There are plenty of jobs in Costa Rica for Westerners. Costa Rica is a beautiful country in Central America that has been gaining popularity in tourism for its exceptional beaches and natural atmosphere. Some people enjoy it so much that they decide to extend their stay by months, years and some stay for the rest of their lives. However, if you are ready to make that jump of staying in Costa Rica for such a long time you are going to need an income.
English is in very high demand. Most Costa Ricans need to know English just to get a job. Therefore, English teachers are always in demand. You can teach in private or in public schools as well as in the various universities. If you want more flexibility, then you can work in the various language schools. One privilege to working in the language schools is that most give you free Spanish lessons. Considering the high population of Americans that live in Costa Rica and have businesses in Costa Rica, there are many jobs in Costa Rica that involve speaking English. There are a variety of receptionist jobs, accounting jobs and human resources jobs. You can even work in the hotel industry because there 90% of the work is performed in English.
Depending on your Spanish skills, you may be able to open up your scope of jobs in Costa Rica. If you are fluent in Spanish and English then you can obtain many more jobs. For instance there are a variety of Spanish based jobs that need fluent Spanish speakers. Many receptionist jobs require such work. Another option is to become a translator. You can be a freelance translator or and in house translator depending on your preferences. If you only speak English, that is not a problem. The most popular and well paid jobs in Costa Rica for English speakers are working in a call center. Call centers are outsourced jobs which employees call clients asking them to review products or people call in to ask for help.
The payment for jobs in Costa Rica may seem low but they make sense when you look at your living expenses. A teaching job brings in about 2500 colons per hour which is $5. That is the average salary. Teaching jobs at Berlitz in Costa Rica pay more such as $9 per hour with bonuses, but they require more teaching experience. Call centers normally bring in about $10 per hour which is exceptional. On average, most Costa Ricans make between $400 and $600 per month. Rent can be anywhere from $150 to $600 and utilities are dirt cheap. $150 for an apartment does not mean that it is going to be in a bad neighbourhood or not up to par. The real estate pricing is very low so you can get an excellent studio apartment for this price or you can find roommates and share a bigger apartment.
There are many options if you looking for jobs in Costa Rica. You can go online to find jobs in that jewel of a country or even when you get to the country you can start to look around.
Related links:
Costa Rica Jobs for US and Canadian Nationals