Money

With the extensive coverage in TheCostaRicaNews.com of retirement, residency processes and other aspects of expat life in Costa Rica, this weekly publication has developed a loyal following of readers interested in getting questions answered before making the big move to retire here.

Costa Rica lacks a central database of real estate listings, such as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the United States and Canada. While Costa Ricans find out about property for sale by word of mouth, most foreigners find property listings by using an Internet search engine or by contacting a local real estate agent.

Bluetooth marketing is the ability to send short messages, images and applications to mobile phones, PDA, and PocketPCs over a distance of 100m without any additional costs.

Spain is currently undergoing a huge recruitment process for foreign unskilled and skilled professionals alike to come live and work in Spain for a guaranteed monthly salary. There are no language requirements and after two years, permanent residency can be applied for.

The government of Costa Rica has announced certain measures to deal with the increase in government spending in order to improve the public financial state.

Although Costa Rica is far more “Westernized” than many other Central or South American locales, it still offers exasperating surprises for expats.

When friends in the United States ask us about our life in Costa Rica, they often ask: “What do you do there? Aren’t you bored? How do you spend your time?”

Unless you love snow and ice or the dramatic variation of four seasons, there is bound to be a Costa Rican region that will feel like paradise to you.

Exports to the United States rose 24.1% in 2010, according to figures provided by the Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

On Tuesday, the Costa Rican government presented to Congress a fiscal reform plan that proposes to transform the sales tax on a value added tax (VAT) and increase its rate from 13% to 14%.