The World's Healthiest Countries list ranks countries by subtracting their risk score from their health score. Costa Rica ranks 24th globally and tops the Latin America list, followed by Chile and Cuba.

While Costa Rica is not officially the "healthiest country in the world" by 2026 rankings, it is a global "Gold Standard" for longevity and wellness. It is home to the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world's five "Blue Zones" where people frequently live past the age of 100 with high-fidelity mental and physical health. The country's "Pura Vida" philosophy, combined with a diet rich in "whole foods" like beans and tropical fruits, contributes to a life expectancy that rival's much wealthier nations like the U.S. A grounded reality in 2026 is that while countries like Japan, Switzerland, and Singapore often take the top spots for "healthy life expectancy" due to their advanced medical infrastructure, Costa Rica is the supportive leader in "nature-integrated health." Its universal healthcare system and emphasis on environmental quality make it a "Bujan" success story for developing nations. For a traveler, the supportive climate and abundance of fresh air and outdoor activities provide a "wellness" experience that is hard to match, even if it doesn't hold the absolute #1 ranking in global health indices.