French Expat Homeowners’ Experience in Costa Rica

Published on October 30, 2025 and written by Cyril Jarnias

French Expatriation in Costa Rica: A Real Estate Adventure

Through lush landscapes and exceptional biodiversity, Costa Rica attracts not only tourists but also many French expatriates who decide to settle there. Among them, some have made the bold choice to become property owners in this small Central American paradise.

From Challenges to Success: The Expat Journey

This article takes you on an intimate exploration of these French citizens’ experiences, recounting their challenges, successes, and integration within the local community.

Between Sea and Mountain: A New Life

Between the Pacific coast beaches and the lush inland mountains, discover how they reinvented their daily lives in this country where the national motto, “Pura Vida,” symbolizes an art of living in harmony with nature and the people.

French Expatriates in Costa Rica: Journeys and Challenges

The expatriation journeys of French citizens settled in Costa Rica are as varied as the individuals themselves. Several testimonials illustrate the diversity of their motivations, administrative procedures undertaken, obstacles encountered, and their adaptation to local life.

Reasons for Relocation

• Search for a better quality of life: many mention the pleasant climate, preserved nature, and a certain gentleness of living.
• Desire to start a business or need for professional freedom: for example, Patricia Richer explains she left France due to the social and economic context deemed restrictive for entrepreneurs. In Costa Rica, she was able to open a French restaurant despite the initial uncertainty.
• Attraction to adventure or radical change: some digital nomads emphasize they wanted to break away from their French routine to discover a simpler lifestyle closer to nature.

Essential Administrative Procedures

• Obtain a visa (temporary resident, investor, or retiree depending on the situation).
• Prepare a complete file with the Costa Rican immigration service (official translations required).
• Open a local bank account (often conditional on obtaining resident status).
• Subscribe to appropriate health insurance since the local public system reimburses little; some expatriates mention the high cost of good private coverage here.

Procedure	Main Difficulty
Visa / Residence	Administrative slowness; translation requirements
Health Insurance	High cost; low public reimbursement
Bank Account	Sometimes lengthy procedure

Major Challenges Encountered

Bureaucracy

Administrative slowness is often cited as a major source of frustration. Delays can be long, and one must arm themselves with patience to obtain all necessary documents.

Language Barrier

Many arrive without speaking Spanish fluently. But according to several recent testimonials:

“Even if you don’t speak Spanish at all… they’ll still take the time… They take the time… You can make yourself understood very well with gestures…”

This benevolence greatly facilitates initial integration but doesn’t eliminate all daily language-related difficulties.

Culture Shock

Adapting to the slower pace (“tranquillo”), different schedules (delayed meals), or certain social norms can be surprising. One often has to let go of certain automatic behaviors brought from France.

Anecdotes About Daily Adaptation

A couple recounts how they started their personal projects (“we’re building the pool… I manage with my Spanish words”), which not only allows learning but also builds local connections through direct exchanges with Costa Rican artisans.

Patricia Richer notes that initially “it’s a courageous form” perceived positively by Costa Ricans: they respect this approach of going into the unknown to realize personal dreams—this quickly creates a form of mutual admiration between French expatriates and locals.

Digital nomads also highlight that traveling light greatly simplifies the transition (“my life already fit in 2 suitcases”).

Cultural Integration and Adopted Strategies

• Participate in local community activities
• Gradually learn Spanish “on the go”
• Accept – even appreciate – that everything is less structured than in France
• Develop patience in the face of unexpected events

Some emphasize the crucial importance of preliminary scouting before permanent settlement: coming for a few weeks/months often allows “to break the fantasy that everything is perfect,” better prepare one’s concrete project, and then settle permanently if feeling mentally ready for local realities.

Positive Aspects Motivating Their Permanent Settlement

Exceptional quality of natural surroundings

Mild climate year-round

Welcoming & benevolent local population

Economic opportunities in certain sectors (restaurants, eco-tourism)

Lower cost compared to some French regions

Real possibility of accessible real estate purchase under simple conditions

Many finally express their strong attachment to the “pura vida” lifestyle—local philosophy based on simplicity, daily optimism, and mutual respect—which profoundly transforms their relationship with work as well as their private sphere. This unique feeling explains why many of them ultimately decide not only to stay, but also to invest in property to “permanently anchor this new chosen existence.”

Opinions and Testimonials: Living in Costa Rica

Testimonials from French Citizens Who Became Property Owners in Costa Rica

Many French citizens have chosen Costa Rica to settle permanently and purchase real estate. Their stories shed light on the motivations, challenges, benefits, and pitfalls of this adventure.

Motivations for Expatriation

• Search for a more natural and peaceful living environment, far from French administrative or economic constraints.
• Desire to start a business with less complexity: for example, Patricia Richer explains she left France because she found the situation too restrictive for entrepreneurship.
• Attraction to a society perceived as more open or respectful of the expatriation choice.
• Desire to live in an environment where nature predominates (beaches, tropical forests).

Challenges Encountered During Real Estate Purchase

• Sometimes complex procedures due to legislative differences: frequent need to be accompanied by a competent local lawyer to avoid scams.
• Risk of real estate scams (fake land titles, unscrupulous intermediaries).
• Necessity of an on-site visit before any purchase: several testimonials strongly advise this key step before any final decision.

Challenge Encountered	Solution / Advice
Language Barrier	Learn Spanish or surround yourself with a translator
Legal Risk	Consult a specialized notary/lawyer
High Prices in Certain Areas	Compare different regions

Advantages Noticed After Settlement

• Enhanced quality of life: pleasant climate year-round, proximity to nature.
• More relaxed pace (“pura vida”), less daily stress felt.
• Ease in building connections with some locals and expatriates through organized communities.

Frequently Mentioned Disadvantages

High Cost:

• Expensive daily life in some tourist regions (costly imported food).
• Expensive healthcare: medical consultations poorly reimbursed even when affiliated with the local social security; often need for costly private health insurance.

Safety & Crime:

Increase felt by some expatriates in recent years.

Marked Cultural Differences

• Different relationship with time (“mañana”) that can disorient new French arrivals accustomed to more punctuality/administrative efficiency.
• Less anticipation/planning than in France; necessary adaptation according to several testimonials.

List of Positive Experiences

• Increased sense of freedom and real possibility “to realize one’s own dreams”
• Warm welcome perceived among many Costa Ricans
• Enriching discovery of the “pura vida” lifestyle

List of Negative Experiences

• Possible isolation if language difficulties or absence of initial social network
• Disappointment regarding the real cost of daily life versus initial expectations

Practical Advice for Future French Expatriates

1. Make an exploratory trip before any purchase or long-term commitment.
2. Imperatively surround yourself with local experts during real estate procedures.
3. Plan a significant budget margin – cost frequently underestimated.
4. Subscribe to appropriate international health insurance from the start.
5. Take time to learn Spanish to better integrate and secure legal/commercial procedures on site.
6. Participate in existing French-speaking groups on site to quickly create your professional/personal social network.

Most emphasize that this experience profoundly transforms their relationship with work, leisure time, and their way “of appreciating every moment,” even if it requires patience, rigorous preparation…and permanent cultural openness!

Investing in Real Estate: Successful Purchase Stories

“We chose Costa Rica to invest mainly because of its political stability, strong tourist demand, and the possibility of easily obtaining an investor resident status. The climate and quality of life were also determining factors.”

Reasons for Choosing Costa Rica:

• Political stability and legal security.
• Constant tourist rental demand.
• Advantageous taxation for non-residents.
• Possibility of obtaining temporary residence through a real estate investment of at least $150,000.
• Preserved natural environment and healthy lifestyle.

Types of Properties Acquired:

• Individual villas with pool, near the sea (intended for seasonal rental).
• Small boutique hotels or bed & breakfasts operated directly.
• Apartments or studios in secure residences for long-term rental or tourist use.

Property Type	Primary Use	Location
Villa with Pool	Seasonal Rental	Pacific Coast (Tamarindo, Nosara)
Small Hotel / B&B	Direct Operation	Central or Coastal Region
Apartment / Studio	Long-term Rental	Near Tourist Centers

Challenges Encountered During Purchase:

• Administrative complexity (language, legal differences).
• Need to surround oneself with reliable professionals (lawyer, notary, real estate agent).
• Property and title verification (essential due diligence).
• Understanding the local market to avoid overpaying.
• Remote management for seasonally rented properties.

Benefits Gained:

Financial:

• Net profitability often exceeding 6-8% per year on seasonal rental.
• Capital gains on resale, with the market remaining dynamic.
• Income in dollars, often stable against the euro.

Personal:

• Better quality of life and less stressful pace.
• Integration into a welcoming international and local community.
• Opportunity to learn Spanish and open up to a new culture.
• Access to nature, surfing, beaches, and healthy food.

Impact on Lifestyle and Integration:

Several testimonials highlight the radical change in life pace, the possibility of “enjoying life” while generating passive income.

French investors gradually integrate into the local community, particularly by participating in associations or developing projects with Costa Ricans.

Some have even diversified their activities (tour agency, restaurants) after a successful initial real estate investment.

“We first took the time to understand the culture and surround ourselves with the right people. Today, our hotel is doing well, we live at the country’s pace, and we regret nothing. The feeling of freedom is incomparable.”

Main Advice from Testimonials:

• Take time to settle in, understand the culture and the market.
• Always surround yourself with professionals (lawyers, local agents).
• Don’t hesitate to delegate rental management.
• See the investment as a life project as much as a financial operation.

Important
The success of real estate investment in Costa Rica relies on preparation, choosing good local support, and a long-term vision.