Moving to Vanuatu from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Costa Rica to Vanuatu — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Vanuatu, and you’d need to navigate life in Bislama, English and French.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Costa Rica to Vanuatu.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs better than Vanuatu across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Vanuatu generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in gdp per capita.
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 performs better than Vanuatu across all family life metrics.
Data: 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 | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica and Vanuatu. To live, work, or study long-term in Vanuatu, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vanuatu's immigration authority.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Vanuatu
Visa Required
Vanuatu 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
Can I work remotely from Vanuatu?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Vanuatu has 1.1 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 Vanuatu safe for expats?
Vanuatu performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Vanuatu is 0.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Vanuatu compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Vanuatu, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Vanuatu scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Vanuatu compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Port Vila is 83°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Port Vila receives around 87.5 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Vanuatu?
The official languages in Vanuatu are Bislama, English and French. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
