Ship Your Furniture or Buy Local?

The $10,000 Question for New Costa Rica Homeowners: 

So you’re making the move to Costa Rica—or maybe you’re finally building that beach house in Jacó. Congratulations. Now comes the stressful part: How do you actually fill it with furniture?

It’s the question every expat and new homeowner asks: “Should I ship a container of my stuff down here, or just buy everything when I arrive?”

Let’s save you some money and a massive headache. Here’s the honest breakdown.

The Shipping Trap

Here’s what the relocation companies don’t always emphasize up front: shipping a full container of furniture to Costa Rica typically runs between $5,000 and $10,000, depending on where you’re coming from . Then Costa Rica adds its welcome gift—import taxes that can hit 30% to 50% of your declared value . Add customs brokers, port fees, and the inevitable delays, and you’re looking at a serious investment before a single piece touches your floor.

And here’s the kicker: That beautiful wooden dresser from Ohio? Costa Rica’s coastal humidity might destroy it within a year if it wasn’t built for this climate .

What Most Expats Actually Do

The smart ones ship light. They bring the irreplaceable stuff—photos, heirlooms, laptops, high-end kitchen knives—and leave the big pieces behind . Why? Because Costa Rica has incredible furniture options, especially if you know where to look .

The key is knowing what to buy locally versus what to fight to import.

The Case for Buying Local (The Smart Kind of Local)

Not all local furniture is created equal. There’s a difference between mass-produced imported pieces from big-box stores and custom, heirloom-quality furniture built by Costa Rican artisans .

When you buy from a dedicated local furniture company like Riviera Home Furniture in Jacó Beach, you’re solving several problems at once:

No Shipping Nightmares

Skip the container. Skip the customs broker. Skip the panic when your shipment gets stuck in customs for three months. With local furniture, you visit the showroom, you see the piece, you arrange delivery, and it’s in your home within days . Simple.

What About Quality?

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Some people assume “local furniture” means lower quality. That might be true at some places—but not at the right ones .

The best Costa Rican furniture companies use solid hardwoods, traditional joinery techniques (think mortise-and-tenon, not staples and glue), and finishes that actually protect the wood . A well-made piece from a local artisan will outlast anything from a big-box store .

Plus, you get something mass production can’t replicate: a piece with soul. Each grain tells a story. Each mueble carries the hand of the craftsman who built it .

The Bottom Line

Unless you’re shipping antiques or irreplaceable family heirlooms, buying locally is almost always the smarter move. You save thousands on shipping and taxes. You get furniture built for the climate. You support local artisans. And you actually see what you’re buying before it lands in your living room.

Riviera Home Furniture
Jacó Beach, Costa Rica
Quality furniture. Custom design.