this video, they talk about why you'd want to consider moving there, and why you might want to look elsewhere.
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[@Jim-bs8ln]

Been 3 times and going back in June. My daughter has lived there for 4 years. Love Santa Teresa.

[@leejeffries9796]

I am surprised you don’t show photos or videos of the beautiful locations.

[@yourpuravida]

we're trying to make our videos really simple - but trust me we've thought about how we amp up. There is so much footage out there already on these spots that we only want to do if we can make something that feels needed and missing... Love your ideas Lee!

[@yourpuravida]

Do you currently live in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica? What do you like about it? What do you not like about it? Are you considering living there? What questions do you have?

[@TexasNewMoney]

You guys created a very niche channel. The clientele will come, but very slowly. Nonetheless, to all future Costa Rican residents and prospects, it's an amazing window into the ins and outs of the country. Keep up the good work.

[@yourpuravida]

Thanks NewMoney. yea, it's niche because we don't want to oversell or over promise. We are very confident that we can help and support and we are also very comfortable staying in this "niche". We want to inspire and facilitate people's best lives in Costa Rica. We are loving our niche for sure!

[@TexasNewMoney]

@@yourpuravida You're going to attract the right people for sure. I'm looking to move back to CR after 36 years here in the US as a native Costa Rican. I'm essentially a foreigner at this point. Having folks like you guys seeing the grind out there will help greatly. We'll stay in touch.

[@yourpuravida]

Excited to stay in touch @@TexasNewMoney !

[@jakelesnake4927]

It used to be fun to cycle up and down that road, but now everyone has a car or an ATV and the dust and traffic are horrible. It's the same everywhere in the world of course, but ten years ago I had a basic self-catered apartment with kitchen and bathroom, in the best bit of town for $300 for a month. A shared room in a grotty hostel would be twice that now. The rubbish collection is also a terrible problem. A place like that doesn't have the infrastructure for the amount of development it now has.

[@yourpuravida]

Agree with you on all your points Jake. I was amazed at how bad the rubbish issue is currently. It feels so un-Tico to let that pile like that. Hopefully, the infrastructure can build up to where it needs to be. Because it's such a special place, I don't want to see it turn trashy and expensive trashy at that... Where do you like it now? What's your Santa Teresa of 10 years ago?

[@jakelesnake4927]

@@yourpuravida It really is a special part of the world, that's why it's so heartbreaking. Of course I know I was part of the whole popularisation of it, even if I think I trod lighter, sticking to a bicycle rather than the average tourist with their pickups and ATV's everyone seems to have nowadays. It's made me reconsider my destinations completely. These days I'd rather stick to places that are already developed where there might be some infrastructure and so I'm not contributing to the destruction of another pristine paradise. On that basis, I don't want to find the Santa Teresa of ten years ago, so I actually like Jaco these days. And Puerto Viejo for a bit more charm. It's of course the same conundrum the world over, tourism brings badly needed opportunities, investment and cultural exchange, but the negative consequences are also all too real. Sitting at home watching the rain battering my windows in Blighty, as it will for the next 6 months, I fully understand why people want to go to places like Santa Teresa if they can. I know most people would say if Jaco's the answer you're asking the wrong question. Perhaps they're right.

[@yourpuravida]

@@jakelesnake4927 - Puerto Viejo has a special place in my soul, as does Sámara. I like going to Jaco but truthfully tend to stay outside the town itself.

[@6betoman6]

Costa Rican here, What did you think of the fact that ~80% of residents are immigrants? Did it feel like you were having a true Costa Rican experience? Are you aware of the situation regarding Argentinian immigrants and their irregular immigration status and how it affects the local economy?

[@mauricioslonmontero2887]

Good work guys, this is this town in a nutshell. I´m a costarican architect living and working in Santa Teresa area for around 10 years. Any help or more info you need about this area would be glad to assist! Pura vida!

[@yourpuravida]

we'd love to see your work Mauricio!

[@mkoschara]

Don't squeeze the shaman!

[@yourpuravida]

This must be a joke that we didn't pick up on our visit to Santa Teresa. Thanks for your comment. Pura vida.

[@mkoschara]

@@yourpuravida It is from the old toilet paper commercial for Charmin, as we both know how bad a lot of the toilet paper is here in Costa 🇨🇷 Rica.

[@LK-ec2ne]

I love the topics you propose, but the I always stop it 3 mins in. How about giving us more than talking heads?

[@yourpuravida]

Thanks for watching. We don't have the capacity at this point to do videos from locations other than our houses but it's something we hope to do in the future. Our goal is to provide enough information for our viewers to know if you want to dig deeper. KZbin has a ton of great videos shot in Santa Teresa, for example. Pura vida!