Specialized housekeeping and nanny services, on-call chefs who cook on demand at the residences of their clients, limousine transport, and personalized security are some of the luxury services that are going through a burgeoning phase and could see a brighter future in Costa Rica. To a certain extent, these services could be offered by expats who have not only the inclination and moxie to perform them but also the willingness to put up with red tape to get established.

 

According to a recent investigation published by Cristina Fallas Villalobos of business weekly El Financiero, luxury services are being contracted around the country, predominantly in upscale neighborhoods of the Greater San Jose Metropolitan Area (Spanish initials: GAM) as well as in affluent expat communities such as Tamarindo Beach and the Papagayo Peninsula in the province of Guanacaste.

 

El Financiero profiled six thriving businesses whose owners are enjoying the burgeoning demand for luxury and VIP services: two are culinary, two provide limousines and two are housekeeping services. One of the gastronomical providers works almost exclusively in Guanacaste and sends a chef to either prepare an elaborate meal or teach a culinary class. Granted, these activities could take place at a restaurant or in a classroom, but the personal touch of going to the clients’ homes is what makes the offering so attractive to the (often foreign) athletes, celebrities and other wealthy residents of Guanacaste who are booking these services.

 

In the case of the culinary services firm mentioned above, the minimum fee is 25,000 colones per person per meal prepared or class taught. More elaborate meals could run up to 60,000 colones, so we are looking at about $46 to $113, which for a family of four could result in enticing earnings.

 

Luxury limousine services that range between $130 to $200 including bilingual (or at least English-speaking) chauffeurs are also in high demand in Costa Rica. One such company profiled by El Financiero claimed to be booked through 2015. In the case of specialized housekeeping and nanny services, the minimum rate is about $8 per hour and a minimum of 40 hours contracted per week. The cleaners and child care specialists are often multilingual and highly experienced professionals whose service is on par with that of the butlers of yore.

 

The Opportunity for Expats

In many cases, expatriate business owners and specialists are providing these luxury services. There are three main reasons for this:

 

• Whereas these services are new in Costa Rica, they are common in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, etc.
• English is the lingua franca of luxury services.
• Expats tend to be very entrepreneurial.

 

The opportunity for expats in Costa Rica who wish to provide luxury services is subject to paperwork approval and other bureaucratic rigamarole; however, it is important to remember that formation of a business entity in Costa Rica is a common path to legal residency in this country. To this effect, immigration attorneys can help would-be providers of upscale services with forming a corporation or partnership, apply for bank accounts, get permits, etc.

 

Expats who just want to ply their trade without investing or forming a business entity in Costa Rica would have to be affiliated with an existing company that issues “facturas firmadas” (legal invoices that can be reported for taxation purposes). Getting hired as employee is also possible, but the potential boss would have to file the requisite immigration documents for an employment-based visa, a process that many consider tedious and costly.