Like so many of Costa Rica’s coastal towns, Playa Conchal is both a town and a beach – and retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica is definitely about both the town and the beach! Because this community and its pink-tinged sands are inextricably and beautifully intertwined, and living here is very much a pairing of beach life and town life.
So, let’s get into it!
Welcome to Playa Conchal (The Town AND The Beach!)
One of Costa Rica’s most iconic and recognizable beaches, Playa Conchal is beloved for its crushed-shell, pink-hued sands and sapphire Pacific waters. Pair this scenic beauty with a championship golf course, luxury amenities, and a prime location – between the towns of Tamarindo and Playa Flamingo – and it’s easy to understand why Playa Conchal is a favorite for retirees, among others.
Consider This: Beach & Community Vibes
Named for the shells, or conchas (hence, the beach’s name), that sprinkle its coastline, Playa Conchal is easily one of Guanacaste’s most unique sights. Be aware, though, that the surf at Playa Conchal can be strong, so it’s not often a great choice for swimming.
Worry not, beachgoers! Nearby Playa Puerto Viejo, sometimes referred to as Puerto Viejo de Conchal, due to its proximity, promises that perfect mix of beauty and relative seclusion, paired with soft sands that’ll beg you dig your toes and mostly gentle waters that invite an afternoon’s swim.
Of course, retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica is not the same as vacationing in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica – and in that regard, you’ll be delighted to know that Conchal offers a wonderful sense of community, too. Here, you’ll find residents from around the world, all drawn here for the active beachside lifestyle and tranquil ambiance that Conchal promises.
Popular Area Activities:
Indeed, while this is a popular tourism destination, and while Conchal has easy access to area amenities, it’s neither crowded nor overrun.
Living here most often entails a quiet life, albeit sprinkled liberally with beach walks and runs, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), hiking, ocean kayaking, championship golf (see amenities, below), and almost any other outdoor activity you can dream up. There are pickleball courts at the new Reserva Conchal community of Sanara!
Consider This: Playa Conchal Amenities (including Major Medical)
In addition to scenic beauty, retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica is very much about the amenities. And by that, we mean some of the best amenities along the North-Pacific Coast.
To put things in perspective, Playa Conchal is a small town, running approximately 3.5 kms (2.3 miles) from Playa Puerto Viejo north through Playa Conchal proper and into Brasilito. And that’s a generous measurement, as Brasilito is often considered a separate beach community!
That said, when you live on or near the beach, you’ll have easy access to dozens of restaurants, grocery stores, and day-to-day shopping needs. For bigger shopping trips, you can make the easy 8-km (5-mile) drive to Huacas or the 73-km (47-mile) drive to Liberia, our province’s capital and largest city.
Golf enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Reserva Conchal’s championship golf course is open to the public. The coastal course was designed by the legendary Robert Trend Jones and offers 7,021 yards of par-71 play.
Regarding medical care, Conchal offers access to both public and private healthcare options by means of a CCSS/Caja clinic and private doctor’s offices. You’ll also find a few pharmacies in town, able to dispense OTC meds and most prescriptions.
For major medical needs, the private Hospital Metropolitano operates a Huacas branch (8 kms / 5 miles) that covers everything from medical emergencies to specialist care. For major surgery and other needs, the private Hospital San Rafael Arcangel, one of the premier hospitals in Costa Rica, is located in Liberia (72 kms / 46 miles). There is also a CCSS/Caja public hospital in Liberia.
Consider This: Real Estate, Gated Communities, Cost of Living & More
How you feel here is a determining factor in retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica: You need to feel comfortable and at home. Once you have that down, though, you’ll probably be looking to the practical.
One of the greatest practicalities comes down to finances. Let’s start with real estate types and costs, which are a little more straightforward than the cost of living.
Very generally, residential real estate in Playa Conchal is found either in single-family homes and luxury villas, or within luxury condominiums, which offer Beach Clubs, onsite dining, walking trails, and more. There are also a handful of gated communities, including Reserva Conchal (and its new community of Sanara), Montañas de Conchal, and Catalina Cove (Brasilito).
Real estate prices start around $350,000 for small homes; $650,000 for luxury condos and townhomes; and $800,000 for single-family homes and villas. Luxury properties start at $1M.
As far as the cost of living goes, that’s a much harder question to answer, as it’s very much dependent on the lifestyle you lead. Generally speaking, we’d recommend a retirement budget of $2,500+ for a moderately comfortable lifestyle and $5,000+ for a truly comfortable lifestyle. Learn more about Costa Rica’s cost of living.
>> Browse Playa Conchal Real Estate <<
Consider This: Legal Residency
When researching retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica, consider also how you’ll secure legal residency. In addition to granting the right to reside, residency will provide a range of benefits, including ease of everyday life (ex. getting your Costa Rican driver’s license, local banking, etc.), access to the CCSS/Caja public healthcare, and more. (Read about the full benefits of residency.)
As a retiree, there are three residency options most likely to fit your needs:
Option #1: Retiree / Pensioner (Pensionado) Residency
Retirees qualify for residency via a guaranteed lifetime monthly pension of $1,000/month, via sources including private company pensions, independent retirement programs, or Social Security.
The one caveat is that, while a single $1,000 pension will cover the primary applicant and a spouse and/or dependents, two sub-$1,000 pensions cannot be combined to meet the requirement. A single source must meet the $1,000/month minimum.
Rentista Residency Benefits:
- Two-year residency, renewable for additional two-year periods, for as long as you receive your pension
- Upgrade to permanent residency after three years
- A spouse and dependents will be included under the umbrella of the pensionado’s residency
Note that, as a pensionado/a, you cannot work locally in Costa Rica. You can work remotely for companies located abroad.
Option #2: Rentor / Fixed Income (Rentista) Residency
For those too young to draw on Social Security or a pension, Rentista residency offers a fast track to temporary residency.
In brief, if you’re retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica as a rentista, you must receive a guaranteed income – this does not include a salaried job, as that is not guaranteed for the duration of your residency – of $2,500 per month, or $60,000 for a two-year period. The most common ways to meet this requirement are through either a trust in your home country or a funded bank account in Costa Rica.
Rentista Residency Benefits:
- Two-year residency, renewable for additional two-year periods, for as long as you have a guaranteed $2,500/month income
- Upgrade to permanent residency after three years
- A spouse and dependents will be included under the umbrella of the rentista’s residency
Note that, as a rentista, you cannot work locally in Costa Rica. You can work remotely for companies located abroad.
Option #3: Investor (Inversionista) Residency
Costa Rica’s investor residency category, known as Inversionista residency, is a temporary residency category dedicated to anyone who invests in Costa Rica, be it in a business, a forestry/reforestation project or, yes, real estate investment. (This is why it works well for retirees; your investment doesn’t have to be work!)
In order to qualify for Costa Rican residency via your real estate purchase, you will need to buy a property – and your deed of purchase must reflect a purchase price of – for $200,000+. Per Bill of Law N. 22156, this amount will soon be reduced to $150,000.
Inversionista Residency Benefits:
- Two-year residency, renewable for additional two-year periods, for as long as you hold your investment
- Upgrade to permanent residency after three years
- A spouse and dependents will be included under the umbrella of the inversionista’s residency
Note that, as an inversionista, you cannot work locally in Costa Rica. You can work remotely for companies located abroad. You may also earn income from your investment (but you cannot work in/provide labor for your business, if applicable).
Thinking About Retiring in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica?
Imagine your dream retirement, your ideal home, and your desired lifestyle – what is most important to you? Whether you’ve already settled on your favorite gated community or are researching retirement in Conchal, we’d love to help you explore your options for Costa Rican retirement.
At Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, we’re committed to you. Not to selling you a property or spamming you with all the options, but to helping – genuinely and with good intent – to match you to the perfect property for your needs and wants. We thrive on relationships and promise the fastest communication and best services in the industry.
We’re proud to offer some of the best Costa Rica Real Estate. We have both condos and homes, land and businesses for sale.
Go ahead – try us. Give us a chance to show off our expertise – and wow you with the possibilities! We look forward to it.
