Good to know
Good to Know
- Santa Teresa is a small beach town with active expat and digital nomad circles; social connections tend to develop through everyday activities, shared workspaces, sports, hiking, and community events rather than formal 'networking'
- Beach towns influenced by tourism (like Santa Teresa) tend to be more liberal and 'agree to disagree' on some topics, but conservative small-town attitudes still influence broader community norms—observe before assuming baseline acceptance
- Women visiting alone should follow Costa Rican social norms for safety; catcalling (piropos) is common in Costa Rica and generally not illegal, though often feels threatening or degrading to visitors unfamiliar with the practice
- Costa Ricans value punctuality for professional appointments, medical visits, and movie screenings, but social events commonly start late—clarify expectations when invited
- Meals are social events meant for bonding; rushing through dinner or leaving immediately after eating signals disinterest in the relationship
- Indirect communication style means a 'maybe' invitation response often means 'no'—don't assume you've been invited until confirmed closer to the date
Greetings
Kiss on cheek; sometimes air kiss with smooch sound
- Greeting
- Women greeting women or women greeting men
Uncommitted one-arm hug; do not kiss
- Greeting
- Men greeting men
Firm handshake with eye contact
- Greeting
- Business setting
Casual street/social greetings
- Custom
- Simple 'buenas' or 'hola' acknowledgment; considered friendly and normal in towns
Dining Etiquette
Waiting for host
- Description
- Wait for host's seating direction and for host to begin eating before starting; shows respect
Buen provecho
- Description
- Say 'buen provecho' before eating with others
Table manners
- Description
- Keep elbows off table, do not speak with mouth full; place utensils together on plate when finished
After-dinner socializing
- Description
- Leaving immediately after eating breaks social protocol; after-dinner conversation is valued as much as the meal itself
Food refusal
- Description
- Direct 'no' when offered more food may hurt host's feelings; politely decline with thanks or suggest having more later
Bill payment
- Description
- Person who invites typically pays entire bill; attempting to split check can create awkwardness; restaurant bills include 10% service charge
Dress Codes
- Social Visits
- Clean, pressed clothing required; men wear collared shirts with nice pants or jeans (no tears/distressing); women typically wear sundresses, skirts, or dress pants; flip-flops inappropriate unless host permits
- Church Settings
- Traditional dress codes expected; men wear long pants and collared shirts; women wear dresses, knee-length skirts, or dress pants with shoulder-covering blouses; women may wear sandals; men need formal footwear
- General Note
- Appearance important for first impressions; avoid beachwear outside beach areas; both men and women dress formally in business settings (though less strict than corporate America)
Punctuality
- Concept
- La hora tica (Tico hour)
- Description
- Fashionably late is customary for social gatherings; acceptable to wait 30+ minutes for others; exceptions are movie screenings and doctor appointments where punctuality is expected
Public Behavior
- Intoxication
- Public alcohol consumption legal but public intoxication considered offensive and disrespectful, especially around children and elderly
- Clothing In Public
- Avoid wearing bathing suits and beachwear outside beach contexts; Costa Rica predominantly religious so conservative clothing expected
Sensitive Topics
- Women Safety
- Costa Rican social rules stricter for women than men; women rarely drink heavily or go to clubs/bars alone; foreign women sometimes stereotyped as sexually available; following local social norms when going out enhances safety
- Religious Context
- Costa Rica predominantly Catholic; religious taboo subjects include premarital sex, abortion, and gay marriage, though country is increasingly making strides toward social acceptance
Language Formality
- Note
- Use formal 'usted' with strangers; reserve 'tú' for close friends and family; standard polite expressions ('por favor', 'gracias') are customary
Affectionate Language
Latin American cultural trait; overly affectionate terms used casually (macha/o, blonde, amor, mi vida) in conversation; normal part of communication style
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this culture & etiquette research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Santa Teresa
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.