Moving to Iran from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Iran? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Iran, you would find that Iran is 58.6% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,992,122 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly IRR76,492,959,950 in Iran to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Persian (Farsi).
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Iran.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,992,122 → IRR76,492,959,950
To maintain the same standard of living in Iran
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 55.4% less
Groceries
pay 63.8% less
Transportation
pay 33.5% less
Housing
pay 69.0% less
Childcare
pay 87.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 69.9% less
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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Iran compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Iran leads in homicide rate.
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 Iran leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs better than Iran across all environment metrics.
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
Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Iran leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Iran leads in poverty 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Iran 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 52°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 94°/72°F (35°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Tehran |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 45°/30°F (7.2°/-1.1°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 50°/33°F (9.9°/0.7°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 71°/52°F (21.9°/10.9°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/20.9°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 98°/75°F (36.8°/24.0°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 96°/73°F (35.4°/23.0°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.7°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.3°C) |
Instituto Meteorológico NacionalVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Iran. To live, work, or study long-term in Iran, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iran's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Iran
Visa on Arrival
Iran passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Iran than Costa Rica?
On average Iran is about 26% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Iran?
Budget about IRR19,123,239,988 for 3 months in Iran (based on a CRC33,992,122 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iran?
Connectivity is usually fine (Iran: 12.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Iran offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Iran safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Iran leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Iran is 2.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Iran compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iran leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 15.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Iran, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Iran scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Iran compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Tehran is 72°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Tehran receives around 9.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Iran?
The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi). In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
