text: which country has a better future costa rica or venezuela? and why?   it depends. if you want to make money in spite of the risks, go to venezuela. the price of oil is bound to continue increasing in the next 10 or 20 years (before it runs out) and venezuela and its inhabitants will profit from that. but if the socialist government of chavez endures for several decades (a la castro) you may not receive any of these gains. the antagonist forces at play in that country could explode in the near future. if you want quality of life and peace of mind, go to costa rica. the people are friendly, the climate is good, there is a lively international community and although somewhat expensive when compared to other central american countries, it is still affordable. it is hard to make money there since the market is so small and locals are very able competitors. the political climate is stable and unlikely to generate any revolution or anything like that.