Moving to Luxembourg from Costa Rica

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Costa Rica to Luxembourg? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Costa Rica to Luxembourg, you would find that Luxembourg is 78.1% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly €113,949 in Luxembourg to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, German and Luxembourgish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Luxembourg averages 56°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Luxembourg.

What does your salary buy?

CRC33,997,640 €113,949

To maintain the same standard of living in Luxembourg

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 87.0% more

Groceries

pay 44.2% more

Transportation

pay 57.5% more

Housing

pay 2.6 times more

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 42.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CRC = 0.0019 EUR (July 2026)

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 Luxembourg.

Moved in 2023
6 ↓ 54% vs 2022

people moved from Costa Rica to Luxembourg · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Luxembourg?

Top countries of origin for Luxembourg's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Luxembourg compared to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CR
17.4
LU
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CR
15.5
LU
3.9

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CR
$1,928
LU
$8,808
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CR
26.4
LU
29.9

Luxembourg generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica 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
LU
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CR
1.6t
LU
10.6t

Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Luxembourg leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CR
21.3
LU
38.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CR
5.9%
LU
4.0%

Luxembourg performs significantly better than Costa Rica 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%
LU
5.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CR
$25,800
LU
$132,400

Luxembourg generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CR
79.6 yrs
LU
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CR
8.4
LU
3.2

Luxembourg 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Luxembourg Rain: 35.3 in/yr (897 mm)
56° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Jose Luxembourg
Jan–Mar 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) 42°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) 63°/46°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) 71°/54°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month San Jose Luxembourg
Jan 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) 38°/29°F (3.1°/-1.6°C)
Feb 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.3°C)
Mar 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) 48°/35°F (9.1°/1.6°C)
Apr 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) 56°/40°F (13.3°/4.4°C)
May 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) 64°/47°F (17.8°/8.4°C)
Jun 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) 69°/52°F (20.7°/11.1°C)
Jul 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) 74°/56°F (23.2°/13.3°C)
Aug 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) 73°/55°F (22.8°/13.0°C)
Sep 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.0°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) 56°/43°F (13.1°/6.3°C)
Nov 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) 45°/36°F (7.3°/2.2°C)
Dec 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, Air Navigation Administration (ANA), Meteolux Air Navigation Administration (ANA), Meteolux

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Luxembourg

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

Luxembourg passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Free
Luxembourg 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

Is it cheaper to live in Luxembourg than Costa Rica?

On average Luxembourg is around 74% pricier than Costa Rica, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Luxembourg?

Budget about €28,487 for 3 months in Luxembourg (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 Luxembourg?

Connectivity is usually fine (Luxembourg: 38.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Luxembourg offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Luxembourg safe for expats?

Luxembourg performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Luxembourg is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.

How is healthcare in Luxembourg compared to Costa Rica?

Luxembourg generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Luxembourg, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Luxembourg scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).

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

The average high temperature in Luxembourg is 56°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Luxembourg receives around 35.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.

What language do they speak in Luxembourg?

The official languages in Luxembourg are French, German and Luxembourgish. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CR LU
Population 5,204,411 650,364
Currency Costa Rican Colón (CRC) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish French, German, Luxembourgish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +506 +352
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112