Moving to Costa Rica from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 2.1 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly CRC71,000,000 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 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Costa Rica cheaper than China?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 73.0% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 2.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 60.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Costa Rica?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → CRC71,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Costa Rica
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China 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
- · · ·
-
32.348
China
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in suicide rate.
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 China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China 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 China leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Costa Rica vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from China to Costa Rica?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting China
Visa RequiredData: 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 China?
On average Costa Rica is around 109% pricier than China, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC17,750,000 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a CN¥500,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Connectivity is usually fine (Costa Rica: 23.3 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?
China generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in suicide rate. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 31.1 in China. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to China?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In China, the official language is Chinese.
