Moving to Australia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Australia, you would find that Australia is 53.7% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,152,674 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly A$126,120 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,152,674 → A$126,120
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 36.1% more
Groceries
pay 11.1% more
Transportation
pay 7.3% more
Housing
pay 60.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.4 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica to Australia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
- · · ·
-
152.580
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs significantly 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia 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 generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Australia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax rate.
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
Australia generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in education spending.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Bureau of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Australia
Visa Required
Australia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Australia than Costa Rica?
No — Australia is on average about 17% more expensive than Costa Rica. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$31,530 in Australia on a CRC34,152,674 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 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 Australia safe for expats?
Australia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
The official language in Australia is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
