Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Faroe Islands, you would:

Health

live 2.1 years less

In Faroe Islands, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Costa Rica, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 73.1% less money

Faroe Islands has a GDP per capita of $74,175 as of 2024, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $19,970 as of 2025.

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Life

be 51.9% more likely to die during infancy

In Faroe Islands, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Costa Rica, on the other hand, 9.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 10.7% less likely to have internet access

In Faroe Islands, approximately 97.6% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Costa Rica, about 87.2% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 15.5% more coastline

Faroe Islands has a total of 1,117 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

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Infrastructure

find 32.7% less home broadband

Faroe Islands has 34.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Costa Rica has 23.3 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 40.7 times more CO2

Faroe Islands emits 0.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Costa Rica emits 1.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022). How we calculate this

Compare further: Faroe Islands vs. Costa Rica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Costa Rica is 24.8% cheaper than Faroe Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Faroe Islands is about 37 times smaller than Costa Rica.
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Moving from Faroe Islands to Costa Rica · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Costa Rica: At a glance

Costa Rica is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 51,060 sq km. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. In 1949, Costa Rica dissolved its armed forces. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
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How big is Costa Rica compared to Faroe Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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