Are common prescription medications available in Costa Rica?
When we asked expats in Costa Rica if common prescription medications are available in Costa Rica, they wrote...
"If you are enrolled in the CAJA (socialized medicine), prescriptions are free at the local clinic after being prescribed by the CAJA physician. Sometimes generic forms of the medicine are available. If you are on a very specialized prescription, you may need to purchase this at a local pharmacy (farmacia) and you would be required to incur the expense but generally most medicine is available thru the CAJA. If you choose to purchase your prescriptions outside of the CAJA system, there are at least ten farmacias in Jaco and the surrounding area. You will not need a prescription for most any medicine with the exception of intense narcotics. If you need something of that degree, a private care physician can prescribe them for you. Some prescriptions are higher costing than the US such as Allegra, simple asprin, etc. Generally speaking if you can purchase it stateside in a bottle of (for example) 365 pills it is less expensive to do so as packaging here is by individual blister pack pills. Other meds are dramatically less expensive than the states. Resident discounts are generally offered in the amount of 10% at farmacias for local residents," said another expat in Playa Jaco, Costa Rica.
"Yes, common prescription medications are available in Costa Rica. Most pharmacies in the country carry a wide variety of medications, including those that require a prescription. However, it is important to note that some medications may not be available in Costa Rica, so it is best to check with a local pharmacist before traveling. Additionally, some medications may require a doctor's prescription in order to be purchased in Costa Rica," wrote a member who made the move to Costa Rica.
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Are common prescription medications available in Costa Rica?
If you live in Costa Rica, newcomers to Costa Rica would love to hear your answer to this question:
About the Author
Joshua Wood, LPC is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange and serves as Co-President of Expat Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange and Digital Nomad Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC
Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.
Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.
