CostaRica
How to Get a Prepaid Cell Phone
Jan 24th
3G Cell Phone
At the start of 2010, ICE (Costa Rica’s Electricity Institute) rolled out the nation’s first prepaid cell phone service. Dubbed Kolbi Prepago, the service allows users to control their consumption of cell minutes and, best of all, non-residents and tourists are now able to purchase prepaid SIM chips for their GSM and 3G cell phones.
The prepaid service offers both national and international SIM chips in several denominations: local service can be purchased for 2,500 CRC ($5), 5,000 CRC ($10) or 10,000 CRC ($20), while an international chip to call the United States runs 11,400 CRC ($23). Within Costa Rica, daytime minutes cost 7 cents and nighttime minutes run 5 and a half cents. All Kolbi prepaid plans include voicemail, text messaging, call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, and 911 service. Multimedia messaging (MMS) is an additional subscription service. Additionally, 3G Internet may be added to any prepaid plan for 12,000 CRC ($24) per month.
Steps to Obtain Your Prepaid Service:
Request prepaid service by calling 115 or 193. Alternately, you may request service in person at any authorized ICE Telecommunications Agency.Purchase an ICE-supported (“homologado”) cell phone. Both GSM and 3G phones will work, but TDMA technology will not.Once you have your prepaid service request number and cell phone, head to your nearest ICE Telecommunications Agency. If you forget your request number, dial 145 to confirm.If you are a tourist, simply present your passport (must have a current entrance stamp) and two copies of your photo and Immigration stamp pages. If you are a legal resident, take your cedula de residencia, as well as proof of residence (an electricity bill, for example). At the time of application, you may not be delinquent on any current ICE accounts. For more information, call 800-PREPAGO.You must choose between the three Kolbi national plans or international plans. For reference, the 2,500 CRC plan purchases 73.5 daytime minutes: 5,000 CRC earns 147 daytime minutes; and 10,000 CRC buys 294 daytime minutes.
Purchases less than 2,499 CRC expire in 30 days; more than this amount earns a 60 day window. Dial 150, Option 2 at any time to consult your balance and minutes expiration date.
When it’s time to recharge your minutes, you’ll have two options: automatic payments or purchase additional minutes at authorized dealers. Automatic recharge is available at any authorized sales office, for example certain Servimas centers located in supermarkets and other commercial points. Recharge amounts begin at 50 CRC and minutes are credited immediately. The other option is to purchase scratch cards or electronic pins, which include a pin and password and are available at authorized dealers. Once you have obtained your pin and password, dial 150, choose option 1, and input your information to recharge your prepaid plan.
If your minutes run out before the expiration period, you will still be able to receive text messages and phone calls. However, if you do not purchase additional minutes within five days after expiration, you will lose your prepaid plan. If you want to restart prepaid service in the future, you’ll be required to begin again at Step 1 and would be assigned a new number.
Costa Rica on the Cheap
Jan 22nd
Fresh produce from the farmers’ market is key to living frugally
When I moved to Costa Rica, I expected my living expenses to decrease, but I had no idea I would be able to live comfortably for under $1,000 per month. In fact, when my husband and I first got married, we lived well, albeit frugally, on about $850 per month. Though we counted colones, we were able to afford a nice three-bedroom home in a great location, with cable TV and high speed Internet, cell phones, and a few evenings of dining out each month. Try doing that in most world cities!
Living on the cheap in Costa Rica is just like pinching pennies anywhere else; however, prioritizing expenditures is just a little easier here. The biggest factor in maximizing a small budget is real estate, and there’s a lot more to it than location. First, identify where you want to live; beach areas and hip urban areas, especially those that cater to foreigners, will be pricey. Small towns in the Central Valley are a good bet, as they’re accessible to the capital, have reliable public transportation, and offer affordable rents.
Public transportation is cheap
After you’ve found your ideal location, aim for a Costa Rican neighborhood. Locals tend to build their houses without central hot water. Electric showers provide hot water on demand and help save a ton on your energy bill. If possible, find a home constructed of cool concrete – air conditioning is not necessary throughout most of the country, and in the hotter, coastal areas, a couple of strong fans will do the trick.
One of the biggest factors in sticking to a stingy budget is food. Premade goods, even those that are extremely budget-friendly in the United States (macaroni & cheese, canned soups, etc.) are imported to Costa Rica and therefore more expensive. If you want to eat cheap here, you have to eat local.
Traditional homes are often inexpensive and energy efficient
Scour the Internet and cookbooks for simple recipes that use fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Seasonal produce is very affordable – you can easily grab ten pounds of fruits and veggies at the farmers’ market for less than $20. Staples like carrots, potatoes and dried beans are incredibly cheap and very healthy. Beef and pork are usually cheaper than in the United States, but boneless, skinless chicken breast costs $4 per pound. If you want to be extra careful with your food budget, consider eating vegetarian at least half of the time.
The best advice I can give anyone on a budget is to plan wisely but don’t scrimp too much. Moving to Costa Rica should be an exciting and enjoyable experience, and if you spend every moment worrying about money, you’ll lose sight of the beauty around you.
Counting Colones Budget Breakdown:
Housing: $150/month (shared apartment or small home)
Basic utilities (electricity & water): $15 (1/2 of total house utilities)
Luxury utilities (cell phone, cable TV & 1mb high-speed Internet): $40 (1/2 of total house utilities)
Public Transportation: $45 (equivalent to using four inner-city buses per day)
Restaurants & Entertainment: $100
Groceries: $200
Miscellaneous: $100
Total: $650
Little Bit O’ Luxury Budget Breakdown:
Housing: $300/month (private apartment or small home)
Basic utilities (electricity & water): $30
Luxury utilities (cell phone, cable TV & 2mb high-speed Internet): $85
Public Transportation: $100 (liberal use of buses & taxis)
Restaurants & Entertainment: $150
Groceries: $225
Private Health Insurance: $50
Miscellaneous: $100
Total: $1,040
