In this episode, the Simpson family is invited on the Van Houten's group trip to Costa Rica.
At the airport, the Simpsons meet with the Van Houtens, the Hibberts, Superintendent Chalmers and Shauna, and Patty and her new girlfriend Evelyn.
In Costa Rica, Lisa gets more worried as Kirk tracks the expenses and will split the checks at the end.
Lisa reveals her financial concerns to Bart, so he suggests showing their parents the expenses in Kirk's book.
[5] Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave this episode three stars out of five, stating ""Livin' la Pura Vida" a beach drink without an umbrella.
The family didn't get into the country club in season 7's "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield," and now they aspire to the Van Houtens.
Club gave this episode a B+, stating "'Livin La Pura Vida' is one of the better recent excursions, though, credited writer Brian Kelley steering the family’s group vacation to the Van Houten’s favorite getaway spot in Costa Rica around the sub-genre’s worst pitfalls, while managing to tell a coherent story from beginning to end.
There’s even something of a nifty little mystery in how the seemingly no-more well-off Van Houtens are able to afford their annual multi-family trip, and some above-average character work to address the usually ignored financial stress the Simpsons’ single-episode world traveling would cause".