Moving to Maryland from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Maryland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Maryland, you would find that Maryland is 71.7% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly $95,698 in Maryland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Annapolis averages 68°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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Maryland.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → $95,698
To maintain the same standard of living in Maryland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 37.5% more
Groceries
pay 52.4% more
Transportation
pay 6.0% more
Housing
pay 2.0 times more
Childcare
pay 3.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 65.7% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica to Maryland, based on official data.
people moved from Costa Rica to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
67.96,903
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Maryland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Costa Rica performs better than Maryland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Maryland performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Maryland performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Costa Rica performs better than Maryland across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Annapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 50°/33°F (10°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 59°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Annapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 Maryland than Costa Rica?
No — Maryland is on average about 28% more expensive than Costa Rica. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Maryland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $23,924 in Maryland on a CRC33,997,640 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Maryland?
Usually fine from major cities in Maryland. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Maryland compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica performs better than Maryland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Maryland compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Annapolis is 68°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Annapolis receives around 47.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Maryland?
The official language in Maryland is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
