Moving to Syria from Costa Rica

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Costa Rica to Syria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Costa Rica to Syria, you would find that Syria is 62.6% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,000,000 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly SYP363,000,000 in Syria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Syria.

What does your salary buy?

CRC34,000,000 → SYP363,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Syria

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 48.8% less

Groceries

pay 62.2% less

Transportation

pay 44.2% less

Housing

pay 70.4% less

Childcare

pay 90.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 55.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CRC = 28.49 SYP (October 2026)

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 Syria compared to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CR
17.8
SY
2.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CR
15.5
SY
29.9

Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Syria leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CR
$1,928
SY
$122
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CR
26.9
SY
15.2

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CR
15.0
SY
83.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CR
1.6t
SY
1.3t

Costa Rica generally does better on environment, though Syria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CR
23.3
SY
6.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CR
5.9%
SY
124.4%

Costa Rica performs better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CR
6.8%
SY
13.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CR
$19,970
SY
$1,057

Costa Rica performs better than Syria across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CR
81.0 yrs
SY
72.6 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CR
9.1
SY
17.7

Costa Rica performs better than Syria across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), Ministry of Finance, Syria (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

San Jose Rain: 73.5 in/yr (1866 mm)
77° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Jose Damascus
Jan–Mar 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) 60°/35°F (15°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) 85°/51°F (29°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) 96°/60°F (35°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) 70°/40°F (21°/5°C)
View all months
Month San Jose Damascus
Jan 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C)
Feb 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C)
Mar 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C)
Apr 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C)
May 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C)
Jun 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C)
Jul 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C)
Aug 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C)
Sep 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C)
Nov 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C)
Dec 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional, Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Syria. To live, work, or study long-term in Syria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Syria's immigration authority.

Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Costa Rica passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.
Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter Costa Rica.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Syria than Costa Rica?

On average Syria is about 63% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Syria?

Budget about SYP90,750,000 for 3 months in Syria (based on a CRC34,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Syria?

Connectivity is usually fine (Syria: 6.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Syria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Syria safe for expats?

Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Syria leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Syria is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.8 in Costa Rica.

How is healthcare in Syria compared to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Syria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 15.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Syria, compared to 26.9 in Costa Rica. Syria scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).

What's the weather like in Syria compared to Costa Rica?

The average high temperature in Damascus is 78°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Damascus receives around 5.3 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.

What language do they speak in Syria?

The official language in Syria is Arabic. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

CR SY
Population 5,152,950 25,620,427
Currency Costa Rican Colón (CRC) Syrian Pound (SYP)
Languages Spanish Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +506 +963
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 —