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I agree will Costaricabill’s comments about CR plastics. We live in the San Isidro area and plastic things seem way overpriced compared to the US. They also become brittle fast and break quickly. They are poor quality and sometimes lids don’t even fit correctly. I have refrigerator dishes here in the US that I have had for 15 years or more. A similar use item bought in Costa Rica is lucky to last 6 months. There is also a great disparity in the prices of coolers as Bill mentioned. I bought a big Igloo Cube cooler with rolling wheels at Wallmart in Florida for $30 and took it to Costa Rica as our second checked bag filled with sheets and blankets. It just barely fit into the airline limit of 62 inches (h+w+d). The same cooler bought in Costa Rica would have cost at least $150. Some airlines won’t let you bring coolers as luggage but others will. It has gotten more expensive to bring an assortment of household items to Costa Rica from the states in our luggage since the airlines started charging for the second checked bag and, in the case of some airlines, they charge for even the first checked bag. Many of the things we had been bringing to Costa Rica are beginning to become available. Last year, I noticed a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Paso Colón (just a few doors down from Quiznos, oh boy!). It looked just as American as one in the US with the same luxurious looking stuff inside. I didn’t go inside so I don’t know what the prices were like. I expect this trend to continue. As more Americans move to Costa Rica, the stores (especially the chain stores) will follow with the things that Americans want and will buy.
When we arrived here, over 10 years ago, only straight back or very upright furniture was available and N&M’s, in San Pedro was the only place you could find many hardware items, so really all you who have come since them, have it easy … 😆
[quote=”rosiemaji”]I agree will Costaricabill’s comments about CR plastics. We live in the San Isidro area and plastic things seem way overpriced compared to the US. They also become brittle fast and break quickly. They are poor quality and sometimes lids don’t even fit correctly. I have refrigerator dishes here in the US that I have had for 15 years or more. A similar use item bought in Costa Rica is lucky to last 6 months. There is also a great disparity in the prices of coolers as Bill mentioned. I bought a big Igloo Cube cooler with rolling wheels at Wallmart in Florida for $30 and took it to Costa Rica as our second checked bag filled with sheets and blankets. It just barely fit into the airline limit of 62 inches (h+w+d). The same cooler bought in Costa Rica would have cost at least $150. Some airlines won’t let you bring coolers as luggage but others will. It has gotten more expensive to bring an assortment of household items to Costa Rica from the states in our luggage since the airlines started charging for the second checked bag and, in the case of some airlines, they charge for even the first checked bag. Many of the things we had been bringing to Costa Rica are beginning to become available. Last year, I noticed a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Paso Colón (just a few doors down from Quiznos, oh boy!). It looked just as American as one in the US with the same luxurious looking stuff inside. I didn’t go inside so I don’t know what the prices were like. I expect this trend to continue. As more Americans move to Costa Rica, the stores (especially the chain stores) will follow with the things that Americans want and will buy.[/quote]
Hey, Toledo South, just around the corner. Ya’ALL come. We brought them Dios, Walmarts. Now, if we can only get them into good plastics. How very trying this all must be. Oh sorry, I forgot this was the WeLoveCostaRica forum. How rude of me.[quote=”edlreed”][quote=”rosiemaji”]I agree will Costaricabill’s comments about CR plastics. We live in the San Isidro area and plastic things seem way overpriced compared to the US. They also become brittle fast and break quickly. They are poor quality and sometimes lids don’t even fit correctly. I have refrigerator dishes here in the US that I have had for 15 years or more. A similar use item bought in Costa Rica is lucky to last 6 months. There is also a great disparity in the prices of coolers as Bill mentioned. I bought a big Igloo Cube cooler with rolling wheels at Wallmart in Florida for $30 and took it to Costa Rica as our second checked bag filled with sheets and blankets. It just barely fit into the airline limit of 62 inches (h+w+d). The same cooler bought in Costa Rica would have cost at least $150. Some airlines won’t let you bring coolers as luggage but others will. It has gotten more expensive to bring an assortment of household items to Costa Rica from the states in our luggage since the airlines started charging for the second checked bag and, in the case of some airlines, they charge for even the first checked bag. Many of the things we had been bringing to Costa Rica are beginning to become available. Last year, I noticed a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Paso Colón (just a few doors down from Quiznos, oh boy!). It looked just as American as one in the US with the same luxurious looking stuff inside. I didn’t go inside so I don’t know what the prices were like. I expect this trend to continue. As more Americans move to Costa Rica, the stores (especially the chain stores) will follow with the things that Americans want and will buy.[/quote]
Hey, Toledo South, just around the corner. Ya’ALL come. We brought them Dios, Walmarts. Now, if we can only get them into good plastics. How very trying this all must be. Oh sorry, I forgot this was the WeLoveCostaRica forum. How rude of me.[/quote]for the record, there is only one “a” in “y’all”.
crb[quote=”costaricabill”]for the record, there is only one “a” in “y’all”.
crb[/quote}I sit corrected. Darn, my plastic chair just collapsed. Get me to the shaman.
[quote=”rosiemaji”]It would be helpful to know what it costs to ship household items in a container. Are there different sizes of containers? What are the prices? From what port is it shipped from the US and to what port in Costa Rica?[/quote]
We useda very reputable shipper, Charlie Zeller at shiptocostarica.com. Although we found him ourselves he does have an association with ARCR.
Contact him at info@shipcostarica.com and he can answer all your questions then you can use him or find another of your preference.
Our situation required that he warehouse the majority of our good for 6 months and we shipped a pickup as well.
Arden Brink at arden@shipcostarica.com will treat you very well, too.
Things to haul to CR:
It depends on your lifestyle and interests. A good friend of mine has been looking for ways to go into business in CR. One area was the furniture business taking advantage of the wonderful hardwoods available locally. Machinery is expensive and rare in CR and unbelievably cheap in the US due to so much manufacturing moving off shore. He bought several container loads of woodworking machinery here at 10th of new and shipped it to CR. Machine tools are the same. AND equipment that is in not so perfect condition can be economically repaired in CR due to the low labor costs and ingenuity of the local work force.
He has also imported heavy machinery and trucks but says automobiles are not a good deal to bring in.
One caveat about CR hardwood furniture. It holds up well in CR but when imported to the US and our very dry year round heating and cooling it has problems with splitting and warping. A major consideration if you are a manufacturer or exporter.
If your hobby or art requires machines of some type I would bring them with me. I am a blacksmith. I no longer produce product in the field but write a great deal of articles and teach on the subject. This is a tool heavy business weather its your occupation, hobby or even if you just write about it. I have a fully equipped shop that gets used to demonstrate methods and photograph or film the processes. Unless the focus of my life changes I plan to move at least a container full of nothing but tools when I make my move. I would probably do a lot of ironwork for my home in CR but like other businesses in CR the local wages are too low for me to want to be in the trade locally.
Otherwise, except for personal items including my library I would plan on purchasing most things in CR.
One note on tools in general. An acquaintance from Chile who now lives in the US said that when he first moved here he was invited to a weekend barbecue at a new Notrh American friend’s home. While there he wandered around and noticed the open garage door so he looked in. On the walls were the typical middle class U.S. citizen collection of tools including mechanics tools, carpenters tools and others. He was quite impressed at the collection and asked his host what business he was in that he used all those tools. The host was confused and could not answer as they were just his collection that he occasionally used OR thought he needed. .
My Chilean friend said it was years later that he understood his hosts confusion. While such collections of tools are common in many U.S. homes they would be very unusual in Chile. In his native Chile his family ran a Ferreteria (hardware store) and were better off than the average. But at home they had a hammer, pliers, two types of screw drivers, a shovel and a machette. That was it. The collection in that suburban garage was sufficient to operate a sizable business with numerous employees in Chile.
It is both a cultural and economic difference. How much you take with you may be determined by how much culture shock you are ready for AND how much of a target you are willing to be for thieves. While a small box of tools may be a common thing to you, they may be just another sign of being a rich gringo. Since you may not use them daily, their liberation might just be considered putting a wasted resource to good use. . . It is a quandary that I have no answer for.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]I was thinking the other day about all the stuff we’ve brought into Costa Rica since we moved here almost five years ago. Taken together, it’s a substantial list. We brought most of our household goods in a container when we made the move and we’d do that again if we had the chance. Others feel it’s better to liquidate everything in the States and begin anew here. To be sure, there are pros and cons to each argument.
That said, I thought it might be useful to folks anticipating moving here if those of us who have already made the move reflected on what we wish we had brought or what we’ve imported since we got here. We could reflect, too, on what we did bring but wish we hadn’t. Maybe it would provide some hints for the newcomers-to-be.[/quote]
Thank you David! That is a fantastic idea. I just imported an Xterra and we are going to buy a 40 container to fill up with household products to go in to our house we are building. It would be of great help to know the experiences of others. We have heard to bring everything that “requires a plug” from the states as well as bedroom furnishings. Anyone else want to share on their experiences? Thanks Alexander[quote=”costaricabill”][quote=”edlreed”][quote=”rosiemaji”]I agree will Costaricabill’s comments about CR plastics. We live in the San Isidro area and plastic things seem way overpriced compared to the US. They also become brittle fast and break quickly. They are poor quality and sometimes lids don’t even fit correctly. I have refrigerator dishes here in the US that I have had for 15 years or more. A similar use item bought in Costa Rica is lucky to last 6 months. There is also a great disparity in the prices of coolers as Bill mentioned. I bought a big Igloo Cube cooler with rolling wheels at Wallmart in Florida for $30 and took it to Costa Rica as our second checked bag filled with sheets and blankets. It just barely fit into the airline limit of 62 inches (h+w+d). The same cooler bought in Costa Rica would have cost at least $150. Some airlines won’t let you bring coolers as luggage but others will. It has gotten more expensive to bring an assortment of household items to Costa Rica from the states in our luggage since the airlines started charging for the second checked bag and, in the case of some airlines, they charge for even the first checked bag. Many of the things we had been bringing to Costa Rica are beginning to become available. Last year, I noticed a Bed Bath & Beyond store in Paso Colón (just a few doors down from Quiznos, oh boy!). It looked just as American as one in the US with the same luxurious looking stuff inside. I didn’t go inside so I don’t know what the prices were like. I expect this trend to continue. As more Americans move to Costa Rica, the stores (especially the chain stores) will follow with the things that Americans want and will buy.[/quote]
Hey, Toledo South, just around the corner. Ya’ALL come. We brought them Dios, Walmarts. Now, if we can only get them into good plastics. How very trying this all must be. Oh sorry, I forgot this was the WeLoveCostaRica forum. How rude of me.[/quote]for the record, there is only one “a” in “y’all”.
crb[/quote]
That is correct CRB! Being a Carolina boy I had a good laugh at that. Thought I might have been the only one to notice. I agree about the plastics in CR. I went to EPA and paid 80.00 dollars for a plastic lounge chair to go by the pool. Won’t be making that mistake again. I had purchased several things that day. I thought the bill
seemed high when I checked out but kept going as the sun was out I wanted to lay by the pool. Upon further investigation I found my chair costs 80.00. Pura Vida, hand me another Imperial!
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