Moving to Pakistan from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Pakistan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Pakistan, you would find that Pakistan is 66.5% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly PKR7,064,535 in Pakistan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Urdu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Pakistan.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → PKR7,064,535
To maintain the same standard of living in Pakistan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 75.1% less
Groceries
pay 69.7% less
Transportation
pay 59.9% less
Housing
pay 60.3% less
Childcare
pay 90.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 53.0% 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 Pakistan compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Pakistan performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
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 Pakistan 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 generally does better on environment, though Pakistan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than Pakistan across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Pakistan 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 Pakistan 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 | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Islamabad |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) |
Instituto Meteorológico NacionalVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Pakistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Pakistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Pakistan's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Pakistan 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 Pakistan than Costa Rica?
On average Pakistan is about 66% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Pakistan?
Budget about PKR1,766,134 for 3 months in Pakistan (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 Pakistan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Pakistan: 1.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Pakistan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Pakistan safe for expats?
Pakistan performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Pakistan is 4.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Pakistan compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 10.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Pakistan, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Pakistan scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Pakistan compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Islamabad is 84°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Islamabad receives around 49.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Pakistan?
The official languages in Pakistan are English and Urdu. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
