11 Things to consider if you want to be a Digital Nomad in Costa Rica (like me)

Would you like to work and travel the world at the same time? For example, would you like to work in a technically up-to-date office setting during the day and walk along a tropical beach at sunset? Sit on a beach to do your email and creative writing? Meet other travelers while enjoying tropical mountain air? That’s what I’ve been doing the past two years in Costa Rica and it’s been fantastic!

My LinkedIn and Sales Navigator coaching and services business is now in its 18th year and it's easier than ever to run operations from outside the US. I can thank COVID partially, but the working world has been trending online for quite some time. It's just done with Zoom nowadays vs Skype.

I’ve had to learn some things to make my workdays here in Costa Rica run as smoothly as possible and for my off-time to be as enjoyable as possible. I’d like to share these insights with you, 11 of them exactly, so if you are considering the digital nomad life, you’ll know what to expect. It's a fun read no matter what.

1. Time Zones

The first and most important thing to prepare yourself for being a digital nomad working in Costa Rica or elsewhere is to understand time zones. Costa Rica, where I am now, is in the U.S. Central Time Zone so it is very easy to stay here and do business with the U.S. My home base in the US is Minnesota and I did not have to change anything at all.

I will be working remotely from Spain this summer and it has a seven-hour time difference with the U.S. I’ll be up late in the night there to talk to my U.S. clients. More later on the working adventure in Spain.

Fortunately, Google Calendar and Calendly, two tools that I rely on a great deal, take into account time zones. Some digital nomads choose to keep their hometown time zone on their calendars. They seem to have trouble with that so I don’t do that. I set my calendar tools in the time zone that I’m in at the moment and make adjustments in my mind.

My girlfriend Esmeralda Diaz-Aroca is a LinkedIn expert from Spain. She was just here in Costa Rica and she puts the local Madrid time in the event description in her calendar since there is a 7 hour time difference. Smart!

2. Lead Times

If you’re going to effectively be a digital nomad, you need to think about lead times. Watch airline ticket prices to get the best deals. On the flip side, sometimes the airline rates will go down over time. That happened to me. I saw ticket prices go down $80 after I bought them for my last trip. But I had peace of mind knowing when I was going and that helped a great deal. I also got to pick from more available departure times and had a direct flight.

The same logic goes for lodging. The places you most want to be at will fill up fast and COVID has reduced some of the capacities. I planned my locations in September, 4 months ahead, so I had the most options. I stay at Selina Hostels and their top locations are very quick to fill up.

3. Responsibilities

If you have responsibilities at home you must plan for them. This can be the biggest inhibitor for many people. Get help from relatives and friends for the dog, the cat, the mail, and deliveries. I have someone checking in on my 83 yo mom every couple of days. They also check the mail for me.

Next year I will look to make more of my transactions via autopay, use a credit card more with customers and move some things to ACH vs checks sent in the mail.

You will typically be going for months, not weeks, so the planning is a bit more complex.

4. Noise and Distractions

If you do Zoom calls, as I do frequently, you’ll need to find places in your travels where noise is within tolerable limits. It’s the trucks and motorcycles on the nearby road that cause the most problems with noise.

In those cases, if you have a room with a desk, you can?simply go back to your room and do your Zoom calls and most important work from there.?This is my "home office" view at Selina in Tamarindo.

In Costa Rica, I booked a nice, private room in most places. But in popular locations, the rooms are smaller. I often don’t have space in those places in my room to do Zoom calls except to sit on a bed. Right now, fortunately, I am staying in a location that has private phone booths for such calls.

I like to find a work spot with just the right vibe and background noise. That means my client or associate on the other end of the call might hear the clinking of silverware in a restaurant or people swimming in a pool or children playing or, better yet, ocean waves crashing.?

When I am in a co-working office space, I have to think about the people around me. People look at me funny and make me feel uncomfortable if I am too loud. They can hear all of what I am saying unless I am in a phone booth.

Now, there are many times you will find you can do your work from a place with more appeal than a "room". I like the restaurant bars at the beach. You buy a Coke or a beer every now and then, maybe get a bite to eat. This is my "office" at El Be! in Tamarindo. I work here at night as well.

5. Scheduling Your Time

As a digital nomad, I try not to schedule my time too tightly. I change my work location throughout the day to avoid the noise of delivery trucks or the lunch crowd. I use my calendars to arrange each day to work well for my new lifestyle. For instance, I take a long walk on the beach every morning at 8 a.m. so I don’t schedule calls for earlier than 10 a.m.

6. Be Open to New Things

Perhaps most important for me is to be open to new ideas, friends, and approaches. Every day I meet new people and am surrounded by new ideas. Other people step out of their guest rooms in the morning wanting to meet and do business with people who like traveling, like themselves. I’ve benefited from this attitude both in giving and receiving.

You meet new friends at the pool or perhaps at the pool table.

As I found a way to spend the winter months in Costa Rica, I created a whole new life for myself with new business partners and friends. The intrigue and possibilities get a lot of attention and open a lot of doors. I even met the love of my life here in Costa Rica, Esmeralda Diaz-Aroca, from Spain.

7. Technology Tricks

As much as Costa Rica and other paradise locations might be rustic, technology is more prevalent than ever down here. It’s interesting that I use my cell phone and laptop differently than I do in the United States.

In making phone calls, especially video and Zoom calls, I set the phone to Airplane Mode and I use the local Wi-Fi at all times. I’m not interested in paying for data rates for a video call. They don't have unlimited plans for data here in Costa Rica so it is very expensive to do US phone calls or even video if you don't take advantage of the WiFi.

I reused an old iPhone XS and put a local SIM card in it so I have a local Costa Rica phone number as well as my U.S. number. With a local SIM card I can have GPS everywhere I need it and I can call locally from anywhere, including the beach while I’m walking in the morning. It's can still be expensive to call internationally with a Costa Rica phone. This is one of many tricks for technology and communication when traveling.

8. Costs

I didn’t come to Costa Rica to relax in areas by myself or just visit with the locals. I came to enjoy and benefit from the international atmosphere. So I spend a little more money than you might imagine because I am eating at nice restaurants most of the time. The food is tremendous and dinner costs between $10-20. That includes live music at many locations. An ice-cold bottle of local beer is $3 and it can sometimes literally have one in it.

Airfares are not particularly expensive except for last-minute peak season. Flights can be long (2 or 3 legs) or short if you don't book early. I like the short direct flights and I am willing to pay a little more and book earlier.

Once I arrive, I stay in town where I can generally walk wherever I am going. Every now and then, at the end of the night, I might take a cab or even a Tut Tut.

Lodging options are all over the place but chain hotels are rare. They are mostly "boutique hotels" or hostels. I zeroed in on an upscale hostel group called Selina. They have dedicated coworking spaces and even "phone booths". The community of other digital nomads of all ages is especially fun and interesting.

I find that my requirements have evolved to include a swimming pool and a private room for doing Zoom calls. Many travelers, especially the young, are fine with a dorm room setting with bunks beds in a shared room. They use the coworking areas here at Selina.

9. What to Bring

Here’s what I brought with me on this second long stay and it will probably work for you as well - clothes, technology, and documents. I packed light on the clothes and toiletries. Everything fit in a small suitcase and a backpack. I didn’t bring t-shirts, suntan lotion, shampoo, etc. I bought them here in Costa Rica. The exception was shorts. I brought them with me from the U.S.?Footwear is very important. My Crocs and Vans are super helpful as it's easy to stub your toes here. Buy your flip-flops here. So many great choices.

10. Who to Bring

I brought myself and invited friends to visit me for some of my time here. Some of my friends have partners, kids, and dogs. They had to decide who and what to bring. The answer to this is a personal choice for everyone.

I am traveling solo for much of the trip, so I pay close attention to where I stay. I prefer locations where I can meet many other people like me. I see the same people next year - we even plan out trip agendas together. They can lead to lifelong friendships.

11. Plan for Next Year

The first time I came to Costa Rica I wasn’t here for very long before I was planning on how I was going to come back. I envisioned this little change or that little change, but one of the biggest changes was I wanted to stay for longer. This year I chose 90 days since my visitor’s visa is for 90 days. Many people that come to Costa Rica and they soon look at ways to extend their trip here. Esmeralda did just that.

That’s it. I hope you’ve come away with some valuable insights into what to expect and how to prepare for a trip to Costa Rica. I plan on being here next year (and every year) during the U.S. winter months.? Will I see you here, too?!

Reach out to me here on LinkedIn or comment and let's talk Costa Rica!