My wife and I went to Costa Rice to attend a seminar on moving and living there. We cut our stay short by three days. It may have been a coincidence, but three or four unfavorable incidences happened in such short succession, a red flag went up. There are attempts to impose US-style living there (no doubt to attract expat retirement dollars), and to whatever degree this has been successful, security needs to be weighed in heavily on any decisions regarding moving there full time. I wouldn’t say don’t do it, but it may not be for the feint of heart, cost of living notwithstanding.