Setting-Up a House in Costa Rica - Costs for Custom Made Furniture & Appliances

Furniture prices in Costa Rica are considered to be expensive due in part to the fact that a majority of basic (ie: inexpensive) furniture is imported and taxed at a hefty 30% by the government.  For this reason many people moving, relocating, retiring or setting-up second or vacation homes in Costa Rica simply decide to ship their entire households declaring the items as 'used'.  Others purchase or rent fully furnished homes or apartments that require no local furniture or appliance shopping. 

However, there are costs associated with any of these import or rental options that may exceed buying these same items manufactured here in-country.

The trick is to do your homework!  Like most things Costa Rica; shopping for good deals on quality furniture or "muebles" can be daunting.  Unlike the U.S. and other countries where furniture super-stores and Internet or print advertising allow convenient shopping comparisons - Costa Rica generally consists of; chain stores specializing in 'financed' purchases for those looking at the 'convenience' of weekly payments, boutique furniture stores catering to high-end buyers and small independent furniture stores where you must ask the cost of each item and where your offered price may differ substantially from the price offered to other potential (ie: native) buyers.

Costa Rica chain stores such as; Casa Blanco, El Verdugo, El Gallo más Gallo, Importadora Monge, etc. offer both imported and locally produced furniture on the business model of U.S. stores like Rent-A-Center or used car dealers - they will finance your purchase so you can make affordable weekly payments; don't worry about the price or the 60% rate of interest.

Department stores here in Costa Rica that are often foreign owned such as Hipermas (Wal-mart) and Pricesmart offer imported items that are often of lesser quality such a laminated particle board construction where assembly is required (ie: Sauder Furniture products).

Boutique and independent furniture stores offer a mix of imported and locally manufactured furniture, but buyer beware on price.  Boutique stores such as Ethan Allen and Cemaco cater to foreign nationals and upper-class natives near the pricey enclaves in which they reside.  They feature quality furniture in opulent show rooms at nose-bleed pricing.  Independent furniture stores often have a nice mix of basic quality and higher quality furniture, but there are generally no marked prices and final costs will vary based on the buyer - which is not my preferred way to shop as a blond haired, blued eyed, English speaking "Gringo".

Classified ads both online and in newspapers can be another resource for buying furniture and other household goods.  However, English speaking ads are many times from those that paid too much in the first place and are trying to recover their costs.  Example:

Costa Rica Craigslist furniture for sale

In setting up my own home, I had the luxury of time in-country to know where to shop along with the time to research my options.  I made my list of needed items and visited countless furniture stores of all varieties.  I walked into each store with my legal notepad listing items I was looking for along with the categorized prices I had gathered from all previous stores I had visited.  I let each salesperson know I needed to fill a complete home and was willing to purchase all pieces from one store if the pricing was right.

After I had tabulated all my shopping results, I met with my neighbor who's cousin owns a furniture business.  My neighbor's cousin manufactures hardwood furniture, retails the furniture in his own stores and wholesales the furniture to other area independent and chain stores (ie: all Grupo M's namesakes: Importadora Monge, El Gallo más Gallo and El Verdugo).

My neighbor and her husband where kind enough to accompany me on a visit to one of her family members at their Muebles Alpes S.A store in Guadalupe.  The cousin went over my list and made detailed offers of items and prices that easily beat all other sources.  All furniture was custom ordered where I was able to pick; designs, sizes, finishes, fabrics, etc.

After placing the furniture order, I wanted a custom desk designed and made for my son's room ... so my neighbor and I visited the Muebles Alpes factory in the San Jose semi-rural suburb of Dulce Nombre de Vasquez de Coronado

Costa Rica furniture factory

Muebles Alpes S.A.
Dulce Nombre de Vasquez de Coronado, San José, Costa Rica
Teléfono:  2294-5670
Correo electrónico:  MueblesAlpes@ice.co.cr

Custom made Costa Rica furniture

Costa Rica furniture factory

All custom made furniture was completed, delivered and professionally set-up within one week.  The quality, price and experience were exceptional.

Custom made Maple furniture

Custom Maple Furniture - Couch & 2 Matching Chairs

Custom Maple Furniture - Dining Room Table & Chairs + Bar Stools

Custom Costa Rica Maple Furniture - T.V. Entertainment Center & Queen Bed

Costa Rica Custom Maple Furniture - Bunk Beds & Child's Desk

For the benefit of all those anticipating the need to set-up a basic Costa Rica house with furniture and appliances ... the following graphic details the real costs experienced in February, 2009.

Costa Rica cost of household furniture and appliances


Related picture albums:


Readers of this entry are encouraged to add resources and/or experiences in the comments section below so that others can have a better sense of direction when going through this same process.

¡Pura Muebles!

Costa Rica custom made Maple furniture or Muebles: Couch & 2 Matching Chairs (Sillon y 2 Sillas de Sala) 195.000,00 colones, T.V. Entertainment Center (Mueble T.V.) 125.000,00, Dining Room Table & Four Chairs (Mesa de Comedor y 4 Sillas) 200.000,00, Two Bar Stools (2 Bancos) 46.000,00, Queen Bed (Cama Matrimonial) 180.000,00, Bunk Bed priced w/bulk discount – converts to 2 single beds (Camarote) 99.000.00, Child’s Desk (Escritorio del Niño) + 90.000,00. Mattresses (Colchones): Queen Orthopedic Firm (Matrimonial Orthopedico Semiduro) 174.195,00, Single Orthopedic Basic (Solo Orthopedico Basico) 51.745,00, Single Basic (Solo Basico) 30.865,00

Posted by Bill Clanton at 3/11/2009 6:04 PM
Categories: Money in Costa Rica, Duty Fees in Costa Rica, Home Renting in Costa Rica, Stores in Costa Rica, Home Building in Costa Rica, Cost of Living in Costa Rica, Vacation Homes in Costa Rica, Real Estate in Costa Rica, Second Homes in Costa Rica, Retiring in Costa Rica, Shopping in Costa Rica, Bringing Items into Costa Rica, Business in Costa Rica, Retirement Homes in Costa Rica, Moving To Costa Rica, Pictures of Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Importing Items into Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica, Shipping to and from Costa Rica, Cost of Consumer Goods in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica
Tags: Home shopping Furniture costs prices Costa Rica stores money
 

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  • 3/11/2009 8:17 PM George wrote:
    Bill,

    You continue to add great content to your Blog that other Costa Rica Websites fall short on. Continue the good work.

    It was a pleasure to meet you last May, thank you for all your input and advise. I'm planning a trip to C.R. in April I might call to say hello.
    Reply to this
  • 3/12/2009 6:59 AM Patrick Mach wrote:
    A very interesting article!

    In 2005 I lived in a lovely home above Alajeula on the road to Carrizal. I purchased two queen sized pillow top mattress as well as two custom made wood beds with wonderful carvings on the head boards. They were ordered and in about 10 days delivered and set up and complete they both cost me total less than $900.00 used.  While I am not sure what type of wood was used the rough cut slots which were unfinished and used to support the mattress where so hard I could not hammer a nail into them!!! I purchased them from a store / warehouse type place on a side street in Alajuela that had several display beds, dressers desk etc and then you ordered what you wanted. I am a blue eyed gringo but do speak Spanish and was able to negotiate the price down close to $75 per bed and was very happy to pay less than $900 for the pair as in the USA one mattress would have been close to double that!!!!

    If you ask locals, shop, and negotiate I think you can purchase high quality furniture for a fraction of the cost here. The key is patience!!
    Reply to this
  • 3/12/2009 7:49 AM Erin wrote:
    Just wanted to mention, for those who don't have great neighbor's cousins, that Palmares is known for its great furniture shops and even better prices. It's a bit like Sarchí, only halft the price. (I used Muebles Mucaru for my full-size sofa and loveseat set -- elephant microfiber for just $550, delivered and installed!)
    Reply to this
  • 3/12/2009 8:25 AM Martinha wrote:
    Hi..
    Nice blog..
    Congratulation..
    ☆ Martinha ☆
    =)

    Reply to this
  • 3/12/2009 9:36 AM Lance Wingfield wrote:
    Bill

    Your most interesting and informative blog was recently forwarded to us by our friend Joe Richard. Joe has very kindly been looking after our new home we built (in San Isidro de Grecia) pending our move from Clifton, New Jersey, in the next few months. My wife Colleen and I are retiring and just cannot wait to join all the truly wonderful friends we have been fortunate enough to meet over the past several years - while building the house and traveling around the country!

    The best of success to you and the 'Costa Rica Blogger'.

    Sincerely,

    Lance Wingfield

    Reply to this
  • 3/14/2009 3:25 PM Ron Walker wrote:
    Hi,

    Thanks for the great tips on having furniture custom made. Seems like a sensible thing to do and the quality looks great.

    I'm moving to CR next month and am looking for furnished rentals but if it's not, having it hand made is an affordable option.

    I have enjoyed reading your blog these past few months also. Very informative.

    Thanks again,

    Ron Walker
    Reply to this
    1. 7/10/2009 9:03 PM Sherrie wrote:
      Ron,

      I am getting ready to furnish a house in CR. How did you make out on getting furniture?
      Reply to this
      1. 7/15/2009 1:32 PM Ron wrote:
        Hi, well I went to the place that Bill recommended and must say I was disappointed. I did go to the showroom and not the factory like Bill did. It was a small showroom and didn't have a large selection. They had a sofa and 2 chairs similar to bills but with narrower armrests and a very hard cushion, not comfortable at all. The catalog did not have a large selection either and the prices were higher than Bill paid. The man working there did say the prices had gone up since last year. Perhaps my experience would have been different if I had gone to the showroom and took a Tico relative with me.

        I did find a place just up the street called Mercado del Mueble that I was very impressed with. It had a very large showroom with great selection and the manager (Mark Johnson) spoke English and was most helpful. He listened to my needs and suggested thing in my budget. There was a variety of style and quality choices. In the end, I purchased a small sofa and 2 chairs similiar to the one Bill has photos of here. It came to 170.000 colones or $300. It was deliver all the way to Cartago within 2 hours for I think $10.

        I told Mark I would be back and he offered to pick me up from the San Pedro Mall as I don't have a car. The directions to the store are 25 meters north of Pali de Novacentro and the telephone numbers are 2224-8885. According to Mark, all the furniture is handmade in Costa Rica.
        Reply to this
        1. 7/15/2009 1:45 PM Bill Clanton wrote:
          Ron,

          Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and new furniture resource with others. 

          Just goes to prove competition is alive and well here, but that you must do more actual leg work when shopping around for the best deals being as it's not as easy as simply comparing advertised prices in the Sunday paper here in Costa Rica!

          Reply to this
  • 3/15/2009 9:53 AM Don Robertson wrote:
    Hello,

    My wife and I relocated to Guanacaste and we couldn`t find any nice furniture for our new hoome. We then found Pacific Home Furnishing and Michael and Ana made our lives so much easier. We contacted them through their website www.pacifichomefurnihing.com and we bought all our furniture through them. The day we arrived in Costa Rica our house had all the furniture inside and all in place. This was an awesome service. We want to recommend these folks as they work hard on making sure you don`t get ripped off and strive in giving you excellent service.
    Reply to this
  • 3/17/2009 9:29 PM klee wrote:
    Hi,

    I was wondering where you found appliances such as washers and dryers at such great prices? I'm trying to furnish my home, I have nothing so far, at it seems like every good deal that appears on Craig's list is gone within minutes. Can you help me get on top of the game? Should I place a wanted add?

    Thank you so much

    Desperate to move!
    Reply to this
    1. 3/18/2009 8:40 AM Bill Clanton wrote:
      Keep in mind that Craigslist is a site mostly known to English speaking "Gringos" ... so your best deals may not be there.  And like you mention, if there is a good deal it will go fast.

      In trying to balance quality with price, I literally canvassed the streets in search of deals.  Visiting major appliance stores, department stores, etc.  Again, I took along my legal pad with a list of needed appliances and charted prices and models as offered by each store.

      My best deals were found in stores selling for lack of a better term: 'scratch and dent' new appliances.

      These are stores that can be hard to locate as their store fronts are usually small and certainly not attractive, but inside is a treasure of brand new appliances that have been bumped or scratched by other retailers. 
      My brand new Atlas stove was purchased at a chain 'scratch and dent' store called Electro Max with a full one-year manufacturer guarantee ... the defects where two corners with chipped paint that I quickly fixed with matching appliance paint purchased at a local hardware store.

      My brand new LG refrigerator was purchased at a small yet busy 'scratch and dent' shop called Mi Casa in the bustling San Jose Coca Cola/Mercado Central business district where anything and everything can be purchased.  This is basically the wholesale, warehouse district of Costa Rica spattered with every possible variation of retail storefronts.  Note:  This area is filled with indigent, homeless and less than savory characters - so be vigilant if you visit the area.  My fridge had a couple minor scratches and dents ... hardly noticeable and easily covered with ever present refrigerator magnets.

      My used Whirlpool washer was purchased at a chain pawn shop called Prestamás.  They had two U.S. manufactured full-sized Whirlpool Commercial Quality Super Capacity Plus washing machines to choose from and offered a one month guarantee.  These machines are extremely reliable and easily repaired even here in Costa Rica, so the price plus quality were definitely right.
      Just like many other things in Costa Rica, getting a good deal is time consuming and requires actual search time on foot (or car).

      Let me know if you have any further questions.

      -Bill

      Reply to this
      1. 3/20/2009 6:04 PM Barbara wrote:
        Bill,

        I have Googled many different variations of "Prestamos" and San Jose but have been unable to find any information on the store you mentioned. Would you be willing to provide an address, phone number and possibly the name of someone to ask for.

        Thank you very much.

        Barbara
        Reply to this
        1. 3/20/2009 9:24 PM Bill Clanton wrote:

          Although the Internet is becoming a better resource for researching some things Costa Rica, many providers of goods and services still do not have much of an advertising or web presence here.  Word of mouth is still how things are done here in Costa Rica ... especially if you seek the best local pricing.

          In doing my own research I relied on those in the know for direction as well old fashioned 'bargain hunting' by stopping into stores I spotted while driving around town.  Comparison shopping led me to focus on Costa Rica's plentiful scratch-n-dent dealers, pawn shops and thrift stores for the best deals.  Just like my old home of Chicago, such stores rarely have web sites and their inventories can vary greatly by day and location due to the nature of their business.

          I spotted my Whirlpool washing machine in front of the Guadalupe Prestamás, located on the corner of the first intersection East of Hipermas Guadalupe.

          Prestamás - Costa Rica Pawn Shop

          The three different stores I used to purchase my washing machine, refrigerator and stove are as follows:

          1. Prestamás - Pawn Shop

            • San José (Avenida Segunda y Calle 10) 2222-5111, Guadalupe (1st intersection East of Hipermas), Pavas, Hatillo, Limon, Puntarenas 2661-0084, El Roble, Ciudad Quesada 2461-2431

          2. Mi Casa - New Scratch-n-Dent + Used appliances

            • San José (Avenida 3 y Calle 10) 2233-6113

          3. Electro Max - New Scratch-n-Dent + Used appliances

            • Guadalupe 2257-6391, Desamparados 2251-3934, Heredia 2260-4730, Coronado 2294-5191

          Happy Shopping!

          -Bill


          Reply to this
          1. 3/21/2009 8:29 AM Barbara wrote:
            Bill,

            Thank you so much for the information and your generous spirit.

            Best regards,
            Barbara
            Reply to this
      2. 4/1/2009 6:25 PM Krystal Hartman wrote:
        Dear Bill,
        Great information!! Thank you very much for your help!
        Sicerely,
        Krystal Hartman
        Reply to this
  • 4/5/2009 8:36 PM Scott wrote:
    I am not familiar with any true maple trees in Costa Rica. Do you happen to know the scientific name of the tree? I wonder if it is melina being marketed as a maple. Is it a hard wood?
    Reply to this
    1. 4/17/2009 8:14 AM Bill Clanton wrote:
      The furniture is reportedly made of a Costa Rica hardwood with the Spanish name of "Roble".  I have been informed by the manufacturer and a native speaking neighbor who is also a woodworking hobbiest that the wood is commonly referred to in English as "Maple".

      According to a web search for "Roble" the following information was found:
      Trade or Common Name: Roble
      Local Name: Roble de sabana
      Botanical Name: Tabebuia rosea
      Family: Bignoniaceae

      The Tree:  Roble is a handsome canopy tree, reaching a height of 90 feet in the natural rainforest, with a trunk diameter of about 2 feet and a bole of merchantable length of 35 to 50 feet.

      The Wood:  Roble sapwood is pale rose in color, while the heartwood color ranges from golden brown to dark chestnut brown. It has medium luster and texture, and straight to closely interlocked grain. Roble slices easily for veneer, has excellent machining and turning qualities, glues, finishes, and polishes well, and responds well to hand tools. Its strength is similar to teak.

      Uses:  Roble is used extensively for boat building, and is excellent for fine furniture and cabinetry, fine decorative and figured veneer, flooring, and interior trim, millwork, and balusters.

      As a guy that used to rely on the bar-coded tagged wood at Home Depot in order to know what I was buying ... this is the extent of my knowledge.

      Hope this helps clarify!

      Reply to this
  • 4/29/2009 6:06 PM bc wrote:
    i just want to know one thing..how much did you pay/?
    Reply to this
  • 5/21/2009 11:07 AM Karen wrote:
    Bill,

    This was so helpful. We are hoping to move to CR in another year and few months and this will be very helpful info for us. I look forward to reading more of your blog.

    thanks,
    Karen
    Reply to this
    1. 5/21/2009 11:15 AM Bill Clanton wrote:

      Karen,

       

      I am extremely pleased you found the information useful … after all, this is the sole purpose of Costa Rica Blogger.

       

      Have fun in your preparation for Costa Rica.  It will be allot of work, but entirely worth it with the right mindset.

       

      -Bill


      Reply to this
  • 5/21/2009 11:09 AM Sharon wrote:
    How does one get ahold of these carpenters? I live in Ciudad Colon and I've not heard of Coronado?

    Thanks in advance for your response.

    Warmly, Sharon
    Reply to this
    1. 5/21/2009 11:18 AM Bill Clanton wrote:

      Hi Sharon,

       

      My source for the furniture is Muebles Alpes, a family owned furniture manufacturing company in Dulce Nombre de Coronado (East of Moravia/Guadalupe – San Jose).

       

      The blog post above contains company contact information for Spanish speaking individuals. 

      Pictures of the manufacturing facility and final products I personally purchased are also located at http://tinyurl.com/MueblesAlpes .

       

      Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

       

      -Bill


      Reply to this
      1. 7/10/2009 9:05 PM Sherrie wrote:
        Any recommendations for someone who only speaks english?
        Reply to this
  • 7/10/2009 9:00 PM Sherrie wrote:
    I have been trying to e-mail Muebles Alpes S.A for information on furniture. I am not getting a reply. Do you have a new e-mail address for them? I will be in CR in 2 weeks and I want to make arrangments to meet with this gentleman. I need to get several pieces of furniture. THANK YOU!
    Reply to this
  • 4/23/2010 6:43 PM Alen wrote:
    Thanks for the great info - am relocating to CR and doing my homework as to what to take, leave, etc.
    Reply to this
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