Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Costa Rica instead of Turks and Caicos Islands, you would:

Health

live 2.8 years longer

In Turks and Caicos Islands, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 80 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 46.8% less money

Turks and Caicos Islands has a GDP per capita of $37,507 as of 2024, while in Costa Rica, the GDP per capita is $19,970 as of 2025.

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Life

be 3.0 times more likely to die during infancy

In Turks and Caicos Islands, approximately 3.0 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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Expenditures

spend 80.0% more on education

Turks and Caicos Islands spends 3.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Costa Rica spends 5.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Geography

see 3.3 times more coastline

Turks and Caicos Islands has a total of 389 km of coastline. In Costa Rica, that number is 1,290 km.

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Safety

be 76.7% less likely to be murdered

Turks and Caicos Islands has a homicide rate of 76.3 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Costa Rica, that number is 17.8 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 66.9% less CO2

Turks and Caicos Islands emits 4.9 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. How we calculate this

Compare further: Turks and Caicos Islands vs. Costa Rica

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Costa Rica is 40.7% cheaper than Turks and Caicos Islands overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Turks and Caicos Islands is about 54 times smaller than Costa Rica.
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Moving from Turks and Caicos 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 Turks and Caicos Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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