The Costa Rican government abolished the military in 1948, and ever since the country has had a long tradition of good public education. “Instead of spending money on arms we spend it on education. We have an army of teachers in Costa Rica,” is a popular saying. With a literacy rate of 97% and the second-highest life expectancy in the hemisphere, Costa Rica has stood out for decades as a Latin American model for social programs. School is free and compulsory through high school (12th grade), and public universities are excellent and inexpensive. Costa Rica has enjoyed a socialized medical system for over 50 years, providing quality care without charge.

In general, you don’t have to worry about most of the diseases that you might expect to encounter in a tropical country. Tap water is almost always safe to drink throughout the country; however, we recommend bottled water in rural areas.

If you should become ill or injured, hospitals and private clinics in San José provide a level of care comparable to that found in the United States, for a fraction of the cost.