InterNations, the network for expats with local communities worldwide, carried out its annual survey at the end of 2018 to come up with the list of  the “Top 10 Most Welcoming Countries in the world”.

This is the fifth edition of the survey and included a total of 18,135 expats across the globe.

Portugal took the first spot as the country with the friendliest attitude towards foreign residents, Taiwan and Mexico took second and third place.

Costa Rica ranked in sixth place:

“Not only did 31 percent of expats move to Costa Rica in search of a better quality of life, but they are also charmed by friendly locals who welcome them with open arms. Most respondents rate the friendly attitude towards foreign residents positively (87% vs 67% globally). Costa Rica also ranks first when it comes to making local friends, with 78 percent rating this aspect positively. Moreover, close to nine in ten respondents (88%) are content with their life in Costa Rica, and 81 percent feel at home in the local culture. A Canadian expat considers “the beauty of the country and friendliness of the Ticos” to be the best thing about expat life in Costa Rica. This might be one reason why 48 percent of expats intend to stay forever, compared to only 29 percent globally”, states the report.

Costa Rica and Colombia (8th place) are the only two Latin American countries listed in the top 10.

Costa Rica has fallen several spots since in 2017 where it had took second place in the ranking.