Costa Rica looks like paradise on Instagram, but many expats quietly leave after reality sets in. This episode reveals what life there is actually like once the honeymoon phase ends.

Costa Rica is often sold as a tropical paradise for expats — safe, affordable, and peaceful. But behind the marketing and Instagram photos is a very different reality. In this episode of Leaving America: Unfiltered, I break down the hidden challenges many foreigners are not prepared for, from infrastructure gaps and rising costs to healthcare limitations, isolation, and cultural misunderstandings.

This is not a hate piece. It is an honest look at what life in Costa Rica actually feels like after the honeymoon phase ends — and why more expats are quietly packing up and leaving.

If you are considering Costa Rica or romanticizing the idea of escape, this is the episode you need to hear first.