Buying a car in Costa Rica brought a few surprises, including arranging much of the purchase through WhatsApp. Claudia shares her family’s experience, from a March deposit to a May pickup, and how dealership support helped with taxes, registration, and maintenance. Along the way, she highlights useful questions about pricing, warranties, insurance, and the ongoing costs of keeping a car on the road.

What happens when we see nature beyond what it provides us? Drawing on Simone Weil’s ethics of attention, this reflection explores how recognizing the vulnerability and interdependence of the living world can deepen our approach to regeneration. At Ecovilla San Mateo, caring for food forests, soil, water, and wildlife begins with learning to notice the relationships that sustain life beyond our own needs.

From foreign pensions to property ownership and renting out a casita, taxes in Costa Rica raise different questions for every household. This friendly guide introduces the basics of income tax, property tax, and IVA, with practical examples for families at Ecovilla San Mateo. Understanding how these pieces fit together can make your next conversation with an accountant clearer and a little less daunting.

Individual freedom draws many of us to ecovillage life, but what turns a collection of independent people into a community? Drawing on Simone Weil’s ethics of attention, this reflection explores how recognizing our shared vulnerability can deepen belonging without diminishing individuality. At Ecovilla San Mateo, the everyday practice of noticing and responding to one another’s needs may be what allows both freedom and community to flourish.

Should owners who rent their homes contribute an additional share of rental income toward maintaining Ecovilla San Mateo? In this article we explore the arguments for rental fees, questions of fairness, and the potential costs for owners and neighbors alike. With the village still taking shape, we make the case for a two-to-four-year pause to gather evidence before introducing new financial obligations.

Moving to Costa Rica means understanding the immigration options available to you and your family, alongside planning for a home and a new way of life. This guide explores tourist stays, Pensionado, Rentista, Investor, and Digital Nomad programs, covering eligibility, costs, limitations, and how family members qualify. For families settling at Ecovilla San Mateo, it also offers guidance on when to apply and whether hiring an immigration attorney makes sense.

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health is investigating a Salmonella outbreak affecting employees at Hospital CIMA in Escazú, with 66 suspected cases, two laboratory-confirmed infections, and two hospitalizations reported as of October 21, 2026. The source of contamination remains unknown, and the U.S. Embassy has advised its personnel to consider alternative medical facilities until the outbreak is resolved. Residents are encouraged to practice good hygiene, follow safe food-handling practices, and seek medical attention for severe or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.

Food forests offer a way to grow food while building a healthier relationship with the land. At Ecovilla San Mateo, we are creating a living ecosystem that supports biodiversity, restores soil health, strengthens food security, and connects our community with nature. By planting and caring for these forests, we are investing in a healthier, more resilient future.

“Water always wins. Our job is to give it a safe way through.” As the rains return to Ecovilla San Mateo, a practical look at planning for water from the roof to the ground, and why a good drainage plan considers our neighbors downhill too.

Many of us came to Ecovilla San Mateo seeking more time, deeper relationships, and freedom from the pressure to constantly produce. Yet sustaining that dream can draw us back into the economic demands we hoped to leave behind. As we build an economy in service of life, how do we ensure that it protects our freedom rather than creates new dependencies? The answer begins with defining the life we want—and preserving the freedom to simply live.

When darkness obscured three-quarters of the vision in my right eye, an ordinary Friday became a race to save my sight. Within hours, two specialists coordinated my care and arranged emergency retinal surgery in Costa Rica. Alongside the urgency, I experienced kindness, professionalism, and personal attention at every step. I’m still healing, but I can now see light and movement where there was once only darkness.

"Before it became a place to spend a Sunday, Puntarenas was a place where the country's future passed through, one shipment, one cart, and eventually one train at a time." From coffee carts and dockworkers to the Pacific railway and today's marine park, this look at El Puerto invites us to notice the history beneath the sea breeze on our next family outing.