Over the past five years anyone who has held periodic visits to San Jose or annual visits to the central and northern Pacific coastlines has astonishingly witnessed a significant urban drift. Each year is further engrossed by a rapid business and population growth that makes Costa Rica grow further away from a third-world country and more towards a modern cosmopolitan one. Though the city seems to expand, San Jose is no longer the only urban spot, two of its most coveted beach towns: Jaco and Tamarindo and Liberia, are becoming future “beach cities.” Through the years these places are slowly reaching equilibrium, so that they all offer the same amenities in completely different settings.
The commercial construction spurt is trying its best to make sure that every place stands on its own two feet. Residential and commercial developments are making sure these rising towns or cities all offer safety, night clubs, fashionable boutiques and beautiful top of the line hotels. These are fairly clean area, with amazing stores that are more European influenced than American, and some of the best restaurants in the city. A consequence of such growth is that investments are not the cheapest, an inevitable consequence of globalization and a capitalistic economy; however, visitors and residents can vow that despite its urbanization, life somehow remains at a slow and stress-free pace.