Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica has once again appeared in an international ranking that analyzes living conditions and opportunities offered by various countries to those considering establishing residence outside their home country.
The country ranked 20th globally in the Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026, an assessment covering 192 countries and territories based on indicators related to quality of life, health, safety, economic conditions, and the ease with which foreign residents can adapt.
With a score of 68.7 out of 100, Costa Rica ranked ahead of destinations such as Spain, Panama, Switzerland, Uruguay, Canada, and Mexico in the overall standings.
The report was produced by Rumavi, a firm specializing in international consulting for relocation, residency, and investment.
The research utilizes 24 indicators distributed across four main components: finance and taxes; livability and health; safety and stability; and settlement and opportunities.
Unlike other studies that evaluate the well-being of the resident population solely, this index seeks to identify the conditions a person might encounter when moving to another country.
To do so, it incorporates factors such as the cost of living, healthcare systems, air quality, visa access, business opportunities, taxation of foreign-sourced income, and safety conditions.
According to results published by Rumavi, Costa Rica scored 72.5 points in finance and taxes; 74.5 in livability and health; 68.4 in safety and stability; and 60 points in settlement and opportunities.
Costa Rica outperforms Panama, Uruguay, and Canada
One notable aspect of the study is Costa Rica’s ranking relative to other countries in the Americas.
While Costa Rica reached the 20th position with 68.7 points, Panama appeared in 23rd place with 68.3 points, and Uruguay ranked 35th with 67.4 points.
Canada, meanwhile, ranked 41st with a score of 66.8.
The difference between Costa Rica and Canada is due to the set of variables used in the study, which considers fiscal, climatic, and economic aspects alongside traditional well-being indicators.
For instance, Canada received high ratings for banking infrastructure and English language access but recorded lower scores on specific indicators related to taxes and climate conditions.
In Costa Rica’s case, the study identified high scores regarding the tax treatment of foreign-sourced income, ease of obtaining visas, and property rights for non-citizens.
The livability and health component yielded Costa Rica’s highest score, at 74.5 out of 100 points.
Within this category, the research awarded the country 70 points for healthcare quality and 75 for the affordability of medical care.
Air quality scored 78 points, while climate conditions reached 76 and digital infrastructure registered 80.
These indicators are part of an assessment conducted by Rumavi regarding the feasibility of daily living in the country and access to services considered important for long-term residency.
Another result concerns the specific ranking for retirees.
Costa Rica ranked fifth globally among destinations for retirees, with a score of 73.5 out of 100—a category that places special emphasis on medical services, the cost of living, safety, and tax conditions.
The study also highlighted that the country offers a specific immigration category for pensioners—a feature factored into the assessment of how easy it is to settle in Costa Rica.
Security and business opportunities present challenges
Despite its ranking, the report also identifies areas where Costa Rica scores significantly lower.
One such area is street safety—an indicator that received 46.1 points out of 100—while the overall security and stability component scored 62.4.
The latter takes into account other variables, including the rule of law, political stability, the risk of conflict, and property rights for foreigners.
Regarding the economy, the research also points out limitations related to business development.
The entrepreneurial ecosystem scored 37 points, while business opportunities registered a score of 51.
Which countries top the global ranking?
In the 2026 overall rankings, Estonia took the top global spot with 72.8 out of 100 points, followed by Singapore with 72.6 and Malaysia with 72.
Portugal ranked fourth with 71.6 points, while Taiwan rounded out the top five with 71.4.
Lithuania, Hong Kong, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Czech Republic, and Malta also featured among the top ten destinations.
According to the methodology published by Rumavi, the scores are derived from data provided by international bodies and studies, supplemented by the firm’s own estimates and assessments regarding specific variables.
In the case of Costa Rica, 14 of the 24 indicators rely on data identified by Rumavi as coming from institutional sources, while the remaining indicators incorporate other types of estimates or assessments.