Costa Rica News – The ability for many of the Costa Rican population to enjoy traditions and festivities in during the holiday season is becoming harder and harder as the costs are increasing more and more. This applies to the end of the year festival in Zapote, a Costa Rica holiday tradition that includes bull fights.
For some, Zapote is a must attend party at the end of the year. For parents, the arena and surrounding area is the ideal place to entertain little kids. If you are planning on making this a family outing make sure you bring your wallet, the cost is estimated at $110 or 55,000 colones.
This is the amount calculated for two adults and two children spend time watching the bullfighting in the ring and to eat at the festival in Zapote. Although this does not seem like that much from the outside world, in Costa Rica where the average salary is about $700 a month this is a huge expenditure. The increase cost of living in Costa Rica is not equaling the increases in wages that remain very low.
If the four members of a family and decide to go to Zapote, it is best to arrive before 2 pm. At this time the ticket value is ¢ 8,000 ($16) (children) and ¢ 13,000 ($26) (adults), totaling ¢ 42.000 ($84) in total. It is expected that food will cost about 13000 colones ($26) for your time at the festival. Totaling the $110. This does not include the gas money ($5 a gallon) or any other expenses. If you want to add rides at the amusement part or any other extras expect this base amount to rise to the $150 level or more.
If your family buys two pupusas, cotton candy, churros and four half-liter sodas, you should add 8,000 colones ($16) more.
It is getting more and more expensive to live in Costa Rica, an the gap between those “with” and those “without” continues to grow. Unless salaries increase or this gap is lessened it will cause more problems in the long run including an increase in crime and a reduction in tourism.
I will get comments on this saying I do not know what I am talking about but if you take away the ability for the locals here to live a decent life by increasing the cost of living it will drive them to stealing and crime as well as a general hate for foreigners (which their already is). It will also drive people to other locations for both tourism and retiring. The government in CR needs to start thinking long term instead of short term lining their pockets with money.
