On this article, I’m going to stipulate the whole lot you’ll want to know to change into a house-sitter in Costa Rica. There are quite a few web sites obtainable to budding house-sitters, and it’s necessary to know easy methods to make the most of these. Home-sitting affords a singular method to touring, enhances your experiences, and might prevent a fortune in lodging prices.
I’ve been house-sitting around the globe for five years now; it has change into a significant a part of my touring life. Constructing a robust profile and choosing up many ideas and tips alongside the best way has allowed me to embark on a lifelong dream of touring full-time.
My husband, Rob, and I put our plans into motion in January 2022. Central America was one of many first locations on our journey want record. We loved 3 wonderful months of house-sitting in Costa Rica and noticed the whole lot from Arenal’s lush rainforests to the gorgeous seashores of Puerto Viejo.
Dream seashore sits and luxurious rainforest retreats are all inside attain, however realizing easy methods to safe them is important. I’ve discovered loads about house-sitting since turning into a nomadic world traveler and can lay all of it out for you right here.
The right way to Develop into a Home Sitter in Costa Rica
There are some nice web sites that will help you change into a home and pet sitter in Costa Rica. Discovering the suitable one for you is a crucial first step to take. I’ve outlined a few of my favourite house-sitting websites beneath;
1. Trusted Housesitters
My go-to home and pet-sitting web site is Trusted Housesitters. Proper now there are 6,670 sits worldwide at the moment accepting purposes and dozens of energetic profiles in Costa Rica. Their platform is simple to make use of and simple to navigate, and I really like the truth that they’ve an app.
One other nice function is the flexibility to avoid wasting searches. For instance, when you had been on the lookout for a 10-day home sit in Costa Rica in February, however nothing got here up after your preliminary search, otherwise you didn’t like those you noticed, you can save your filters and be alerted as quickly as a match turns into energetic.
Trusted Housesitters has 3 membership choices that include totally different advantages relying on the value you pay. The highest membership is $260 and consists of cancelation insurance coverage, enhanced customer support, and a pair of airport lounge passes a yr. The essential choice with limitless worldwide sits is $129/yr and is a good way to get began with house-sitting.
Proper now, it can save you 20% through the use of the low cost code GOATS20. If you happen to had been on the lookout for an indication to get began, that is probably it!
2. Thoughts My Home
Thoughts My Home is a good introduction to house-sitting. It’s easy to make use of and is without doubt one of the least expensive websites round at $29/yr. The low price means customers can really feel protected dipping their toes into house-sitting waters. Householders looking for sitters can be part of without spending a dime, so there are at all times loads of listings to select from.
Potential house-sitters are free to go searching the web site earlier than becoming a member of as much as see what’s obtainable on the time. Loads of info is offered and you may even see how many individuals have at the moment utilized. The statistics web page is a good function that reveals what number of energetic customers they’ve and the place.
Thoughts My Home has been round since 2005, and it stands out to me due to its community-oriented vibe. What units it aside is the direct connection you’ve with the house owners, who actively interact within the day-to-day operations. For these hesitant about diving into house-sitting in Costa Rica, Thoughts My Home might be the perfect place to begin.
3. Workaway
Though predominantly a website for locating volunteer placements, an amazing software to have in your house-sitting arsenal is Workaway.information. I’ve been utilizing this web site persistently during the last 3 years to seek out volunteer alternatives around the globe. However one of many most important search choices on the positioning is house-sitting and there are at the moment over 500 listings globally.
They’ve an app, which is at all times a bonus, and I’ve discovered hosts to be fast and conscious of inquiries. Membership prices round $50/yr or $30pp/yr when a pair indicators up with a joint membership. I’ve made nice, life-long mates, in addition to some useful international contacts through Workaway.
4. Home Carers
One other web site value contemplating is Housecarers.com. Though it could actually’t compete with the numbers that Trusted Housesitters places up, there are lots of of listings at the moment looking for appropriate candidates.
Within the curiosity of conserving your choices open, it’s smart to have not less than a number of energetic house-sitting memberships open. Home Carers means that you can construct a profile and search with out paying something upfront. If you happen to discover a house-sit you just like the look of you’ll must change into a full-paying member to use. Full membership is simply $50/yr so it’s one other reasonably priced house-sitting useful resource.
If you happen to’re pondering of turning into a house-sitter in Costa Rica, Housecarers.com is a good website to discover what a housesitting web site affords and the way it all works.
5. Nomador
Though Nomador has a heavy lean in the direction of European house-sits, they do frequently have listings within the Americas too. There are at the moment round a dozen energetic Costa Rican profiles on the positioning. Very similar to Trusted Housesitters, customers are additionally capable of save searches and be alerted after they come available on the market. It’s a really purposeful and easy-to-use web site.
Nomador’s 3-month fundamental package deal is nice for individuals simply getting began on their home sitting journey. Extra advantages equivalent to insurance coverage, premium customer support, and early entry to new listings include larger membership costs. The highest-end package deal is round $190/yr.
Regardless of not having an app, I like Nomador for its easy web site and clear and informative listings. The essential package deal is a good way to strive house-sitting with out a huge monetary outlay to start with.
Private Expertise Home-sitting in Costa Rica
Costa Rica was excessive on my journey want record once I left the UK in early 2022. I’d heard a lot in regards to the white sandy seashores and the wild and luxurious rainforest, that I couldn’t wait to reach. I had 3 pre-organized home and pet sits booked during my keep.
After 2 days of acclimatizing in San José, the primary house-sit was an hour north in La Fortuna. A phenomenal and enjoyable spot identified for the large Arenal Volcano that dominates the skyline. My time right here got here with 2 canines to look after and the home backed onto the rainforest – it was unimaginable. Regardless of a number of big bugs, it was an amazing introduction to Costa Rican tradition.
The second home sit was the jackpot itemizing I had craved since becoming a member of Trusted Housesitters – 4 weeks on the seashore in Santa Theresa. A preferred vacationer vacation spot and gorgeous location. I had extra duties together with a pool and 4 visitor flats that wanted to be monitored, however no activity was significantly taxing. It was steps from the ocean and an unforgettable expertise.
San Isidro, round half-hour north of San José was the ultimate house-sitting location in Costa Rica. The working espresso ranch was maybe one of the gorgeous properties I’ve ever set my eyes on. Fortunately the gardener handled the espresso rising, I simply saved an eye fixed on the home and slightly canine known as Rodelle.
Greatest Areas to Home Sit in Costa Rica
I had such a beautiful time home and pet-sitting in Costa Rica. It’s a spot to expertise so many various issues. With that in thoughts, listed below are my high 5 locations to house-sit in Costa Rica;
1. Santa Theresa
Home-sitting jobs in Costa Rica don’t get any higher than in Santa Theresa. The favored seashore city is a well-loved vacationer sizzling spot with gorgeous white sandy seashores, nice browsing, and a full of life tradition of bars, cafes, and eating places. I spent a whole month house-sitting right here and completely beloved it.
There’s a big expat neighborhood and a thriving vacationer scene which implies lots of the cafes and eating places have extra of an Americanized really feel to them. It does, nonetheless, imply that food and drinks costs are considerably larger than in different Costa Rican cities.
In distinction, the one-track mud highway that strains the primary boulevard of Santa Theresa maintains the originality of the city. The entire place feels slightly like stepping again to a less complicated time. Don’t be stunned to see individuals strolling barefoot, taking beers right down to the seashore at sundown, or using scooters with a canine (or canines) on their backs.
Location: Santa Theresa is positioned on the western coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. It’s round 115 miles (184 km) west of San José. Getting there requires a brief boat journey throughout the Gulf of Nicoya from Puntarenas or a big drive round it.
2. San José
Though I didn’t house-sit within the capital metropolis San José itself, I did spend a whole lot of time in and round it – together with two Workaway language exchanges and a house-sit round half-hour outdoors of the town. Consequently, I acquired to know the place very nicely.
I’d been warned about San José earlier than touring to Costa Rica, however most of those warnings had been unjustified. Like all metropolis, it has a number of areas that must be prevented when alone or at evening. For essentially the most half, it’s a really cool and nice place to go to. The place to go and the place to keep away from are very apparent, and staying centrally in a populated space by no means gave me any trigger for concern.
San José is residence to a few nice museums, fantastic streets stuffed with bars and eating places, glorious buying, and some creature comforts when you’re lacking a Starbucks or Taco Bell! By staying right here, you’ll additionally have the ability to go to fantastic cities close by like San Isidro, San Rafael, and San Ramon.
Location: San José is the capital and largest metropolis in Costa Rica. It’s serviced by Juan Santamaria Worldwide Airport and is round 2 hours from the coast.
3. Jacó
Jacó was essentially the most Americanized space of Costa Rica that I stayed in. It’s the placement of a number of giant resort-style beachfront resorts and is well-liked with expats. It’s often known as a little bit of a celebration city, with a number of vacationers frequenting the various bars and eating places alongside the primary strip by city. I had nice enjoyable house-sitting in Jacó.
The seashore itself is gorgeous. The black sands stretch uninterrupted for two.5 miles (4 km) and it’s a well-liked spot for sunbathers and surfers. The nice year-round climate makes it an excellent vacation vacation spot for many individuals every year.
Though individuals could come to Jacó to loosen up and celebration there’s nonetheless loads of pure magnificence to get pleasure from. For instance, the gorgeous Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park is simply an hour south of Jacó. There are quite a few cool excursions obtainable too. ATV and horseback using excursions, snorkeling cruises to Tortuga Island, mountain climbing, and ziplining are all inside simple attain.
Location: Jacó is positioned on the west coast of mainland Costa Rica. It’s round 62 miles (100 km) southwest of San José.
4. Puerto Viejo
I virtually acquired to house-sit in Puerto Viejo however my month-long sit was canceled on the final minute. It was a disgrace, however I settled for a beautiful few days by the seashore with some mates visiting from England. Nestled alongside the japanese Caribbean shoreline of Costa Rica, Puerto Viejo is a tropical haven and affords a singular journey expertise.
Identified for its mix of indigenous and Afro-Caribbean cultures, Puerto Viejo is a distinct expertise from the remainder of the nation. The city is such a cool place to go to and is a melting pot of traditions. From the full of life beats of reggae to the various aromas of native delicacies. It’s a dream vacation spot for house-sitting in Costa Rica long run.
The Gandoca-Manzanillo Nationwide Wildlife Refuge is a surprising place to go to close by, and snorkeling within the crystal-clear waters is an unforgettable expertise. The entire city has a laid-back ambiance and its heat, pleasant individuals make guests really feel proper at residence.
Location: Puerto Viejo is positioned on the southeastern shoreline of Costa Rica. It’s round 137 miles (221 km) southeast of San José. Sixaola, the closest border crossing into Panama is simply round 28 miles (45 km) from Puerto Viejo.
5. La Fortuna
If you happen to’re planning to go to Costa Rica to expertise nature, in addition to some enthralling experiences, I extremely advocate you head to La Fortuna. Situated centrally within the Alajuela area, this glorious city had the whole lot I hoped to achieve from visiting Costa Rica; wildlife and gorgeous landscapes, zip strains, and pure thermal spas.
The long-lasting volcano that dominates the skyline is just breathtaking, and La Fortuna Waterfall is a should for any Costa Rica itinerary. The Bogarin path is a preservation space for sloths and quite a few different wildlife equivalent to toucans, lizards, and butterflies. It’s an amazing place to discover and to tick off seeing some native Costa Rican wildlife.
The city itself has a relaxed vibe with a gentle circulation of backpackers, and vacationers, looking for nature and journey blended in with a bustling inhabitants of lifelong residents and locals. The small-town vibe makes it really feel homely and welcoming, while ample points of interest and facilities make it an thrilling place to remain.
Location: La Fortuna is positioned round 80 miles (130 km) to the northwest of San José. The closest border with Nicaragua at Las Tabilillas is 100 miles (160 km) to the north.
Is Costa Rica Protected?
Costa Rica is taken into account one of many most secure international locations in Central America. The nation’s dedication to eco-tourism and a steady political surroundings has contributed to its general optimistic repute. Guests can get pleasure from exploring the nationwide parks, pristine seashores, and vibrant cities with out important security considerations.
Nevertheless, like every journey vacation spot, it’s important to train warning and to at all times stay vigilant. Petty theft, significantly in crowded vacationer areas in main cities like San José, generally is a concern. Hold a detailed eye in your belongings always and solely use respected transport companies like Uber and official buses if wanted to get round.
On the whole, Costa Rica is a welcoming and safe surroundings for vacationers and an amazing place to house-sit. Commonsense precautions, an consciousness of native customs, and respect for the pure environment will definitely assist when visiting from overseas.
Execs and Cons of Being a Home Sitter in Costa Rica
As with wherever, there are execs and cons to house-sitting in Costa Rica. So, based mostly on my experiences, I’ve shortlisted a number of for potential house-sitters to think about:
Execs of Residing in Costa Rica
- Pure Magnificence: Costa Rica has an abundance of breathtaking landscapes, pristine seashores, lush rainforests, and majestic mountains.
- Pura Vida Life-style: The “Pura Vida” way of life is a cultural mantra that interprets to “pure life” and typifies the laid-back, optimistic, and stress-free lifestyle in Costa Rica.
- Local weather: Costa Rica enjoys a constant tropical local weather. With year-round temperatures averaging round 32°C (90°F) through the day and 23°C (73°F) at evening.
- Healthcare: Costa Rica has a well-regarded healthcare system, with high-quality medical services and professionals. My husband wanted a visit to the emergency room for ear hassle and was seen effectively by a specialist and the therapy wasn’t costly.
- Environmental Sustainability: Costa Rica is dedicated to environmental sustainability and conservation.
- Peaceable and Steady: Costa Rica is understood for its steady political surroundings and lack of a army. It has been a peaceable nation for many years which fosters a protected and steady ambiance.
- Pleasant Locals: Costa Ricans, or “Ticos,” are identified for his or her heat and friendliness and I can actually vouch for this.
- Out of doors Actions: The nation is a paradise for out of doors fanatics, providing a plethora of actions equivalent to browsing, mountain climbing, zip-lining, and bird-watching.
- Value of Residing: Whereas not the most cost effective nation in Central America, Costa Rica’s value of residing is cheap, particularly outdoors of main city facilities and definitely when in comparison with say, the USA or the UK.
Cons of Residing in Costa Rica
- Language Barrier: Whereas many Costa Ricans converse English, the official language is Spanish. Non-Spanish audio system could face challenges in sure conditions, significantly in additional rural areas.
- Insect and Pest Points: The tropical local weather brings with it quite a lot of bugs and pests, which generally is a nuisance and require ongoing pest management efforts.
- Pure Disasters: Costa Rica is susceptible to earthquakes and occasional hurricanes, which pose apparent dangers and require residents to be ready for an emergency.
- Rainfall: Throughout the wet season (Might to November), the nation experiences as much as 9.5 inches (240 mm) of rainfall every month and as many as 27 wet days every month. I discovered that it principally falls closely within the mid-late afternoons.
- Water Outages: In sure elements of the nation, particularly extra rural areas the intensive rainfall can have an effect on the stress of the water provide and the stress drops to virtually nothing. This implies faucets, sinks, and bogs received’t work till they repair the issue which might usually take hours to resolve.
- Energy Outages – Likewise, energy outages though uncommon do happen extra often than in different international locations I’ve visited. In 3 months I skilled three 4-8 hour full energy outages.
- Humidity – Given its tropical year-round local weather, the humidity, particularly through the wet season may be overbearing at instances.
- Non-Flushing of Bathroom Paper: The sewage methods in lots of Costa Rican cities are very delicate and in consequence, you can be requested to keep away from flushing any rest room paper. A bin is offered which is slightly disagreeable and generally is a bit bizarre for some individuals, nevertheless it’s what they do.
- The Highway Techniques: Though there are most important roads that join the larger cities, lots of the native highway methods are non-direct, lower by some critically rural areas, and at instances may be poorly maintained.
Home Sitting in Costa Rica: FAQs:
Listed below are some solutions to generally requested questions on house-sitting in Costa Rica:
Most house-sitting web sites could have insurance coverage choices inside their varied membership bands that cowl host cancelation and another fundamental pet or house-sitting eventualities. However as a rule, it might be an amazing concept to have a normal journey insurance coverage coverage in place for visiting Costa Rica.
To change into a house-sitter in Costa Rica you first want to enroll on a home and pet-sitting web site. There are a lot of nice ones, equivalent to Trusted Housesitters, Thoughts My Home, and Nomador which have listings for Costa Rica and are filled with useful info to get you arrange as a sitter.
Though there could also be alternatives to receives a commission to be a house-sitter in Costa Rica, cash doesn’t issue into any of the web sites I’ve ever used. Predominantly the alternate of a beautiful residence, loving pets, and the improved expertise of residing someplace new is the fee.
Sure. Though fairly uncommon, I’ve actually seen listings for house-sitting in Costa Rica with out pets. Websites like Trusted Housesitters will mean you can seek for listings with out pets. Nevertheless, I’ve discovered that for essentially the most half, pets are included as a part of the discount within the majority of listings.
The precise rules for house-sitters in Costa Rica can fluctuate, and it’s important to verify for current info relative to your nationality and the place you’re touring from. Typically, vacationers are allowed to remain in Costa Rica for as much as 90 days with out a visa. This era consists of each tourism and non-work-related actions, equivalent to house-sitting.
All the time be certain that your keep complies with the authorized necessities of the nation.
Home-sitting jobs in Costa Rica are superior. From the attractive seashores of each coastlines to the bustling cities and cities there’s a lot to like. Pleasant individuals, nice year-round climate, nice meals, and a lot pure magnificence. Home-sitting in Costa Rica means that you can stay like an area and actually expertise the fantastic nation to the fullest.
Sure, there are luxurious home sits in Costa Rica. Luxurious may be subjective however I personally discovered lots of the locations I stayed, each as house-sits and in Airbnbs, resorts, and many others. had been to a extremely excessive customary and in step with among the greatest locations I’ve stayed around the globe.
Costa Rica stands out amongst Central American nations for security and boasts a steady political surroundings. Nevertheless, warning and customary sense are suggested, particularly in crowded vacationer areas the place petty theft can happen. To greatest predict security when touring, at all times make the most of trusted transportation like Uber and official buses.
General, Costa Rica gives a safe surroundings for vacationers and house-sitters alike.
In Conclusion
My time in Costa Rica flew by and writing this text has made me very eager to return as quickly as attainable. It’s such a beautiful place and house-sitting there made it much more particular. Getting to essentially know a spot and the individuals is such a distinct expertise from merely passing by.
With a lot variety, I used to be capable of get pleasure from many various elements of Costa Rican tradition and heritage inside a single journey. So, whether or not you crave world-renowned seashores, the excitement of huge cities, the tranquility of the rainforest, or a mix of all of those points of interest, Costa Rica could have a house-sitting alternative to go well with you.
What are you ready for?! Get your self signed up at this time and start your seek for your good Costa Rican house-sit placement.
