Profile: The Suburbs of San Jose, Costa Rica: Escazu and Santa Ana

By Elvira Harisiadis

Having arrived in this beautiful country two years ago, I have the pleasure to now be living and working in Escazu.  Just ten minutes from downtown San Jose, Escazu is an upscale suburb with fabulous mountain views, a fresh climate, and modern shopping plazas.  It is considered to be one of the  most affluent San Jose neighborhoods and is comprised of three communities:  San Rafael de Escazu, Escazu Centro and San Antonio de Escazu.  Sprawled  across the Central Valley’s rolling hills, Escazu overlooks Heredia and San Jose and offers a peaceful alternative to the hustle of the capital city.

Escazu is home to a large expatriate population.  It has malls, restaurants, hotels and other businesses where English is widely spoken.  Visitors will find beautifully-maintained gated communities and a lavish country club with a public 18-hole golf course.  Multiplaza Escazu is one of the largest shopping malls in Latin America; PriceSmart and the modern office complexes of Plaza Roble are nearby, as well as many luxury hotels such as the Intercontinental and the Marriott Courtyard.  Of course there are many more shopping areas; just to mention a few:  Plaza Itzkatzu, Plaza Atlantis & Plaza Florencia, all with a great variety of fancy shops, restaurants and amenities.

For a bit of local flavor, Escazu Centro is dotted with cozy Tico restaurants (known as sodas), where typical meals are inexpensive and Spanish is still the language spoken. The posh area around San Antonio de Escazu is mostly residential and attracts wealthy Ticos and North American retirees.

Escazu is well connected to all of the main highways, and is an excellent option for travelers based in the Central Valley.  The area’s public transportation is a cheap and efficient way of traveling to and from nearby tourist attractions.  In addition, some of the country’s finest  restaurants — from Japanese to Peruvian — can be found in Escazu.

A wide range of accommodations are available — from charming B&Bs, to luxurious hotels with stunning panoramic views of the Central Valley and the volcanoes beyond.  Many people will arrange day trips to volcanoes, hot spring, botanical gardens, or the museums of San Jose.  Top-notch hotels, modern amenities and gourmet restaurants make this San Jose suburb truly a cosmopolitan destination.

Without a doubt the most desirable towns are Escazu and Santa Ana.  Santa Ana is a trendy and expensive community with a relaxed atmosphere and with all the modern conveniences and reat commercial centers such as Momentum and Centro Comercial Lindora.

Also, the best bilingual schools are located in these two destinations — Country Day, Blue Valley, West College, Pan-American School, and St. Paul.

The best hospital in all of Central America can be found in Escazu — Hospital CIMA.  There are many other good, small hospitals and medical service facilities in both Escazu and Santa Ana, giving the traveler and resident many options for the best care possible.  The cost of medical services is a fraction of what it is in the U.S. or Europe, but quality is not sacrificed.   Doctors are highly trained — many in the United States and Cuba — and the national health care system will treat anybody, regardless of nationality or legal status.

These areas already have grown very quickly due to excellent infrastructure like the new Caldera highway near completion.  Proximity to Pavas airport for domestic flights, as well as being 30 minutes from the international airport, rounds out a feeling of being connected to one’s home country; over 50 non-stop flights are available from SJO airport.  New business centers such as Avenida Escazu will offer modern and exclusive business and residential buildings, shops, cinemas, cafes, and restaurants.  This will be an additional boost to an area already in high demand.

Real estate has stabilized somewhat due to recent global economic conditions, but still reflect the general high demand of the area.  One can expect to pay between $250,000 and $450,000 for a typical North American-style home with 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2,500 sq. ft. of living space, nice-size property and a pool, in a gated community.  Land prices have a wide range based on location:  $50 per square meter for residential low-density areas, and up to $200 per square meter for the most exclusive gated communities.

Recent good news about Costa Rica has been flooding in from well-regarded sources such as the Economist, Forbes Traveler, and well-known economist Thomas Friedman.  Costa Rica is known to be a stable, peaceful, and environmentally protected country.  Now is the time to consider investing in, or relocating to Costa Rica.  This period of economic weakness has driven many people to begin looking to this small Central American country as a sound alternative to living under the increasing pressures to be found in many other areas of the world.  Many North Americans who have second homes in Costa Rica, or have invested here are unfortunately under stress, and Costa Rica consequently has seen some foreclosures or desperate selling to cover losses in the U.S. and abroad.  These sellers are often entertaining owner financing and other attractive options.

Right now is the calm before the next real estate storm in Costa Rica.  If you are considering a move here, I encourage you to visit and evaluate for yourself the business district suburbs of San Jose; the area might just be exactly what you have been looking for.