Moving to Washington from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Washington, you would find that Washington is 65.7% more expensive than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly $94,408 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°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?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Costa Rica and Washington.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → $94,408
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 48.6% more
Groceries
pay 31.9% more
Transportation
pay 2.1% more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 2.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 76.2% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Costa Rica to Washington.
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
The numbers behind daily life in Washington compared to Costa Rica.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Costa Rica performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Washington performs significantly better than Costa Rica 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
Washington performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Costa Rica performs better than Washington across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington than Costa Rica?
On average Washington is around 26% pricier than Costa Rica, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $23,602 for 3 months in Washington (based on a CRC33,997,640 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Washington?
From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Costa Rica and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Washington?
The official language in Washington is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
