Retiring from work can be an emotional experience. It can be disorienting and saddening because there will be no day-to-day pattern to follow anymore. However, it can also be liberating. You may go on a dream trip, participate in extreme sports, or catch up on your bucket list. You may even decide to move somewhere new and exotic, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Costa Rica, a small, Spanish-speaking country in Central America, would be an ideal place to settle after retirement.
Costa Rica boasts of a total estimated population of 4.7 million, with 50,000 residents being Americans, most of them retirees. Costa Rica is a popular retirement spot for a number of reasons. For one thing, it has no shortage of beautiful scenery, amazing beaches, and biologically diverse wildlife. The natives, called Ticos, are a friendly bunch who make expats in their country feel welcome and at home. The local government is a stable democracy and offers a great public health care system. Real estate is also quite affordable, particularly in the quiet towns of Atenas, Nosara, and San Ramon. The cost of living in the area is relatively low. You can opt to live downtown or by the ocean for a more relaxing ambiance.
Usually topping lists of the happiest countries in the world, Costa Rica is a country where people like to say, “pura vida,” meaning life is good. In Costa Rica, one can say that yes, it definitely is.