Moving to Switzerland from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 2.5 times more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly CHF121,819 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°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 Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → CHF121,819
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.7 times more
Groceries
pay 90.8% more
Transportation
pay 92.8% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 4.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 times 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Switzerland.
people moved from Costa Rica to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica 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 Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Switzerland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax 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
Switzerland generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica 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 | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland 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 Switzerland than Costa Rica?
On average Switzerland is around 101% pricier than Costa Rica, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF30,455 for 3 months in Switzerland (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 Switzerland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Switzerland: 47.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Switzerland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Costa Rica?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
