Moving to Canada from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Canada, you would find that Canada is 24.2% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly CA$119,768 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Canada.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → CA$119,768
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 21.1% more
Groceries
pay 11.6% more
Transportation
pay 7.5% less
Housing
pay 62.6% more
Childcare
pay 32.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.7% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Canada.
people moved from Costa Rica to Canada · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
124.4,252
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada 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 Canada leads in health coverage index.
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 Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada 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 | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada 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 Canada than Costa Rica?
On average Canada is around 14% pricier than Costa Rica, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Budget about CA$29,942 for 3 months in Canada (based on a CRC33,997,640 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
