Moving to Mexico from Costa Rica
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Costa Rica to Mexico — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 22.3% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly MX$1,010,040 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Costa Rica to Mexico.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → MX$1,010,040
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 18.4% less
Groceries
pay 16.1% less
Transportation
pay 16.4% less
Housing
pay 27.5% less
Childcare
pay 48.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.6% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Costa Rica to Mexico, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Costa Rica to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Costa Rica and Mexico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Mexico 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 Mexico 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 Mexico 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment 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 Mexico across all family life metrics.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Mexico. To live, work, or study long-term in Mexico, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mexico's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Free
Mexico 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 Mexico than Costa Rica?
Generally yes: Mexico runs about 23% cheaper than Costa Rica on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CRC33,997,640 comparable salary, that's around MX$252,510 in Mexico for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
With 20.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mexico 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 Mexico.
Is Mexico safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Mexico is 26.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
Both Costa Rica and Mexico share the same official language: Spanish.
