Costa Rica Or Puerto Rico: Where Should I Go For The Winter Months?

I am trying to decide if I want to return to Costa Rica or Puerto Rico for the duration of the winter months. My friends think it’s very amusing that I would want to leave South Florida for the rest of the winter, so let me explain: I have a chronic Sinus problem. Whenever the temperature drops below 50 degrees, and there is a cold wind, I will get sick. I can feel it coming on as soon as I breathe in cold air. If I don’t get to the doctor right away, and get on antibiotics, the infection will travel down into the throat, and bronchi; then go down into the lungs. There is always the possibility of building up a resistance to the antibiotic, but I have no choice.

I have made the decision to leave South Florida for the remainder of the winter. I would return to my home by the end of March. I have visited Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, and I really love the two countries. I now have to decide which country I want to go to.

It’s about a two hour flight to either country from Miami, Florida. I can get a round trip flight to Costa Rica for around $500.00 and to Puerto Rico for about $350.00

The two countries are similar in a lot of respects. Both are warm the year round. Both have beautiful white sandy beaches. Both have rain forests. Both countries have mountainous regions. If you are hot down in the lower region, you just move to higher country. The people of both countries are very friendly, and love to show off their country. I found the language barrier was not so great in Puerto Rico, where more people speak English. I speak NO Spanish. I would classify Costa Rica as more “country” than Puerto Rico. The roads in Costa Rica are filled with pot holes. They tell me the people want them that way because they don’t want a lot of road traffic. Most of the people get around by public transportation, busses and cabs. In Puerto Rico, most of the permanent residents drive their own cars. They do have good public transportation, though. Anyone over the age of 65 ride the busses free of charge.

The United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico share a common defense, and currency. That means our American dollar is accepted everywhere. That makes shopping so much easier than in Costa Rica. You do not need a Passport to travel to Puerto Rico, whereas you do have to have a Passport to travel to Costa Rica. You just need a valid Driver’s License from the United States to enter P.R.

Both countries depend on tourism. They both export coffee and bananas among other fruits. Rum is the national drink of Puerto Rico. The have a large rum factory there. You can find Casinos in both countries. Gambling is legal.

Both countries boost excellent health care. Permanent residents of Costa Rica have their health care paid for by the government. If their residents need to go to a Nursing Home, that is paid for also. They really believe in education. Their government will pay for secondary school for your child. If you want to establish permanent residency, in C.R., you can do that after six months. The one BIG plus as far as I’m concerned is that in Puerto Rico, Medicare pays just like it does in the United States.

The native food is very similar in both countries. They eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you don't care for their food, there is always American Fast Food. Burger King, McDonald's, Taco Bell are on every street. You will also see American chains such as Walgreen's Drug Stores.

When I was in Puerto Rico, I felt like I was in the United States. There are many skyscrapers in the capital city of San Juan. The are many shopping Malls just like home. As soon as you drive out of the city, you are in a different land; lush and green.

There is a big difference in the cost of living between the two counties. Costa Rica has cheaper housing, utilities and food. I think Puerto Rico is comparable to S. Florida for cost of living. Both countries enjoy state of the art communication systems. There are many Wi-Fi cafes in both C.R. and P.R. I never had any problems with my AT&T cell phone in either country.

I would like to find a small efficiency apartment in either country. I don’t care about the beaches or the night life. I would just like to find a quiet place to live during the 3 Winter months. As long as I have my computer, I’m happy.

My plans are to lock up my house, and leave pretty soon before the next cold front comes to South Florida. So , I have to make a decision now! If anyone has any opinion on where they think I should go, I would welcome that opinion.