Grecia is a coffee town about 18 km from Alajuela, on the road towards San Ramón and Naranjo. The town itself remains very much Costa Rican, with squat, single-story buildings, signs painted directly on walls, and the church and park dominating the center.

Similarly the community also remains very Tico rather than expatriate, though there are North Americans and other nationalities living in the area. Several gated communities are being developed, though most people in the area prefer to live in neighborhoods. There don’t seem to be a great deal of turn-key properties appropriate for foreigners, presenting an opportunity for either building and selling or building and living.

Grecia has some wonderful views of steep wooded valleys and is located close to the highway that leads to Puntarenas and Guanacaste. This is convenient for residents who want to take weekends in the hot, dry northern part of the country. But Guanacaste isn’t close enough to affect property values in Grecia. The Central Pacific beaches are much closer, a reason why the land around the new highway is generating so much interest.

Like Atenas, Grecia meets daily needs as a town but you would need to go to Alajuela or Escazú for major shopping trips and dining.