Moving to United States from Costa Rica
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Costa Rica to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Costa Rica to United States, you would find that United States is 55.6% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly $105,921 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Costa Rica to United States.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → $105,921
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 42.7% more
Groceries
pay 29.4% more
Transportation
pay 4.0% less
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.6% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Costa Rica to United States, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Costa Rica to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
67.96,903
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
How Costa Rica and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States 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 generally does better on environment, though United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 United States than Costa Rica?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 41% higher than Costa Rica on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CRC33,997,640 comparable salary, that's around $26,480 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Costa Rica and United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
United States performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
