British expat shares why moving to Costa Rica was a brilliant choice - 'the sun shines every day!' ()
<iframe frameborder="0" height="100%" scrolling="no" src="https://www.gbnews.com/res/scraper/embed/?video_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm-v2.simplestream.com%2Fiframe%2Fplayer.php%3Fkey%3D3Li3Nt2Qs8Ct3Xq9Fi5Uy0Mb2Bj0Qs%26player%3DGB003%26uvid%3D52422435%26type%3Dvod%26viously_id%3DzKO0-BWp1oL" width="100%"></iframe><br/><p class="">Moving abroad is an attractive prospect for many Britons, with Statista reporting that in the year ending June 2024, approximately 479,000 people emigrated from the UK.</p><p>Some of the most popular destinations are Spain, the US, Australia, France, Italy, Germany and the UAE, but there are countless opportunities for British expats all over the world.</p><h3></h3><br/><p>GB News spoke exclusively to Richard Bexton from Costa Rica Investments, who started a new life in San José two decades ago and never looked back. </p><p>There are many motivations for moving abroad. Some are keen to accelerate their careers, others are keen to enjoy a slower pace of life post-retirement, and others relocate to be closer to loved ones.</p><h3></h3><br/><img alt="Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b11b65ac9283306bb33a2e8bc68ab0f6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="9d321" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/nicoya-peninsula-costa-rica.jpg?id=56516519&width=980"/><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-latest"></div><p>Telling GB News that he initially moved for a relationship, Richard stated: "I was young, in love and my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) was from Costa Rica.</p><p>"I suppose I was so young and dumb I didn't really have much to lose and always wanted to live abroad. </p><p>"So on March 8, 2005, I moved to Costa Rica with $11,000 [around £8,500], didn't speak Spanish and had no idea what I wanted to do."</p><p>But he soon fell in love with the Central American destination, praising its locals, climate and general way of life.</p><p>"People are so friendly, the sun shines every day, and it's a very stable and secure country," the expat stated. </p><h3></h3><br/><p><br/></p><p>"The food is fresher and I just feel healthier here. It's a more balanced life."</p><p>Richard added that the locals are "more relaxed and live for the moment" rather than trying to compete with each other.</p><p>Costa Rica is known for its stunning landscapes, from idyllic beaches to mountain villages to vibrant jungles to rich, green valleys.</p><p>The Central American nation is also known for its welcoming, friendly locals, low cost of living, excellent healthcare and plenty of affordable housing options.</p><p><span></span>As for the weather, expect many microclimates in Costa Rica's mountainous regions. Generally the higher you are, the colder and wetter the temperature gets.</p><h3></h3><br><div class="embed-dontmiss"></div><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>In the coastal regions (Pacific and Caribbean) temperatures can exceed 30C all year round, making it the perfect destination for those who love the sun. There is a rainy season though, from May until October.</p><p>But while Costa Rica does make a great expat destination - and Richard has certainly fallen in love with it - no place is perfect.</p><p><strong>LATEST DEVELOPMENTS</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/travel/expat-dubai-middle-east-reasons-to-move" target="_self">British teacher shares why she chose to live in the Middle East - 'I've always wanted to move away!'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/travel/expat-spain-problems-climate-culture-pests-language-barrier" target="_self">Travel expert shares problems expats face when moving to Spain: 'The reality is not picture perfect'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/travel/best-time-place-visit-lake-district-magical-bluebell-displays" target="_self">Britons are told the best time and place to visit the Lake District for 'magical' bluebell displays</a></li></ul><h3></h3><br><img alt="San Jos\u00e9, Cost Rica" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8bea976ce859acb7c99f9d48314991fe" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="cc58e" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/san-jos-u00e9-cost-rica.jpg?id=58406965&width=980"/><p>The expat admitted he had to adjust to living in a significantly smaller country. </p><p>"It's not the biggest - about the size of Scotland and has a population of five million," he shared.</p><p>"We say it's a town as most people know each other here, so sometimes we can go a little stir-crazy, but we travel all over the Americas when we want to get out."</p><p>For fellow Britons thinking of making the move to Costa Rica, Richard advised being aware of cultural differences. It's something he wishes he had known before relocating.</p><p>"We Brits are very direct and here they are very passive," the expat explained. "At times I've upset Costa Ricans with being very direct and then it comes out very passively aggressively later on."</p><p>Looking to move abroad but after somewhere closer to home? Expat Alastair Johnson spoke to GB News about why Spain is the ideal destination for people in their <a href="https://www.gbnews.com/travel/expat-tips-spain-ideal-destination-50s-60s" target="_blank">50s and 60s</a>.</p></br></br>
