Costa Rica

Luxury properties in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a Central American democracy of about five million people and one of the most politically stable nations in the Western Hemisphere — it abolished its standing army in 1948 and has never looked back. Its Caribbean coast, centered around Puerto Viejo and the Gandoca-Manzanillo wildlife refuge, offers a lush, Afro-Caribbean counterpoint to the country's better-known Pacific shores: dense jungle, chocolate farms, Rastafarian culture, and some of the most biodiverse terrain on earth. Citizenship by naturalization is available after seven years of legal residence (reduced for certain nationalities and for spouses of Costa Ricans), and Costa Rica fully permits dual citizenship, so the existing nationality is retained throughout. The Pensionado retirement program provides a well-established path to residency, making Costa Rica one of the most accessible countries in the region for international buyers planning a long-term move.