I'm going to chime in now. There's enough reasons to come down here and VISIT for a week or two, see the sights and so forth. However, other than tax "deference" and easy young ladies, there's no reason to LIVE here.
Come and visit for 7 days, then leave. Don't live here. The momentum of the sub-mediocre culture will overcome any intentions of goodwill and friendliness that foreigners may bring to this little kleptomaniac society. It's not even really a country....more like a large gang. Find some other place to find yourself. Costa Rica's best days are in the past, and it's high-water mark is there for everyone to see (August, 2001). R.I.P.
See you in Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, you can get a condo on the beach for $20k that costs $200k in CR. Nicaragua is just as safe (or unsafe) as CR. A lot of ex-pats are migrating there because there's still value left. There is no value for your dollars in CR anymore. If you think you'll live cheaply in CR you will be disappointed.