San Jose - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Nothing of great import, but it is vital to have access to Amazon through the DPO. Everything is so outrageously expensive in Costa Rica, most people buy everything they can wait for that's non-perishable from the States, even Costa Ricans. American and European products in the grocery store will be wildly priced. For example, a box of Triscuits is $9, strawberries push $8-10, and a bottle of beer at the grocery store will run you $3-4 (and usually be sold as single bottles or cans). Oh! Sunscreen. Ship sunscreen as it's incredibly expensive here. I saw a bottle at the store for $50. - May 2024
Rugs. The homes are all tile and floor coverings are expensive. - Sep 2020
Nothing too urgent for my family. Some incidentals here and there we occasionally miss. Clothing is really expensive here, even less high quality stuff. Dishwasher tablets are hard to find here. Sometimes you can find everything but its just so much more expensive than the US. - Jul 2018
Everything. Seriously, you will pay 2-3 times what it costs in the US for everything here. - Dec 2016
Everything I could think of, to save on costs. We order almost everything through Amazon. - Feb 2016
Cheap sunglasses? They are weirdly hard to find in such a sunny place. But generally you can find whatever you need here. - Apr 2014
Any consumables you can spare the weight for in your HHE. Liquid laundry detergent averages $50 (yes, you read that correctly) for the large 96 load jugs. All American goods are available here but at a huge mark up due to import taxes which are crazy. I order online for large packages of toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap & dishwasher detergent (they don't sell this much here, and a very small box of powder runs $10). I save about 50% by online orders. Same for clothing & toys. Bring lots of extra toys if you have school-age children -- for fiestas! We average 4-5 birthday parties per month per kid. Also OTC meds, especially for children. - Jun 2013
Almost everything, it's very expensive here! - Aug 2011
You can find everything here. - Feb 2010
BOOKS, and good quality clothes. - Jul 2008
