Moving to Djibouti from Costa Rica

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Costa Rica to Djibouti, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Djibouti averages 93°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Costa Rica and Djibouti 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

CR
15.5
DJ
23.3

Costa Rica performs better than Djibouti across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CR
$1,928
DJ
$155
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CR
26.4
DJ
2.0

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Djibouti leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CR
15.0
DJ
59.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CR
1.6t
DJ
0.8t

Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Djibouti leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CR
21.3
DJ
1.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CR
5.9%
DJ
6.3%

Costa Rica performs better than Djibouti across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CR
8.3%
DJ
26.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CR
$25,800
DJ
$6,500

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Djibouti leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CR
79.6 yrs
DJ
65.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CR
8.4
DJ
46.9

Costa Rica performs better than Djibouti across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Djibouti Rain: 6.5 in/yr (164 mm)
93° / 79°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Jose Djibouti
Jan–Mar 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) 85°/73°F (29°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) 96°/81°F (35°/27°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) 104°/86°F (40°/30°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) 88°/74°F (31°/23°C)
View all months
Month San Jose Djibouti
Jan 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) 84°/71°F (28.7°/21.5°C)
Feb 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.5°C)
Mar 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.8°C)
Apr 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.4°C)
May 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) 95°/81°F (34.9°/27.0°C)
Jun 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) 102°/85°F (39.0°/29.3°C)
Jul 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) 107°/88°F (41.7°/31.1°C)
Aug 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) 106°/87°F (41.2°/30.6°C)
Sep 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) 99°/84°F (37.2°/28.9°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.6°C)
Nov 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.8°/23.1°C)
Dec 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.6°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti (ANM) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti (ANM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Djibouti. To live, work, or study long-term in Djibouti, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Djibouti's immigration authority.

Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Djibouti

Visa on Arrival
Costa Rica passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Djibouti.
Djibouti passport

Djibouti passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Djibouti?

With 1.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Djibouti can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Costa Rica and Djibouti.

Is Djibouti safe for expats?

Costa Rica performs better than Djibouti across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Djibouti compared to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Djibouti leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Djibouti, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Djibouti scores 44 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).

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

The average high temperature in Djibouti is 93°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Djibouti receives around 6.5 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.

What language do they speak in Djibouti?

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

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At a Glance

CR DJ
Population 5,204,411 957,273
Currency Costa Rican Colón (CRC) Djiboutian Franc (DJF)
Languages Spanish Arabic, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +506 +253
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911