Moving to Costa Rica from Bhutan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Bhutan to Costa Rica? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Bhutan to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Bhutan to Costa Rica.
Who's moving to Costa Rica?
Top countries of origin for Costa Rica's foreign-born residents.
- 350,854
- 28,214
- 25,530
- 16,682
- 15,209
- 13,711
- · · ·
-
104.4
Bhutan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Bhutan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Bhutan performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Bhutan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Bhutan across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Bhutan generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Bhutan generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Bhutan leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Thimphu | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/33°F (17°/1°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/53°F (25°/12°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 68°/39°F (20°/4°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Thimphu | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM),
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bhutan 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.
Bhutan passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Bhutan
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Connectivity is usually fine (Costa Rica: 21.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Costa Rica offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Costa Rica safe for expats?
Bhutan performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.5 in Bhutan.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Bhutan?
Bhutan 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 5.5 in Bhutan. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bhutan: 60).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Bhutan?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 72°F in Thimphu. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Thimphu gets 23.3 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Bhutan, the official language is Dzongkha.
