Moving to Saudi Arabia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 14.1% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,152,674 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly SAR229,634 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,152,674 → SAR229,634
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 49.9% less
Groceries
pay 29.0% less
Transportation
pay 25.9% less
Housing
pay 5.7% more
Childcare
pay 32.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 38.7% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
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 | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saudi Arabia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saudi Arabia's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia than Costa Rica?
On average Saudi Arabia is about 19% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR57,408 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a CRC34,152,674 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Saudi Arabia: 37.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Saudi Arabia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
