Moving to Palau from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Palau? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Palau, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Palauan.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Palau compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Palau leads in homicide rate.
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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs better than Palau across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs better than Palau 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
Palau generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though Palau leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Palau. To live, work, or study long-term in Palau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Palau's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Palau
Visa on Arrival
Palau 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
Can I work remotely from Palau?
Connectivity is usually fine (Palau: 6.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Palau offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Palau safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Palau leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Palau is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Palau compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Palau leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 17.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Palau, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Palau scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What language do they speak in Palau?
The official languages in Palau are English and Palauan. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
