Over the last few years Santa Teresa has become a popular destination for people who work remotely. The beautiful scenery, warm climate, great waves and the high-speed internet make it a great option for digital nomads and others who have the luxury to work remotely. Since the introduction of high-speed fiber optic in 2017, we have seen many professionals choosing to make the move - setting up life in Santa Teresa and working remotely online. We have residents here working in all types of industries - marketing, crypto-currency, sales, web and graphic design, consultancy, human resources and of course the tech industry.
After all, if you can work from home, why not work from your home at the beach?
If you are thinking about making the move and working remotely from Santa Teresa, there are some important considerations to keep in mind to ensure that your experience is successful.
(1) Legal Right to Stay
There have been a few changes in immigration law that have made it easier for those that wish to move to Costa Rica and work remotely. In 2022 the government introduced a Remote Worker Visa - which allows for stays of up to 12 months for those that can prove income of at least $3,000 per month from outside of Costa Rica via remote work. You can apply online for this visa and a response is provided within 15 days. This visa will allow you to stay for 12 months without having to do the visa runs that many people do and it will allow you to open up a bank account in the country.
If you are planning on a more permanent move, you should consider looking in to residency. You can find the most up-to-date regulations regarding residency here.
(2) Internet Speed and Reliability
Internet speed and reliability are obviously of paramount concern for those working remotely and things have improved greatly in that regard in recent years. In 2017 the ICE (the government electricity company) introduced fiber optic internet to our area. It is now possible to get speeds of up to 500 MB, although the router that is provided with the service only allows for up to 100 MB. If you would like more than 100 MB you should look into bringing a router with you from your home country.
In 2023 a new fiber optic company rolled out their service in Santa Teresa - Tele Cable. Their prices are actually more competitive than the ICE and so far their service seems to be more stable.
Whislt internet services have been vastly improved in recent times, it is recommendable if possible to obtain both services (both ICE and Telecable). This will allow for a back-up option if one of the services goes out. And if you are unable to get both services, it is a good idea to have another back-up plan. Back-up plans could include knowing where all the local co-work spots are and the internet providers they use, or having an extra phone to use as a mobile hot spot in an emergency.
(3) Electricity Outages
Costa Rica has a great national grid, which is almost completely supplied via renewable electricity sources (mostly hydroelectric). However, electricity outages are not uncommon, especially in the rainy season when storms and falling trees can disrupt the service. To ensure no disruption to your work day from electricity outages, you will need think ahead. The easiest way to avoid problems with electricity outages would be to have a back-up battery for your wifi router. If you can invest a little more you may consider a back-up generator (either gasoline or solar), or a solar panel system.
(4) Support for Hardware
The environment here (salt air, humidity, dust) can take its toll on hardware. Getting support locally for your hardware is possible, but very slow. For example, recently I had to replace my laptop screen - it took 3 weeks and cost $600! Reliable equipment is important when working remotely, so you will need to either consider bringing back-ups with you or consider purchasing a dehumidifier for your office space.
(5) Ease of Travel
It used to be a long hot dusty journey to get to Santa Teresa from San Jose, but over the years getting to and fro has become both comfortable and easy! If you do need to travel to meet clients in the US or elsewhere, you no longer have to worry about a long arduous trip to get to the international airport. We now have a brand new airport in Cobano - so only 15 minutes away!
The Cobano airport opened on the 5th August 2023 and from October 15th onwards Sansa is moving all flights from Tambor to Cobano. You can fly from Cobano directly to the international airport in San Jose, with just a 25-minute flight.
