Moving to Massachusetts from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Massachusetts — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 80.0% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly $103,375 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boston averages 59°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 Massachusetts.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → $103,375
To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 52.1% more
Groceries
pay 36.4% more
Transportation
pay 3.8% less
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 3.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 84.0% 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 Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Costa Rica performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Massachusetts 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
Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°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 Massachusetts than Costa Rica?
No — Massachusetts is on average about 38% more expensive than Costa Rica. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $25,844 in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
Usually fine from major cities in Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Massachusetts?
The official language in Massachusetts is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
