Subscribe by Email!
Other Stuff
The Blogosphere
-
More blogs about costa rica.
Gasoline Prices Drop Again
January 19th, 2009
Better late than never! I wonder if there is such a thing as getting “less screwed”.
While oil prices have dropped from the $145 per barrel levels of just a few months ago, to less than $36.00 per barrel, Costa Rica has been very slow adjusting gas prices here to reflect that decrease. Somebody is making some serious cash, and it is NOT me. However, prices are due to come down this week.
Filed under Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica | Comment (1)A Reader Asks About the Effects of CAFTA
July 9th, 2008
Tonight I received a comment from a reader… and it pushed my rant button. I may be completely reading the comment incorrectly and assuming a wrong tone or meaning… and if I am, I apologize now… but the rant is still coming as I am replying to many others who I am sure I read correctly!
Here is her email, and if the topic interests you (and you can deal with my rant)… read on!
Filed under CAFTA, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Free Trade Agreement, ICE, Internet, Opinion, Politics, Questions from Readers, Rants, TLC | Comments (19)My family plans to relocate to Costa Rica, and I would like to know what your thoughts are regarding the recent activity by the Costa Rican Congress ending it’s 84 year old insurance, and telecom monopoly (CAFTA). How do you think this is going to effect the citizens of Costa Rica that have enjoyed a universal health care system, and what do you think the implications are for Americans residig in Costa Rica, that have been able to partake in this system?.
Costa Rica Takes Action to Control Gasoline Usage Part 2
June 27th, 2008
This week, the government of Costa Rica asked for an increase of ¢145 in the price of gasoline, this to offset their recent request to lower the price of diesel fuel by exempting diesel from government taxation.
The price of super gasoline would go up to ¢801 per liter and diesel prices would fall by ¢97. Gasoline today is $5.10 per gallon for super, $4.97 for regular and $4.82 for diesel. One US gallon = 3.79 liters, so after this change, a gallon of super will be ¢3,036 or $5.88. With the regular monthly increase coming in July, $6.00 per gallon gas is pretty much assured.
Currently, the cost for a gallon of diesel is $4.82, so this will drop to about $4.11. Sounds like a nice windfall for those who chose to buy dieseled vehicles right? Nope… the government giveth and the government taketh away.
Filed under Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Expatriate Life, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comment (0)Costa Rica Takes Action to Control Gasoline Usage Part 1
June 27th, 2008
For quite some time now, the government has placed restrictions on what vehicles could enter San Jose. This was more done to lessen the overwhelming traffic in San Jose during peak hours than to control gasoline usage. All non commercial vehicles were affected.
The system was/is simple enough. You were restricted from entering San Jose for about 2 hours each morning rush hour and two hours during the afternoon rush based on your license plate. For me it was rarely an issue, and when it was, I just drove the circunvalación, the road that runs around San Jose and locally known as “the rotundas” because of the numerous traffic circles in that route. Sometimes I’d drive the La Uruca route. No big deal.
Well this all changed this week as the government expanded enormously the restricted areas and the hours of restriction, and yesterday, over a thousand folks learned this the hard way and got a little $10 traffic citation for their ignorance.
Filed under Cars - Automobiles, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Expatriate Life, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel to Costa Rica | Comment (0)Gasoline Crosses $5.00 per Gallon Threshold
June 10th, 2008
Today Costa Rica awoke to gas prices that now exceed $5.00 per US Gallon. Before I delve into this more, it is worthwhile discussing world gasoline prices.
Caution! Rant coming!
As most expats, I watch the current political battle for the Presidency of the United States. I watch as Barrack Obama and others make their stupid claims that they will “do something” about the price of gasoline in the US, now over $4.00 per gallon in 23 states. They just don’t get it. To me, it as is stupid as their claims that they will stem the outflow of jobs from the USA to other countries. I have news for them. The first will not happen without strong leadership and new ideas (which neither candidate has even remotely shown) and it is years too late the do anything about the second.
Filed under Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Rants, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)Banking Games
May 14th, 2008
One of my readers reasonably asked my thoughts on the recent revaluation of the dollar.
Easy answer! I have not a freaking clue!
Todays exchange rate of about ¢511.41 / ¢518.71 makes absolutely no sense whatever and to me, smacks of some serious manipulation.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Politics, Questions from Readers | Comments (6)The Change to 8 Digit Dialing draws near
February 29th, 2008
On March 20, 2008, how you dial a number in Costa Rica is going to change. This not only affects those of us IN Costa Rica, it also will affect those in foreign lands who make call TO Costa Rica.
If you fall into either of the above categories, by all means read on!
Filed under Cell Phones, Communications, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, ICE, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Technical Stuff, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)Follow-up on the Exchange Rates and Banking
November 28th, 2007
I expect my readers are might be a bit tired of all these posts about banking and the revaluation of the colon last week, but things are happening here that affect (especially) those expats living here.
But, I have also received a lot of email about this topic, so here are some things I am noticing in my travels around San Jose in the past few days. I think they may be important.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (6)Central Bank Revalues the Colon
November 22nd, 2007
So sweet!
Back on August 12, 2007, I wrote a post entitled “The Colon Vs The Dollar – Watch your money!” In that post, I cautioned my readers that the weakening dollar could not long stand firm against the Costa Rica colon. I urged readers to move their funds from their dollar accounts (in Costa Rica banks) to colon accounts as I anticipated that the Central Bank had to act soon to bring the dollar down and increase the value of the colon.
Last night, they did just that. The colon has been revalued to about ¢497 and ¢498.39 to the dollar.
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica | Comments (9)The Colon Vs The Dollar – Watch your money!
August 12th, 2007
For many years I suggested here in this blog, in The REAL Costa Rica and elsewhere that the smart person living in Costa Rica (or for that matter anyone who keeps money here), should always pay using colones, but keep their money in a dollars account. There was a good reason for this. The colon was, for many years, on a system of scheduled devaluation that made holding colones a losing proposition.
I am now doing a 100% change in that position. If this subject interests you, read on…
Filed under Banking & Finance, Banking in Costa Rica, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Cost of Living, Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica | Comments (27)