You’ve probably heard it time and time again, Costa Rica is one of the preferred retirement destinations for expats, the fact that it is so close to the United States and Canada, it is also considered one of the most secure countries in Latin America, its weather, its people, the least goes on and on, of course it is not perfect, like every country it has its problems, but when you balance out the pros and cons, the pros come out way ahead.

For many years the country and developers had failed to see the potential behind having residential projects targeted for the expat community in the locations they usually establish, but in recent years a few new projects have emerged making the country even more attractive as a retirement destination.

If Costa Rica is on your list of places to retire, or if you’ve already made up your mind but you need more information on the best retirement communities in Costa Rica, here is a short list you can look into:

Guanacaste: NOSARA – usually when we talk retirement we dream of resting in a hammock with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore in the background while drinking an ice-cold beer. Nosara in Guanacaste is probably as close as we can get to that postcard image. Nosara is the home of a large number of expats who have organized themselves to create a safe and self-sustained community. Here you will have all the modern amenities while still enjoying incredible raw nature. Fine restaurants, yoga studios, supermarkets, everything you need is close by and convenient. There is a new development project in the area that has attracted many foreigners looking for the best retirement community because it is an eco-project that combines affordable living with modern, smart-homes, it’s worth the time to check it out: Bellazo Community by Kalia. When it comes to Guanacaste, other areas of interest are Tamarindo, Flamingo and Playas del Coco, all great choices to settle in.

South Pacific: DOMINICAL – If you want to live in the coast but you are not sold on the idea of Guanacaste, then Dominical in the South Pacific might be the perfect spot. Dominical has all the services you need at close distance, the beach has great conditions for surfing, this area is a bit more “down to earth” when compared to paradisiac Nosara; but it is also beautiful, there are a couple of developments in the area that cater to expats, usually nested in the mountains overlooking the ocean, and a nice size community that established here a long time ago. Uvita and Ojochal are a short distance from Dominical and also have a good number of foreigners that live here and have even established organic markets and a wide selection of restaurants.

Central Valley: If you are not a beach kind of person, but more of a city mouse there are also great places to live in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. You will need to do a little research on the weather conditions in different areas of the Central Valley, since microclimates in Costa Rica provide different types of weather within just a few miles. Grecia in Alajuela has a big expat community that is attracted to the location because of the wonderful weather it has and the fact that is close enough to civilization but far enough to allow you to disconnect, San Ramón, also in Alajuela is a good choice. If you want to be in the heart of the action, Santa Ana and Escazú in the west side of San José are the preferred neighborhoods if you are looking for warm weather; Curridabat and Tres Ríos in the east of San Jose have colder temperatures. The high mountains of Heredia are also a great alternative that feature nice fresh weather. There are different residential projects in these areas.