Moving to Fiji from Costa Rica

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Costa Rica to Fiji, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Fiji Hindi and Fijian. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Costa Rica and Fiji stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CR
17.4
FJ
2.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CR
15.5
FJ
5.3

Fiji performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CR
$1,928
FJ
$548
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CR
26.4
FJ
8.1

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Fiji 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
FJ
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CR
1.6t
FJ
1.6t

Costa Rica performs better than Fiji across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CR
21.3
FJ
2.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CR
5.9%
FJ
0.3%

Fiji generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CR
8.3%
FJ
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CR
$25,800
FJ
$13,600

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Fiji leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CR
79.6 yrs
FJ
74.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CR
8.4
FJ
10.1

Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Fiji leads in literacy rate.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Suva Rain: 119.7 in/yr (3040 mm)
84° / 72°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Jose Suva
Jan–Mar 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) 83°/72°F (29°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) 80°/69°F (27°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) 84°/72°F (29°/22°C)
View all months
Month San Jose Suva
Jan 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/23.7°C)
Feb 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C)
Mar 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C)
Apr 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) 85°/73°F (29.7°/23.0°C)
May 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) 83°/72°F (28.3°/22.0°C)
Jun 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) 82°/71°F (27.6°/21.4°C)
Jul 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) 80°/69°F (26.5°/20.4°C)
Aug 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) 80°/69°F (26.6°/20.5°C)
Sep 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) 81°/70°F (27.0°/20.9°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) 82°/71°F (27.8°/21.7°C)
Nov 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C)
Dec 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) 86°/74°F (29.8°/23.2°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, Fiji Meteorological Service Fiji Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Fiji

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

Fiji passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Free
Fiji passport holders can enter Costa Rica without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Fiji?

With 2.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Fiji 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 Fiji.

Is Fiji safe for expats?

Fiji performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Fiji is 2.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.

How is healthcare in Fiji compared to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Fiji leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Fiji, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Fiji scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).

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

The average high temperature in Suva is 84°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Suva receives around 119.7 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.

What language do they speak in Fiji?

The official languages in Fiji are English, Fiji Hindi and Fijian. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CR FJ
Population 5,204,411 943,737
Currency Costa Rican Colón (CRC) Fijian Dollar (FJD)
Languages Spanish English, Fiji Hindi, Fijian
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +506 +679
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911