Moving to Turkey from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Turkey — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 38.4% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC34,000,000 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly TRY2,260,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ankara averages 64°F vs 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Costa Rica to Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
CRC34,000,000 → TRY2,260,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 36.9% less
Groceries
pay 60.2% less
Transportation
pay 9.5% less
Housing
pay 42.4% less
Childcare
pay 9.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.6% 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?
How many people actually move from Costa Rica to Turkey, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Turkey.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Turkey 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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica 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 Turkey 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
Turkey 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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in poverty 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Turkey. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkey, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkey's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey 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 Turkey than Costa Rica?
Yes — Turkey is on average about 38% cheaper than Costa Rica. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly TRY565,000 in Turkey on a CRC34,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Turkey has 23.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Turkey performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.8 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Costa Rica?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 26.9 in Costa Rica. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
