Costa Rica has a very good medical system. The State provides socialized health care, making medical services available for free to all Costa Ricans, and even visitors in emergencies.

Public clinics are usually a little run down structurally, and there are long lines to be made before it’s your turn, but the medical service is excellent. Private clinics and hospitals on the other hand, like CIMA and Clínica Bíblica in San José, have very modern facilities in addition to top-of-the-line doctors of all specialties.

Whether you go to Nosara, the Osa Peninsula, Puerto Viejo or any other secluded destination in Costa Rica, you will find at least a basic drug store in the nearest town, and at least a public clinic in the vicinity.

If you’re interested in visiting Costa Rica for medical tourism, as many outsiders choose to do, please visit the U.S. embassy’s website for a list of hospitals and doctors. Costa Rica offers top quality medical care at a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S.