Moving to Costa Rica from Chad

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Chad to Costa Rica — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Chad to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 87°F in N'djamena, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Chad and Costa Rica stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TD
26.4
CR
15.5

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Chad across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TD
$130
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TD
0.8
CR
26.4

Chad 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

TD
95.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TD
0.1t
CR
1.6t

Chad 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

TD
0.0
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TD
4.3%
CR
5.9%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TD
1.1%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TD
$1,800
CR
$25,800

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Chad leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TD
59.1 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TD
65.5
CR
8.4

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

Data: General Inspectorate of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

N'djamena Rain: 20.1 in/yr (510 mm)
87° / 69°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months N'djamena San Jose
Jan–Mar 87°/63°F (30°/17°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 93°/77°F (34°/25°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/73°F (28°/23°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/65°F (29°/18°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month N'djamena San Jose
Jan 82°/57°F (27.8°/14.0°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 86°/62°F (30.0°/16.6°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 92°/70°F (33.3°/21.0°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 95°/76°F (35.0°/24.7°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.5°/25.8°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.7°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.4°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 81°/72°F (27.2°/22.4°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 84°/73°F (28.8°/22.7°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 87°/71°F (30.4°/21.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.8°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 82°/59°F (27.6°/14.8°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie Agence Nationale de la Météorologie, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chad 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.

Chad passport

Chad passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Chad

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

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?

With 21.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Costa Rica can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Chad and Costa Rica.

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Chad across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Chad?

Chad 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 0.8 in Chad. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chad: 29).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 87°F in N'djamena. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while N'djamena gets 20.1 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Chad, the official languages are Arabic and French.

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At a Glance

TD CR
Population 17,963,211 5,204,411
Currency CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Arabic, French Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +235 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911