Costa Rica was chosen as the second best country to live abroad, according to a survey conducted by expat resource website InterNations.
InterNations reports surveying more than 12,500 expat members from 166 different nationalities to get their take on their adopted countries, who evaluated more than 40 individual aspects such as quality of life, ease of settling in, work, family life, personal finances and cost of living, among others.they now call home; the results could help you decide if you’re ready to turn your wanderlust into a long-term relocation.
Topping the list was Bahrain, jumping from 19th to first place this year, because of its exotic beauty and a wide mix of cultures, in addition to its great ease of settlement and high professional satisfaction: 25% of the respondents said that they began to feel at home practically immediately.
“Bahrainis are very friendly and welcoming,” said one Kyrgyz expat, “everyone speaks English.”
The country also scored highly in the Personal Finances Index, and 41% said they earn a lot more than they would back home.
Costa Rica follows with its eternal offer of happiness and tranquility, surrounded by friendly and happy people.
“The warm welcome of its people and the attitude towards the foreigner, in addition to its pure life vibe, deserves it second place,” says the article published by Forbes magazine. The country ranks first for Finding Friends.
“Costa Rica offers the freedom to live a peaceful, happy life, surrounded by peaceful, kind and happy people,” said one respondent.
The country is also in the top ten for the quality of life, ease of settling in and family life. The warm weather and slower pace of life is also highly valued, and 48% could see themselves staying forever in the country ranks first for Finding Friends.
Third place goes to Mexico, that is also in the top 20 countries for working abroad, and was deemed by respondents to be good value for money. Healthcare and safety damage its overall score, but it ranks first for Personal Happiness. “The climate is almost perfect, the people are friendly, and the food is to die for,” said one respondent.
The other Latin American country to make the top ten list is Colombia, at number 8. Colombia scores fifth for Personal Happiness, although is much further down the list, at 50th, for Safety and Security.
Nevertheless, the country has jumped to 43rd to 25th place for Quality of Life, and respondents reported friendly locals and that it was easy to settle in. Colombia was also ranked third for the cost of living, an important motivating factor for many who relocated there.
The other countries in the top ten are: Taiwan (4th), Portugal (5th), New Zealand (6th), Malta (7th), Singapore (9th) and Spain (10th).
