Moving to Costa Rica from Armenia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Armenia to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Armenia to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 68.0% more expensive than Armenia overall. A AMD27,376,402 salary in Armenia would need to be roughly CRC42,017,910 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 65°F in Yerevan, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Armenia to Costa Rica.

What does your salary buy?

AMD27,376,402 CRC42,017,910

To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 89.6% more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 2.2 times more

Housing

pay 70.5% more

Childcare

pay 57.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 50.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AMD = 1.24 CRC (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Armenia to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
8 ↑ 14% vs 2015

people born in Armenia live in Costa Rica · UN DESA

Who's moving to Costa Rica?

Top countries of origin for Costa Rica's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Armenia to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

AM
2.2
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AM
13.6
CR
15.5

Armenia performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AM
$2,033
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AM
31.2
CR
26.4

Armenia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AM
70.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AM
2.5t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Armenia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AM
18.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AM
59.9%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Armenia leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AM
8.6%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AM
$20,800
CR
$25,800

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Armenia leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AM
76.1 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AM
12.2
CR
8.4

Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Armenia leads in literacy rate.

Data: Tax Service of Republic of Armenia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Yerevan Rain: 10.9 in/yr (277 mm)
65° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

San Jose Rain: 73.5 in/yr (1866 mm)
77° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Yerevan San Jose
Jan–Mar 42°/24°F (5°/-5°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/60°F (31°/15°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/35°F (12°/1°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Yerevan San Jose
Jan 34°/18°F (1.0°/-8.0°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 39°/21°F (4.0°/-6.0°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.0°/0.0°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 66°/43°F (19.0°/6.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 75°/50°F (24.0°/10.0°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 84°/57°F (29.0°/14.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 91°/63°F (33.0°/17.0°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 90°/63°F (32.0°/17.0°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 82°/54°F (28.0°/12.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 70°/45°F (21.0°/7.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 54°/34°F (12.0°/1.0°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 39°/25°F (4.0°/-4.0°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Armenia and Costa Rica. To live, work, or study long-term in Costa Rica, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Costa Rica's immigration authority.

Armenia passport

Armenia passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Required
Armenia passport holders need a visa to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Armenia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Costa Rica passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Armenia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Costa Rica than Armenia?

No — Costa Rica is on average about 24% more expensive than Armenia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CRC10,504,478 in Costa Rica on a AMD27,376,402 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Costa Rica has 21.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Armenia performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.2 in Armenia.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Armenia?

Armenia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 31.2 in Armenia. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Armenia: 68).

What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Armenia?

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 65°F in Yerevan. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Yerevan gets 10.9 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Armenia, the official language is Armenian.

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At a Glance

AM CR
Population 3,000,756 5,204,411
Currency Armenian Dram (AMD) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Armenian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +374 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911