Costa Rica And The US Overseas Retirement Market

For many US baby boomers with nest eggs that have shriveled during the recent financial crisis, an overseas retirement can make financial sense. Once they shift their perspective offshore, the Central American region captures a fair share of attention given its close proximity to the US. There are many connecting flights that travel daily from US airports. Costa Rica attracts more retirees than its neighbors, and here are some of the reasons why.

Costa Rica has been a popular vacation destination for decades, as well as a hot retirement spot. In fact, the country boasts the largest population of US expatriates in the region, so current retirees are following in other US citizens’ footsteps.

Costa Rica is aggressively attracting retirees by launching the first ‘retiree program,’ which offers tax benefits, exemptions, and discounts. Panama, Nicaragua, and Belize have all followed suit, rolling out their own retiree programs, but Costa Rica was the first country to put such a policy in place, actively seeking out retirees.

Costa Rica has long held a tradition of environmental protection, as evidenced by the country’s tourism slogan, “No artificial ingredients.” Tourists aren’t the only ones enjoying Costa Rica’s biodiversity. Retirees also take advantage of the national parks and beautiful landscapes.

Retirees prefer to move to more established parts of the country that provide well-serviced amenities and infrastructure. Costa Rica has a number of well-developed second home and retirement destinations available. The country is sometimes known as “The Switzerland of Central America.” Combine this with a stable democratic government and a diverse economy, and it’s easy to see why investors, tourists, and retirees flock to Costa Rica.

There is also Costa Rica’s lower cost of living to consider. Real estate in Costa Rica is much more affordable than the US. There are other countries that are cheaper, such as Nicaragua real estate for example, but Costa Rica can still provide retirees with a lifestyle they could not afford in the US.