In the beginning of the year online magazine International Living named Costa Rica the Best place to retire abroad in its Annual Global Retirement Index; now, the country is included in their list of “5 Best Places to Retire on $30,000 a Year”.

When the time comes to consider where to live the years of retirement, many consider Costa Rica because of the weather, closeness to North America, friendly people, natural beauties and of course its political stability and security (Costa Rica continues to be the safest country in Central America); however, when it comes to the cost of living, it is known that when compared to other Central American countries Costa Rica is the most expensive in the region; this being said, it is still considerably cheaper than the United States, as much as 23% cheaper according to Numbeo.

International Living lists the 5 best spots to retire abroad for under $30,000 a year, it includes destinations in Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia, “that make good sense for a lower-cost, high-quality life”. (Read: What is The Real Cost to Live in Costa Rica)

The Central Valley of Costa Rica is listed in the third spot, behind Mafra, Portugal and Cuenca, Ecuador.

“It’s hard to beat the Central Valley when you’re looking for a beautiful, friendly, and relatively inexpensive place to live. Nestled among forests, mountains, and farms are villages where expats have been living side by side with Costa Ricans for many decades”, reads the International Living article.

“A single person can live on between $1,500 and $1,800 a month. Some single people scrape by on considerably less, and others spend hundreds or thousands of dollars more. In most cases a couple can live well on $2,000 per month and even better on $2,500. It depends on your lifestyle.”

The other two destinations that make the top 5 are: Pedasi, Panama and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.