Moving to Costa Rica from Bangladesh

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bangladesh to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 5.5 times more expensive than Bangladesh overall. A BDT9,234,299 salary in Bangladesh would need to be roughly CRC83,793,756 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 87°F in Dhaka, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

BDT9,234,299 CRC83,793,756

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 6.2 times more

Groceries

pay 3.6 times more

Transportation

pay 3.0 times more

Housing

pay 6.6 times more

Childcare

pay 14.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BDT = 3.68 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 Bangladesh to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
3

people born in Bangladesh 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 Bangladesh to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BD
2.3
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BD
18.6
CR
15.5

Bangladesh generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BD
$198
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BD
6.7
CR
26.4

Bangladesh generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BD
66.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BD
0.7t
CR
1.6t

Bangladesh generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BD
7.1
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BD
5.7%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Bangladesh leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BD
5.1%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BD
$8,200
CR
$25,800

Bangladesh generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BD
74.7 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BD
30.4
CR
8.4

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Bangladesh across all family life metrics.

Data: National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dhaka Rain: 84.8 in/yr (2154 mm)
87° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dhaka San Jose
Jan–Mar 84°/61°F (29°/16°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/79°F (32°/26°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Dhaka San Jose
Jan 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.7°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 83°/60°F (28.1°/15.5°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 90°/69°F (32.4°/20.3°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 93°/74°F (33.8°/23.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 91°/76°F (32.9°/24.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.1°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 89°/79°F (31.4°/26.2°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 89°/79°F (31.6°/26.3°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 89°/79°F (31.8°/25.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 89°/75°F (31.6°/23.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.2°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.3°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 Bangladesh 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.

Bangladesh passport

Bangladesh passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Bangladesh

Visa on Arrival
Costa Rica passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Bangladesh.

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 Bangladesh?

No — Costa Rica is on average about 146% more expensive than Bangladesh. 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 CRC20,948,439 in Costa Rica on a BDT9,234,299 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?

Bangladesh generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Bangladesh.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Bangladesh?

Bangladesh generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 6.7 in Bangladesh. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bangladesh: 52).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 87°F in Dhaka. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Dhaka gets 84.8 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Bangladesh, the official language is Bengali.

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At a Glance

BD CR
Population 165,650,475 5,204,411
Currency Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Bengali Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +880 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 911