FIRE Number for San José, Costa Rica

A modest furnished apartment in a safe, well-connected Central Valley barrio — the quieter edges of Sabana, San Pedro, or the affordable side of Santa Ana — walkable to a feria and a bus stop. Most meals come from the kitchen, built on cheap farmers'-market produce, with casados at neighborhood sodas a few times a week for eating out. Getting around is the bus network plus the occasional taxi or rideshare; no car needed. CAJA enrollment paired with an affordable local private plan covers routine care, with Clínica Bíblica and CIMA on hand for anything bigger. Frugal and careful, but genuinely comfortable in a country built for easygoing pura-vida living.

A quality furnished apartment or condo in prime Escazú or Santa Ana — gated, amenity-rich, with hillside or valley views — anchors a confident FIRE routine. Dining out is near-daily across Escazú's international scene, groceries lean on Automercado and specialty imports alongside the ferias, and premium local private cover keeps out-of-pocket exposure low with full CIMA and Clínica Bíblica access. A car handles the Central Valley and weekend escapes to Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, or the Nicoya coast, backed by rideshare in town. A rich calendar of dining, wellness, and travel comes with real margin to spare.

A hillside estate in the Escazú or Santa Ana heights — gated grounds, pool, sweeping Central Valley views, top of the long-term luxury stock — kept by full-time live-out staff including a housekeeper-cook and a gardener-caretaker. Fine dining is near-daily across the metro's best international kitchens, and international concierge cover with cross-border medical evacuation to a US hospital removes the last friction. A luxury vehicle with on-call driving, gourmet and imported provisioning, and an open-ended budget for constant travel, club memberships, and the finer things mean nothing is out of reach. This is the Central Valley at its most opulent — a trophy address, resident staff, and a country of beaches, volcanoes, and cloud forest as the backyard.