Moving to Russia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Russia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Russia, you would find that Russia is 33.1% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly RUB4,205,909 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Russia.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → RUB4,205,909
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 39.5% less
Groceries
pay 36.7% less
Transportation
pay 48.2% less
Housing
pay 36.6% less
Childcare
pay 30.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.7% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Russia.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
141.30
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Russia compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Russia 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 Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Russia 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
Russia 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Russia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Russia leads in infant mortality.
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 | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Russia 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 Russia than Costa Rica?
On average Russia is about 28% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Budget about RUB1,051,477 for 3 months in Russia (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 Russia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Russia: 24.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Russia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Russia safe for expats?
Russia performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
