Moving to Costa Rica from Djibouti

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Djibouti to Costa Rica — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Djibouti to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 93°F in Djibouti, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Djibouti and Costa Rica stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DJ
23.3
CR
15.5

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Djibouti across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

DJ
$155
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DJ
2.0
CR
26.4

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Djibouti leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DJ
59.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DJ
0.8t
CR
1.6t

Djibouti generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DJ
1.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DJ
6.3%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Djibouti across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DJ
26.3%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DJ
$6,500
CR
$25,800

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Djibouti leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DJ
65.3 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DJ
46.9
CR
8.4

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Djibouti 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.

Djibouti Rain: 6.5 in/yr (164 mm)
93° / 79°F

Avg. annual high / low

San Jose Rain: 73.5 in/yr (1866 mm)
77° / 61°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Djibouti San Jose
Jan–Mar 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 96°/81°F (35°/27°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 104°/86°F (40°/30°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Djibouti San Jose
Jan 84°/71°F (28.7°/21.5°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.5°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.8°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 95°/81°F (34.9°/27.0°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 102°/85°F (39.0°/29.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 107°/88°F (41.7°/31.1°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 106°/87°F (41.2°/30.6°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 99°/84°F (37.2°/28.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.8°/23.1°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.6°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti (ANM) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie de Djibouti (ANM), Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Djibouti and Costa Rica. To live, work, or study long-term in Costa Rica, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Costa Rica's immigration authority.

Djibouti passport

Djibouti passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Required
Djibouti passport holders need a visa to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Djibouti

Visa on Arrival
Costa Rica passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Djibouti.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?

With 21.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Costa Rica can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Djibouti and Costa Rica.

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Djibouti across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Djibouti?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Djibouti leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 2.0 in Djibouti. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Djibouti: 44).

What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Djibouti?

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 93°F in Djibouti. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Djibouti gets 6.5 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Djibouti, the official languages are Arabic and French.

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At a Glance

DJ CR
Population 957,273 5,204,411
Currency Djiboutian Franc (DJF) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Arabic, French Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +253 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911