No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaInternational Living names Costa Rica as best retirement destination in 2021

International Living names Costa Rica as best retirement destination in 2021

International Living, a United States-based publication specializing in — you guessed it — living internationally, named Costa Rica as the world’s best place to retire in 2021.

Costa Rica ranks first on International Living’s list, which also names Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador in a Latin America-heavy top-10.

Why Costa Rica? According to Kathleen Evans, International Living’s Costa Rica correspondent, the Central American country “attracts millions of visitors and foreign residents throughout the year with its tropical climate; lower cost of living; friendly locals; affordable medical care; vast real estate options; and, of course, its natural beauty.”

“One of the things you hear often from expats is how warm and welcoming the Ticos are,” Evans writes. “You will also find engaging international communities of expats who will help you through the process of acclimation.”

International Living cites a welcoming culture, the more progressive government of President Carlos Alvarado, affordable healthcare and the country’s dozen microclimates as reasons to consider Costa Rica for retirement.

Check out the full list on International Living here. And if you’re sold on Costa Rica, here are the best beach towns for retirees.

2021-Retirement-index-by-the-numbers
Chart via International Living.

Trending Now

U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica Starts WhatsApp Channel

The U.S. Embassy in San José has established a dedicated WhatsApp channel to provide U.S. citizens with timely safety and security information while in...

Chaves and Fernández Predict Dollar Will Stay Low in Costa Rica

President Rodrigo Chaves and President-elect Laura Fernández say the U.S. dollar will stay at low levels against the colón. Both leaders point to steady...

Costa Rica Cancels Planned Three-Week Closure of Route 243 Bridge at La Palma

Costa Rican Authorities changed course on road works along Route 243 near La Palma. They canceled the full closure of the section over the...

Costa Rica Installs First Sun Meter to Cut Skin Cancer Risk

The College of Physicians and Surgeons installed the country’s first solmáforo at its Sabana Sur headquarters as a pilot project to promote daily protection...

INCOFER Weighs Monorail Against Tunnel for Direct Link from Airport to Electric Train

Officials from the Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (INCOFER) are carrying out a feasibility study on how to link the Juan Santamaría International Airport directly...

Alcaraz Chases Indian Wells Three Peat as Sinner and Djokovic Loom

Carlos Alcaraz’s unbeaten start to 2026 now heads to Indian Wells, where he will chase a third straight title in the California desert while...
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica