General Info

[QUOTE=NastyBoy]I picked up the idea that I was going to need an attorney down there. [/QUOTE]

Well an Attorney/Notary is the person who normally marries you there, so you are correct. You negotiate the price, so it can be cheap, or expensive.

Well Nastyboy think you were correct I did get things going with that question. I did however find out my answer. Hope it works......
So now I will be quiet again. I have one more trip to Make to SJ this december. One last week, then my next trip is off to Mother Russia. YEAHHHHH. Hmm guess you can tell I like them Eastern European Ladies..
I have found some down there in SJO thats for sure. Only met mostly Romainian ladies though. Only the one russian I posted about earlier this year.
Well guys I am off to bed later

Read your post regarding CR and was wondering exactly which Latin American cities are you referring to regarding lower prices? I have visited CR three times this year (along with 1 month in Thailand),,15 or more trips to Central and Eastern Europe and have a fairly good perspective on those cites,,, was hoping to hear more from you guys regarding South and Central America regarding low cost travel/living/mongering.. I know thats a broad question and may be more suitable for other sections of this forum.

[QUOTE=Carnal1]Read your post regarding CR and was wondering exactly which Latin American cities are you referring to regarding lower prices? I have visited CR three times this year (along with 1 month in Thailand), 15 or more trips to Central and Eastern Europe and have a fairly good perspective on those cites, was hoping to hear more from you guys regarding South and Central America regarding low cost travel/living/mongering. I know thats a broad question and may be more suitable for other sections of this forum. [/QUOTE]Hey carnal. I am Chilimike. I enjoy reading your post and I respect your views on our chosen sport. I have been to San Jose 3 times in the last 5 months. And this trip I am going on. on the 13 th of this month, I was going to Bangkok. But the flight scared me off again. Mostly the time in air. And will it be as good as I hope it will be (Bangkok) I know what I am going to get in San Jose. I kind of guess. That both trip may be about the same once all said and done. Cost of flight, cost of pussy and food and hotel. Also not sure if this a plus or minus. There is no gambling in Bangkok. I think I will save some cash. But maybe I will get boared. Since you can't fuck all day. Please if you can. Give me your views and let me know what you think.

Thanks again,

Chilimike

Chilimike,

Asking to compare Bangok to SJO is like comparing Italian food to Mexican Food! It really depends alot on your particular taste (no pun intended) with women, hotels, street scene, culture, etc. Thailand is so unique it would take me a while just to hit the major topics of discussion.. The Culture would be the number one difference (IMO). Thai women in particular (no offense to the men) are unlike any kind of service provider I have met in my travels. Latin women are just plain hot,, with many variations. Eastern Euro Babes (Romanians, Czech, Polish, Bulgarian, Russian) are statuesque,, great PSE's, unbelievable eye contact, long muscular gymnast type figures,, like the Vampires in the movie Van Helsing. Go to one of the many German Sauna Clubs/Fkk Clubs around Frankfurt and you can be in your very own Porn movie experience,, all in the wonderful "Country Club" type venues.

Check out [url]http://www.fkk-world.de[/url]
[url]http://www.fkk-oase.de[/url]
[url]http://www.the-palace.de[/url]

As for cost, Thailand is without a doubt the least expensive mongering experience I have had. Top notch Go Go girls will run you anywhere between $0-$50 for "Long time/entire evening" including a $10 bar fine. Second tier or Beer Bar girls are much less and can be had all over the main
pedestrian ares along Sukhumvit Rd.. Lots of freelancers like what you would find at the Blue Marlin,, add in the Soapie Massage parlors that are a once in a lifetime experience and you have the main ingredients for the awesome expereinces of Bangkok. Pattaya and Patong are other variations,, they are all good. Flights are running in the $700-$1000 range depending on the season,, 4-5 Star Hotels can be had via Priceline for well under $100 or you can choose from a smorgasboard of 2-3 star places that will range from $20-$50.. Food is unbelievably cheap.. Lots of cultural venues to visit (Wat's, Palaces, Temples, markets, etc..)

You have to dedicate at least 2 weeks if your going to travel for 20 plus hours,, well worth it but not always available..

Saying that,, if your tight on time and don't like flying,, San Jose is my top choice. Still,, make time once in your life to visit Thailand,, you will never look at Asian Women in the same way again after you return.

Sabai Sabai,

Is any one going to be in costa rica form Nov 7th to 13th.

If so please let me know.

I'll be there

Need to know if there is monger activity near by? Great place to visit for scuba diving, also a party town?

i'm a traveling physical therapist and want a latina or other to join me. do you have any recommendations as to the best way to get one across the border or other without marrying?

i just want a little sex starved sweetie to enjoy exploring some of the different states i will be going as a traveling pt. my tastes are pretty easy--- as long as they are slender i'm generally good to go.

i knew a guy in san diego who would go on sex tours and bring back litttle 20 year olds to be his play things for 6 months or so until his next voyage. this doesn't sound too bad.

i used to be good-looking, but time has been a little rough on me--- had to shave the head (bald) and need to lose about 30lbs which i'm working on, age 38.

any advice of where else i could post to ask for advice or other would be appreciated. my dick and happiness thank you in advance.

bill

[QUOTE=Chase Star]NB,
What many would-be ex-pats don't realize is that the odds are not insignificant that they will discover living in fulltime in CR really isn't for them.Now THAT is a question we can both agree on. I've often wondered that myself. I know many ticos undoubtedly do and I suppose a gringo could too, IF he wanted to live like a tico. But it would be a pretty austere lifestyle by US standards. Most of us who hope to retire to CR someday would probably want more than that. So having sufficient income to qualify for residency is not the problem. The problem is finding a regular source of income sufficient to live well. If you have that regular source of income than marrying a tica no longer becomes necessary.[/QUOTE]
As someone who has lived in Costa Rica, I can answer some of your questions. in 1994 I paid $250 month for a cabin on the beach, and I did live well on $600/month. Today it might be a little tighter and hard to find a place on the beach for $600/month, but I bet you could find a cabin in the mountains outside of San Jose for $300/month. That leaves $300 for food, bus and extra stuff. Maybe not a good plan, but if you have no savings and are retired where would the money go further, here in the U.S. or in C.R.? And where would the quality of life be better? My vote is for C.R..

Now, on the other hand, let's say you saved up your money, sold your car, cashed in your 401k and bought a nice little house in C.R.. And let's say you bought a car, too.

Now you have no rent, probably no more than $150-200/month for utilities, including a maid coming in once a week to wash your dishes and wax your knob, maybe if you work it right. Or better yet, find a Tica to do all that for you in exchange for you putting a roof over her head and taking care of her; then you go into San Jose' once every couple weeks "on business" to get a couple quickies in at the local ***** houses.

And let's say you have a $1000/month social security check...

Well, now, living on $1000 month with your house and car paid for, puts you in the category of living quite well in Costa Rica.

When I was there I lived fairly well on $600/month because I had friends where I lived, and all I really spent money on was beer and food and $250/month rent. However, in reality I did spend a bit more than that some months, because I would get bored at the beach and go into San Jose' where I would spend a couple nights whoring, so I might have spent like $700 instead of $500 those months...

I don't recommend anyone try to live on $600/month in Costa Rica; but if need be, you can do it, and still have a pretty damned good life. Panama on the other hand: everyone tells me it is about 30% cheaper than CR to live there, and I know a guy who lives there and he says he has no need for more than $600/month.

Johnny Sax,

Thanks for the info....It was just a thought when I read on the CR consulate page that residency could be had with only that amount of proof of income. Truthfully and in reality I would definately want to have a lot more than that to play the way I like to play down there. So it's looking like a longer term plan, but if I could just hang it all up today, all I was saying, from one source....I would love to jump in now.

I do appreciate the insight from someone who has actually done it. I like the climate in the mountains like in Alajuela, but the standard of living in Los Yoses is very appealing too. I'm sure neither can be had for $600 a month.

Thanks again.
NB

Talk about digging up an old post. I wrote that nearly 4 months ago. Just to put into context here is the question I was referring to.[QUOTE=NastyBoy]Here's a new question. How the fuck does somebody live on 600US$ a month down there?[/QUOTE]This was in context of the minimum income required by CR to qualify for residency. I'm not sure why Johnny quoted me rather than the original question but I'd like to add a few more comments.
[QUOTE=Johnny Sax]As someone who has lived in Costa Rica, I can answer some of your questions. in 1994 I paid $250 month for a cabin on the beach, and I did live well on $600/month. Today it might be a little tighter and hard to find a place on the beach for $600/month, but I bet you could find a cabin in the mountains outside of San Jose for $300/month.[/QUOTE]CR has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Apart from the usual inflation, which roughly corresponds with the increased buying power of the dollar and thus can be safely ignored if your income is in dollars, prices (at least RE prices) have been driven up hugely in most areas popular with gringos. All of us who had been raving about the beauty of CR as a retirement destination and driven this boom are partially responsible for its PARTIAL undoing. Today, prices of beachfront property in all but the most remote places have been driven out of the range of most native ticos and many gringos as well. Starting prices on rents in the more desirable suburbs of SJ, such as Rohrmoser, Escazu, even Santa Ana are likely to eat up most if not all of your $600/month. While it is true that there are still places where one can find rents for $300/month or maybe even less, I'll still go with my original statement that most guys aren't going to be interested in such places. Personally, I think I'd be perfectly happy with a little cabin in the mountains, but I think most other guys would prefer to be a little closer to the action and I don't think most of them will be that happy living in tico working class SJ neighborhoods like Zapote, Guadalupe, etc. either.[QUOTE=Johnny Sax]If you have no savings and are retired where would the money go further, here in the U.S. or in C.R.? And where would the quality of life be better? My vote is for C.R..[/quote]Obviously CR. Now that is ANOTHER question we can both agree on. You'll notice I never even suggested one could live in the US on $600/month either, if at all. At least in CR it is still at least possible if not entirely desirable. And if you want to maintain a tico version of your current lifestyle you should be able to do it for much less than it would cost you in the US. Just not for $600/month.[QUOTE=Johnny Sax]And let's say you have a $1000/month social security check... Well, now, living on $1000 month with your house and car paid for, puts you in the category of living quite well in Costa Rica.[/QUOTE]That DOES put you in a different category, one that vastly exceeds the income required by CR for residency, which is what we were originally talking about. A grand a month WILL enable you "quite well" by TICO standards, BUT certainly nothing special by the standards most of us are accustomed to. Still once again where else would anyone be able to live even that well on just a $1000/month SS check? Certainly not in the US. But elsewhere perhaps? Which brings me to Johnny's last comment.[QUOTE=Johnny Sax]I don't recommend anyone try to live on $600/month in Costa Rica; but if need be, you can do it, and still have a pretty damned good life. Panama on the other hand: everyone tells me it is about 30% cheaper than CR to live there, and I know a guy who lives there and he says he has no need for more than $600/month.[/QUOTE]If ALL you want to do is stretch your limited retirement funds further, as good as CR is, there are still other places further out on everyone else's radar that offer even better values.

[QUOTE=Chase Star]Talk about digging up an old post. I wrote that nearly 4 months ago. Just to put into context here is the question I was referring to.This was in context of the minimum income required by CR to qualify for residency. I'm not sure why Johnny quoted me rather than the original question but I'd like to add a few more comments.
CR has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Apart from the usual inflation, which roughly corresponds with the increased buying power of the dollar and thus can be safely ignored if your income is in dollars, prices (at least RE prices) have been driven up hugely in most areas popular with gringos. All of us who had been raving about the beauty of CR as a retirement destination and driven this boom are partially responsible for its PARTIAL undoing. Today, prices of beachfront property in all but the most remote places have been driven out of the range of most native ticos and many gringos as well. Starting prices on rents in the more desirable suburbs of SJ, such as Rohrmoser, Escazu, even Santa Ana are likely to eat up most if not all of your $600/month. While it is true that there are still places where one can find rents for $300/month or maybe even less, I'll still go with my original statement that most guys aren't going to be interested in such places. Personally, I think I'd be perfectly happy with a little cabin in the mountains, but I think most other guys would prefer to be a little closer to the action and I don't think most of them will be that happy living in tico working class SJ neighborhoods like Zapote, Guadalupe, etc. either.Obviously CR. Now that is ANOTHER question we can both agree on. You'll notice I never even suggested one could live in the US on $600/month either, if at all. At least in CR it is still at least possible if not entirely desirable. And if you want to maintain a tico version of your current lifestyle you should be able to do it for much less than it would cost you in the US. Just not for $600/month.That DOES put you in a different category, one that vastly exceeds the income required by CR for residency, which is what we were originally talking about. A grand a month WILL enable you "quite well" by TICO standards, BUT certainly nothing special by the standards most of us are accustomed to. Still once again where else would anyone be able to live even that well on just a $1000/month SS check? Certainly not in the US. But elsewhere perhaps? Which brings me to Johnny's last comment.If ALL you want to do is stretch your limited retirement funds further, as good as CR is, there are still other places further out on everyone else's radar that offer even better values.[/QUOTE]


Hi, I dug up the old post because I haven't been hanging here for about a year and was going back through the posts to see what was new... Not sure why I chose your post instead of the original poster, maybe it was something you said, or just random...

I did not mean to be antagonistic and hope it wasn't taken that way. I was just adding my 2 colones so to speak, trying to contribute something to the discussion, as this is something I've not only done, but also researched quite a bit.

I agree with most of what you said below, And I only meant to point out that living in the U.S. on $1000/month would be a lot less "pura vida" than living in CR for $1000/month. I didn't mean to imply you said it wouldn't be, I was just saying that as a means of making a comparison of value for the dollar.

I believe that living in CR on $600/month CAN still be done, and if that was all I had to live on, I'd rather do it in CR than in the US. There might be better places to live on $600 or $1000/month (Panama, for instance) but if you like CR, and are willing to live in a little mountain cabin, ride the bus most places, eat gallo pinto, and not spend a lot on pros, it could be done.

I myself am looking at only around $1200/month to retire on, though I hope to have my land and house paid for. I think my I can live okay on that, even in CR (certainly in Panama if I so choose), with house paid for and only untilities to pay. Also there is a good chance I will have a side-income such as renting a cabin or cabins, or selling real estate or growing fruit or hardwood or ? But even if not, I think that amount will be alright.

Some say living on $1200 month is tight. I say bullshit. Okay, maybe not living like a king, but certainly living well on that amount. Unless you have a pool that needs regular service, an a.c. you run all the time, buy all imported food and clothes, etc... I think the average guy can live okay on $1000/month in Costa Rica. And once you learn the language you should be able to meet Ticas or Nicas or ? to give you plenty of free sex. Sure, you'll want to spend a few dollars on pros once or twice a month, just for variety, but I still think if you don't mind living outside of San Jose area maybe in a mountain cabin, one can live pretty well on $1000/month.

I of course am not one to require or even want to live in a gated community, in a 3 bedroom house, have a pool and guard, and gardener, etc. etc. and drive a new car. I'd just as soon live up on the mountain, drive an old Toyota and spend my time reading in my hammock, and walking in the woods, taking the bus to the ocean a couple days a week, and making trips to San Jose for some beer and girls when I feel like it, have a girl visit me off and on, and the rest of the time just chill out on my "farm" land.

Johnny,
No offense or antagonism was inferred at all, bro. I really appreciate whenever clearly knowledgeable guys like you post here even if we don't completely agree and actually I think you and I basically agree on this subject much more than we disagree.

We both agree that dollar for dollar retiring to CR is much more affordable than the US at whatever level you choose (or are forced by your personal finances to accept). We also agree that in CR $600/mo is barely possible, $1000/mo entirely possible and obviously more than that much more desirable.

Clearly, if all I had live on $600 a month, I'd much rather do that in CR. Where we differ somewhat is on how we would characterize that life. I'd call $600/mo a starvation existence in the US (ie unsustainable), while in CR it is entirely sustainable though still not necessarily desirable.

I'd also prefer CR if I had $1000 a month. I'd call that level in CR much more adequate than the $600 though still not particularly fancy by the US standards most of us are accustomed to. In the US, $1000/month would be more like the $600 in CR or perhaps much worse. That monthly amount here in the US would be barely sustainable if even that and even if it were sustainable wouldn't be an existence that I'd want to live.

I think you could lead a pretty decent though not overly fancy life in CR on your $1200/month. Certainly, it would be much better than living on that amount here. Probably the biggest part of your budget apart from your rent would be for a car if you choose to get one. As you probably know full well cars (as well as gas but not mechanics) costs much more in CR. If you wanted a car I'm guessing you'd probably have to compromise on your rent (perhaps going for that cabin in the mountains you spoke of) if you wanted to keep your monthly tab under $1200. Of course, if you lived in an urban area, just getting around by foot, bus or bike is much more practical than in many cities in the US thereby obviating the need for a car. If you lived up at that cabin, you could still hike to the local bus stop to catch the daily bus into the city, but you might want that car. I'm thinking going the moped route might be the most practical compromise assuming a car was out of my budget.

Of course, just as in the US more money to live on is always definitely better, to spend on trips to other places like Rio, BKK or just back to visit the US if nothing else. Then again, if you really have enough money this whole question of minimum sustainability becomes somewhat moot and one can choose from more places to live. As you pointed out, purely on an affordability basis, while CR may have the US beat, there are still much cheaper places than CR. If that were one's only criterion, I'd say to look elsewhere.

[QUOTE=Chase Star]Johnny,
No offense or antagonism was inferred at all, bro. I really appreciate whenever clearly knowledgeable guys like you post here even if we don't completely agree and actually I think you and I basically agree on this subject much more than we disagree.

We both agree that dollar for dollar retiring to CR is much more affordable than the US at whatever level you choose (or are forced by your personal finances to accept). We also agree that in CR $600/mo is barely possible, $1000/mo entirely possible and obviously more than that much more desirable.

Clearly, if all I had live on $600 a month, I'd much rather do that in CR. Where we differ somewhat is on how we would characterize that life. I'd call $600/mo a starvation existence in the US (ie unsustainable), while in CR it is entirely sustainable though still not necessarily desirable.

I'd also prefer CR if I had $1000 a month. I'd call that level in CR much more adequate than the $600 though still not particularly fancy by the US standards most of us are accustomed to. In the US, $1000/month would be more like the $600 in CR or perhaps much worse. That monthly amount here in the US would be barely sustainable if even that and even if it were sustainable wouldn't be an existence that I'd want to live.

I think you could lead a pretty decent though not overly fancy life in CR on your $1200/month. Certainly, it would be much better than living on that amount here. Probably the biggest part of your budget apart from your rent would be for a car if you choose to get one. As you probably know full well cars (as well as gas but not mechanics) costs much more in CR. If you wanted a car I'm guessing you'd probably have to compromise on your rent (perhaps going for that cabin in the mountains you spoke of) if you wanted to keep your monthly tab under $1200. Of course, if you lived in an urban area, just getting around by foot, bus or bike is much more practical than in many cities in the US thereby obviating the need for a car. If you lived up at that cabin, you could still hike to the local bus stop to catch the daily bus into the city, but you might want that car. I'm thinking going the moped route might be the most practical compromise assuming a car was out of my budget.

Of course, just as in the US more money to live on is always definitely better, to spend on trips to other places like Rio, BKK or just back to visit the US if nothing else. Then again, if you really have enough money this whole question of minimum sustainability becomes somewhat moot and one can choose from more places to live. As you pointed out, purely on an affordability basis, while CR may have the US beat, there are still much cheaper places than CR. If that were one's only criterion, I'd say to look elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Yes, the car is the biggest expense, especially if you live in a 4x4 only area, like up some dirt road up a mountain. The tires alone cost you hundreds, maybe a thousand dollars a year, as you get blowouts every month or two. I have never owned a car in CR but this is what my friends who drive there tell me.

I've been visiting CR since 94 and have made about 10 trips down there, 2 long extended ones (6 mo each). Back in those days the only thing I knew about was Key Largo and a place that used to be around the corner called Happy Days where the less desirable girls usually hung out. I used to go in Happy Days just to talk to the dejected hookers and practice my Spanish because it was cheaper to drink there. I would occasionally let one seduce me into going to the Hotel Asia for a quick bj. I also once had a Tico friend send me into some Tico only ***** house back behind the Holiday Inn, and it was quite an experience, though not one I would choose to repeat.

Ah, the good ole days! (-;

Actually I like it much better now that I know about all the other options. One of the most fun things to me is to just go around to all the various divey bars and have a beer at each place. Can be dangerous, but less so if you go with another guy or two and keep your wits, and take taxis.

Last time we were in SJ we went to those places over in the redlight district, you know, 747, The Hotel Park (could have the names wrong, it's been a while), Caribe..., and had a beer in each one. It was quite interesting. Only saw one or two do-able girls, but the atmosphere was like something out of some surreal noir novel from the 50's; or something like that.

Back in 94 I used to go to some of the places in the redlight district like Caribe, and some much less classy (!) by myself; that was quite risky I realize now, but it was also very interesting in a "living on the edge" Charles Bukowski kind of way. I used to walk all over San Jose at night by myself, even down streets where my Tico friend later told me, "You should NEVER walk down that street after sunset!" I guess I was lucky (knock on wood) because I never ever had a hassle with anyone. Now I know better. But I'll never forget many of my experiences back in 94 and 95 in San Jose.