With the four largest Costa Rican cities located in the Central Valley, it’s no surprise that the region has the best shopping, medical facilities, and schools in the country.

1. Private Schools

Fees in the Central Valley’s many private schools range anywhere from about $150 per month up to four figures, depending on the school. The private schools provide quite a hodge-podge of language choices. In addition to bilingual Spanish and English schools, there are a few trilingual schools where lessons are taught in English, Spanish and German. Other schools only teach in English or Spanish. The schools with the best reputations (and possibly the highest tuitions) are Country Day School in Escazú; the Lincoln School in Moravia; Humboldt, also in Escazú; and San Gregory, just to name a few.

Often the schools arrange for bus transportation, but that depends on the school. For more information on schools, see the Chapter 18, Reference Section.

2. Hospitals

The Central Valley is home to the country’s three major private hospitals: Clínica Bíblica in San José; CIMA, in Escazú; and Clínica Católica, in Heredia. All hospitals offer the full range of health services, up to and including cosmetic surgery. All have a bilingual staff and remain open for emergency services 24 hours a day.

Hospital Cima plans to build a new branch in Liberia, Guanacaste to serve foreigners and affluent Ticos in that area.

San José’s biggest public hospitals are the San Juan Hospital de Dios on the Paseo Colón in the center of San José and the Calderón Guardia Hospital in Barrio Amón. San Rafael Hospital in Alajuela and the new hospital in Heredia are the largest public hospitals outside of San José. Public hospitals are cheap, but you will be placed on a waiting list unless it’s an emergency. Many people use a combination of public and private health care.

Other than the full-scale hospitals, many private clinics also dot the Central Valley. Most of them specialize in particular ailments, and there are plenty of cosmetic surgeons.

3. Dentists

There are plenty of reputable dentists and dental surgeons practicing in Costa Rica, for very reasonable prices as well. As is the case with cosmetic surgery, lots of tourists come to Costa Rica specifically for dental treatment. Most of the good dentists are based in San José or the Central Valley, as is the case with Dentavac. See the Reference Section in Chapter 18 for information.