FIRE Number for San José, Costa Rica

A one-bedroom apartment in Escazú or the Sabana area with security gives you a base in a safe suburb. Casados at local sodas cost a few dollars, the CAJA public healthcare system provides basic coverage, and weekend trips to nearby volcanoes or cloud forests are cheap by bus or shared ride. The budget is comfortable but modest — you cook at home regularly, rely on public transit, and keep entertainment low-cost.

A house in the Santa Ana or Escazú hills with a private garden, pool, and Central Valley views anchors daily life. You own an SUV for coastal and mountain drives, dine at the city's best restaurants regularly, and carry premium international health insurance. Weekend trips to eco-lodges in Arenal, surfing in Nosara, or the Osa Peninsula are comfortably in budget, and domestic flights save time on longer trips.

A large compound in the Central Valley hills plus a secondary beachfront property on the Pacific coast gives you two distinct homes. A cook, housekeeper, groundskeeping staff, and driver manage daily logistics. You fly first class internationally, dine without any budget constraints, and have the resources to support conservation or community projects. This budget significantly exceeds Costa Rica's cost ceiling — substantial margin goes to savings, additional travel, or philanthropic work.