According to InternationalLiving.com’s 2018 Global Retirement Index, Costa Rica takes the top spot for the first time in the index’s history.

It topped the categories of healthy lifestyle and healthcare while scoring well in the fitting in, governance, entertainment and amenities, and climate categories.

Costa Rica invests more in education and health as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product than the U.K., for instance. As a result, Costa Ricans enjoy a literacy rate approaching 98% and a long life expectancy. The country regularly wins accolades as having the happiest people on earth.

“Healthcare, education, and the environment are the country’s top 3 priorities and it’s abundantly apparent in everyday life here,” says Jackie Minchillo, IL Costa Rica Coastal Correspondent, who lives in the beach town of Tamarindo on the Pacific coast. “There’s a general happy and friendly disposition amongst the population here and a sense of people looking out for one another.”

Ticos (the moniker Costa Ricans give themselves) have established in their country one of the world’s most stable democracies. Costa Rica dissolved its standing army in 1949 and the reallocated funds are spent on education, healthcare, and pensions.

“There’s state-of-the-art healthcare at about one third the cost of the U.S. and the cost of living reflects that reduction in expenses, too. Adventure waits around every corner. And with the relaxed Pura Vida lifestyle, living is easy. What’s not to love?

“Costa Rica is laidback and slower-paced. And there’s none of the drama that’s coming out of the United States right now. This country is one of the most prosperous and politically stable in Latin America.”

In an increasingly uncertain world, Costa Rica is a beacon of dependability–a country that “has its act together.”

“Expats report regularly that the Costa Rican people are gentle and welcoming, the politics are low-key, and there’s a truly ‘live-and-let-live’ feel about the place,” says Jennifer Stevens, International Living’s Executive Editor. “This is a country that’s stable and steady, and that definitely appeals to retirees who are ready to be done with the relative volatility at home.

Tens of thousands of U.S. and Canadian expats already live in Costa Rica full- or part-time. And millions have traveled there over the years for beach-resort vacations, surfing, fishing, rainforest treks, and more. With many Costa Ricans speaking English, it’s pretty easy for retirees to navigate while learning more Spanish.

In Costa Rica, there is a focus on preserving the environment, with 25% of the country’s territory protected. And there is commitment from the government to power the country on solely renewable sources, especially hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal.

While Costa Rica wins the top spot in this year’s annual Global Retirement Index, it’s just one of 24 countries examined in 12 categories, including: buying and investing; renting; benefits and discounts; visas and residence; governance; cost of living; fitting in; entertainment and amenities; healthcare; healthy lifestyle; development; and climate.

For the past 27 years, InternationalLiving.com has used an extensive network of editors, correspondents, contributors, and contacts based around the world to amass the information, data, and insights used to prepare this Annual Global Retirement Index.

The key aim of the Index is to help retirees find locations where their dollar goes further– where they can get the best bang for buck in terms of real estate, cost of living, and overall quality of life.