Job Discussion Forums

[nesec]

Thanks Peat

I'm used to scrounging and my life has settled down substantially over the last year (I'm rarely out partying at the clubs blowing chunks of cash anymore).

Thanks for the info on water and elec. I've plugged things into the calculator again with this new info and I'm still coming up positive, although not by a great amount... The one extravagance that I do plan to afford myself is high speed internet - if it's available wherever I end up living. I'm more or less addicted to the net.

Anyways, for what it's worth - here are my calculations once again. (Hopefully they might be of use to others reading this and not just myself )

20 hr/week at $6 USD per hour = $480 USD per month.

MINUS

$150 USD for rent.
$60 USD for transportation.
$100 USD for food.
$20 USD for utilities.
$40 USD for internet.
$25 USD for cell phone.

Leaves $85 USD for misc (i.e. cigarettes - I need to quit!) and whatever else.

Who knows, I may get lucky and find more hours and/or better pay, I may not! Either way I'm sure I'll be able to make it work. I plan on arriving with 2K in my pocket to keep me afloat until I get things worked out.

Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to reply to this!!

[pollitatica]

You wouldnt need to spend that money on a cable modem and cable internet. internet cafes are very cheap in costa rica. i went to a place when i was there studying that cost 250 colones an hour. the more expensive ones in san jose cost like 500, but if you look around you can find one for much cheaper. internet cafes are EVERYWHERE, especially in center city. that would save you some money!

[pollitatica]

one more thing. $60 a month for transportation is probably over estimating. the buses within the city cost approxiametely 100-150 colones per ride. thats about 25 cents. leaving the city, going to the outskirts of the city .... alajuela (where the airport is), heredia (to the north), escazu, etc .. cost a little more, arund 200-300 colones. going to the nearest beach costs about 1200 or so each way. so unless you are doing some major traveling on the weekends, and going back and forth through the city a ton, ... you wont spend $60. id say $1/day during the week and you'd spend $3 or so going to jaco on a weekend. i'm not sure where you are living within san jose, but while it is a city .... you can definetely walk from place to place as well.

just food for thought. i'd say $45/month max would be plenty for you. depending on how much travel you have to do for your job.