Is Costa Rica expensive to live in?

Costa Rica isn’t the cheapest country in Central America, but it’s not outrageous either. Daily life costs less than in most major U.S. cities — especially if you adapt to local food and lifestyle. Where it gets pricey is rent in beach towns, imported goods, and electricity if you blast the A/C all day.

What is the average rent in Costa Rica?

Rent depends on location. In San José, a two-bedroom apartment runs $600–$1,200/month. In popular beach towns or suburbs, expect $800–$1,800/month. Rural areas can be as low as $400/month — but you’ll trade off some conveniences.

How much money do I need to live comfortably in Costa Rica?

A single person can live modestly on $1,200–$1,500/month. For more comfort (A/C, private healthcare, imported snacks), budget $2,000–$3,000/month. Couples usually spend $1,500–$2,500+ depending on lifestyle and location.

What’s the cost of food in Costa Rica?

Local produce, coffee, and seafood are affordable (think avocados for $0.50, pineapples for $1, fresh fish at local markets). Imported items, though, are expensive — a jar of peanut butter can be $8 and wine can sting your wallet. Sticking to the local diet saves money and makes you healthier.

🎭 The Broadway “I Am” Song: Claiming Power in Musicals

Waymon Hudson
Sep 14
3 min read

Updated: Oct 13

With I Choose This from Speakeasy, Jules joins a long line of stage heroines who stops waiting and finally takes the control. This is her anthem — and her arrival.

🎧 The Final Beat of the Broadway Character Arc

In every great Broadway musical, there’s a moment when the character doesn’t just want change… They become it.

And then?

They own it.

We’ve already explored:

The “I Want” Song — longing, spark, desire→ Something’s Brewing (Speakeasy)
The “I’m Becoming” Song — risk, action, transformation→ Inside (Speakeasy)

And now? 🔥 We arrive at the final act of the journey:

✨ The Broadway “I Am” Song — The Moment of Truth

Cynthia Erivo performing the powerful “I’m Here” from The Color Purple, a defining example of a Broadway “I Am” song.

If the “I Want” song is a whisper…

And the “I’m Becoming” song is a leap…

Then the Broadway “I Am” song is the landing.

Solid. Unapologetic. Full voice. Full belt.

These songs are the emotional mic-drops of musical theatre:

Let It Go (Frozen)
I’m Here (The Color Purple)
My Shot (Hamilton)
Me and the Sky (Come From Away)
Rose’s Turn (Gypsy)
Six (Six)
And now…I Choose This (Speakeasy)

This isn’t about becoming someone else.

It’s about finally showing the world who you’ve been all along.

🕯️ Meet Jules at Her Most Powerful

Jules stands center stage in Speakeasy: A New Musical, passionately belting her “I Am” song, “I Choose This,” in a pivotal character moment.

In Speakeasy, that moment belongs to Jules.

Raised in a house of silence, shame, and religious repression — she was always told to stay small. To obey. To be still.

But now?

The transformation is complete.

And in I Choose This, she steps into the light.

🎭 The Scene: A Sacred Declaration

As the speakeasy quiets, a single spotlight lands on Jules.

No more hiding. No more masks.

Just voice. And truth.

The lyrics begin softly:

“They told me the hush was holy / But I heard music all along…”

And then they rise — with heat and harmony — into something sacred.

💥 The Lyrics That Break the Silence

Let’s be real. These lines don’t just hit — they heal.

I choose this — the fire, the risk / The story told in hands and lips…

No father’s hand, no mother’s pride / Just love and joy as truth’s real bride.

I choose this… I choose me.

That’s not just an ending.

That’s a revolution.

🔥 Why It Matters

Demo cover art for “I Choose This” from Speakeasy, styled in glowing art deco neon, representing the show’s bold, queer musical identity.

The “I Am” song is more than a musical trope.

It’s a life raft. A mirror. A map.

It’s what makes musical theatre so transformative — especially for queer, marginalized, or misfit characters and audiences.

It gives us permission.

It reminds us we’re not alone.

It dares us to sing back to the world that tried to silence us.

And I Choose This is one of those songs.

🎧 Watch + Listen Now

✨ The full lyric video for I Choose This is now live — and you can feel every note.

📺 Watch all the “Behind Broadway” video episodes: Step into the spotlight behind the spotlight. Behind Broadway is your backstage pass to how musicals really work — from iconic song structures to emotional arcs, queer storytelling, and the hidden craft that makes theater magic. Whether you’re a theater kid, a casual fan, or a future Tony winner in disguise — welcome to the show behind the show.