Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of San Marino, you would:

Health

live 4.8 years less

In San Marino, the average life expectancy is 86 years (84 years for men, 87 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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see 63.1% less spent on your healthcare

San Marino spends $5,231 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Costa Rica spends $1,928 as of 2023.

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have 42.0% fewer doctors per person

San Marino has 46.3 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Costa Rica has 26.9 as of 2022.

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Economy

make 66.6% less money

San Marino has a GDP per capita of $59,871 as of 2023, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $19,970 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.4 times more children

In San Marino, there are approximately 4.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Costa Rica, there are 10.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In San Marino, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Costa Rica, 24.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 7.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In San Marino, approximately 1.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Costa Rica, on the other hand, 9.1 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 10.5% less likely to have internet access

In San Marino, approximately 97.3% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Costa Rica, about 87.2% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 83.1% more on education

San Marino spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Costa Rica spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Safety

be 2.6 times more likely to die in a road accident

In San Marino, road accidents kill 5.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Costa Rica, they kill 15.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 34.9% less home broadband

San Marino has 35.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Costa Rica has 23.3 as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Compare further: San Marino vs. Costa Rica

Size Comparison · See true size
San Marino is about 838 times smaller than Costa Rica.
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Moving from San Marino 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 San Marino? See an in-depth size comparison.

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