Costa Rica HomelessEvery six months the Ticos receive a salary raised according to the Costa Rica law. The cost of life increased in 11% last September in Costa Rica, one of the highest increases in 10 years, so the Costa Rica people were expecting a big raise, unfortunately the salary raise approved was only a 7%, meaning that this so called raised won’t even cover transportation costs daily.

 

The Costa Rica government supports this claiming that a higher raise may cause the jobs of some people since they will have to be lay off to afford paying a higher salary raise. This news are very sad and a huge problem for Costa Rica workers. In this graphic, you will be able to see how low salaries already are in Costa Rica compared to what we Americans are used to see, most of the raises are only a few dollars:

 

Profession                   Actual Salary              Raised Salary

Construction worker     $11.73*                       $12.55*

Store Clerk                  $11.73*                       $12.55 *

Security Guard  $346.47                       $370.72

Superintendent  $321.64                       $344.15

* Daily wages

As you can see salaries in Costa Rica per month are not even close to what we are used to get weekly in the United States, yet these people are supposed to buy groceries, clothing, pay for school uniforms and supplies, services and rent with those salaries. Now this example you can see why the real estate market is just an impossible dream for Costa Ricans since the requirements banks have to give home loans in Costa Rica, are basically the same and as high as in the United Estates. It really doesn’t make any sense at all, if you think about it.