Moving to Estonia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Estonia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 18.1% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,000,000 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly €54,400 in Estonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Estonian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tallinn averages 48°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 ↓Is Estonia cheaper than Costa Rica?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 14.4% more
Groceries
pay 40.9% less
Transportation
pay 10.8% less
Housing
pay 19.5% less
Childcare
pay 41.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 11.2% 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 Estonia?
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,000,000 → €54,400
To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Estonia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica to Estonia, based on official data.
people moved from Costa Rica to Estonia · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Estonia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Estonia 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 Estonia 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 Estonia 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
Estonia 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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Estonia 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 Estonia leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), Estonian Tax and Customs Board (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Estonia vs Costa Rica
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Tallinn |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
Can you move from Costa Rica to Estonia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Estonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Estonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Estonia's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Estonia
Visa Free
Estonia 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 Estonia than Costa Rica?
Yes — Estonia is on average about 18% cheaper than Costa Rica. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Estonia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €13,600 in Estonia on a CRC34,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Estonia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Estonia has 35.4 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 Estonia safe for expats?
Estonia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.8 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Estonia compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Estonia, compared to 26.9 in Costa Rica. Estonia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Estonia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Estonia?
The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
