Wages are very low in Costa Rica. Secretarial, clerical or customer service positions will earn only about $300 per month, more technical positions can earn from $500 to $1000. Most public employees and managerial positions rely on benefits and bonuses to make up for the low salary. In December of every year employees receive an annual bonus called an 'aguinaldo'. It is approximately 1 month's salary if they have worked the entire year for the same employer.

There is a growing industry in customer service or call centers (due to increased outsourcing by multinational companies) that may be of interest to English speakers. These positions pay well compared to normal salaries and any expatriate with teaching skills or supervision skills could very well find opportunities here.

Another opportunity might exist for those that are multilingual: the tourism industry. There are plenty of English speakers, but German, French and Italian speakers are not very common. With the local economy basically based on the US dollar, Europeans should find travel to Costa Rica increasingly affordable. The Asian tsunamis have made European tourists look for alternative vacation spots and local operators seem to think that Costa Rica would be a good choice for them.

The best alternative is probably to be hired from the U.S. or Europe or transfer with a company you already work for. You will command a higher salary than people hired locally and therefore be able to benefit from the lower cost of living. Work permits would then be arranged by your employer, who will explain to immigration why they need a foreigner instead of a local.