Surely you're wondering why. Or more precisely, your're wondering why we don't just buy another one or transport the one we already own that is paid for and in great condition down to Costa Rica. Like all things Costa Rican, the answer is both simple and complex.
The simple answer is that we don't need one here. Remember the line we're trying to establish between need and want? For us, a car most assuredly fits on the want side of that line - at least for now. But the need, or lack thereof, for car ownership is not a one-size-fits-all topic here. And that's where it gets complicated.
To understand that, let's begin by examining public transportation - the means, by which the vast majority of Ticos and Ticas get around town and travel across the country.
Our Local City Bus
Buses and taxis are plentiful, convenient, and affordable -- and mostly comfortable. They are also highly regulated by the government in an attempt to keep travel safe and affordable.
Taxis line up alongside the central park, near every bus terminal or parada de autobuses, shopping centers, and at the airport, as well as just about everywhere else large numbers of people come and go. And they cruise the city looking for potential fares. A ride from the bus station in Palmares to our apartment, a distance of about a mile and a half, costs about $2 USD. A taxi from the airport to our hotel in Alajuela, about a 10 minute drive, cost $5.
Buses come in two flavors: city and long-distance. City buses are older and less comfortable (think hard plastic seats), but they are cheap, frequent, and go just about everywhere.
We live in a somewhat rural community on the outskirts of a small town. Now in the U.S. that would likely translate into no bus service at all. But we not only have daily bus service, we have hourly bus service from 5:30 am until about 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday - at a cost of 240 colones, or about 50 cents, USD. That's a 75% savings over a taxi, for one person and 50% savings for two.
Inside the San Jose/Palmares Bus
The one-hour trip to San Jose makes an equally compelling financial argument, at 1250 colones (about $2.25 USD) round trip by bys.
While on a car ride with a Tico friend, recently, we passed a bus on a winding road half way up a sparsely populated mountain. Our friend explained that the community has 4x a day bus service!
I can't even imagine public transportation anywhere in the U.S. that would compare, so clearly a price comparison would seem a moot point and of questionable accuracy.
Long-distance buses are typically newer (often Mercedes or Volvo), larger, and more luxurious. They come in two varieties: express and collective, the latter stopping to pick up passengers more frequently along the route. To get an idea of how affordable it can be to take a bus rather than drive a long distance, consider that for about $12, one can take an 8-hour bus ride from San Jose in the central valley to Golfito, near the Panama border. Of course, one trades the freedom to stop wherever and whenever along the way, but for some, cost is a far more compelling factor.
So, what about car ownership? For certain, many Ticos own cars -- as do probably the vast majority of gringos. We are, after all, expatriates from relatively affluent, car-loving countries, like the U.S. So, this is where the subject grows more complicated.
Life in some of the more remote locations can certainly make owning a car an absolute necessity - for safety, if nothing else. But car-ownership comes with a hefty price tag here in Costa Rica. Because of high-import duties, they can cost anywhere from 40% to 70% more than a comparable vehicle would cost in the U.S. Just as importantly, there are vastly more bad roads than good -- and bad roads translate into high-maintenance costs. To demonstrate "bad," consider that it is commonplace in the city for a local to plant a tree in a pot hole that has remained unrepaired too long. This way, at least the green sprout in the middle of the road gives drivers advance warning of the approaching hazard. On a country road, it's every man or woman for him/herself. Even on the main highways, it is not uncommon to encounter entire lanes that have crumbled down the mountainside from heavy rains.
Gas is expensive here, running the equivalent of about $1 a gallon more than the U.S.
Parking is expensive and inconvenient. Car theft is a real issue, so and parking in anything other than a secure paid lot is simply asking for problems - which basically means that for the most part you're going to be shopping on foot whether you drive yourself or take a bus.
Street markers and route signs are virtually non-existent, making navigation at best frustrating and at worst dangerous.
Finally, speed limits, stop signs, red lights, and yellow "do not pass" lines are perceived as mere suggestions, in spite of the government's attempts to clamp down on offenders. In short, driving among Ticos is not for the faint of heart.
So for now, we'll think longingly of the days when we could hop in our car on a whim and drive at our convenience to the destination of our choice, as we trek to and from bus stops, take an occasional taxi when it makes sense, sit back and relax while someone else worries about crazy drivers and pot holes... and get a little healthier from the extra exercise in the process.
Pura Vida
