Indoor smoking is not especially central in everyday life. Law vibe is relatively chill, with a socially relaxed pura vida tone.
Minimum budget: rural $800/mo, urban $1500/mo. Medical insurance: $1,400/yr.
Auto: Russian licenses are usually accepted for tourists if valid and readable, but an IDP, Spanish translation helps. Rentals are expensive after mandatory insurance: roughly $35-90/day for compacts and $70-140+ for 4x4/SUVs in beach, rainy-season routes. Nicaragua, Panama crossings are normally not allowed with standard rentals; queues and customs make bus, flight plus new rental cleaner.
Smoking: Indoor smoking is not especially central in everyday life.
Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is low-drama: ordinary street life feels handled with common sense, not like a place where small mistakes turn into theatrical fines.