Moving to Taiwan from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Taiwan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 31.8% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,000,000 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly NT$1,660,000 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 59.2% less
Groceries
pay 3.6% less
Transportation
pay 22.7% less
Housing
pay 44.1% less
Childcare
pay 2.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Taiwan?
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,000,000 → NT$1,660,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Taiwan compared to Costa Rica.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Taiwan performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Taiwan 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Taiwan performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all family life metrics.
Sources: The World Factbook (2012–2022), World Bank (2024–2025), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Costa Rica to Taiwan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Taiwan. To live, work, or study long-term in Taiwan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Taiwan's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Required
Taiwan 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 Taiwan than Costa Rica?
On average Taiwan is about 32% less expensive than Costa Rica, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
Budget about NT$415,000 for 3 months in Taiwan (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 Taiwan?
From major Taiwan cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Costa Rica and Taiwan are what actually decide it long-term.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
