Moving to Costa Rica from Ecuador
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Ecuador to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Ecuador to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 2.0 times more expensive than Ecuador overall. A $75,000 salary in Ecuador would need to be roughly CRC69,300,000 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle.
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 Ecuador to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CRC69,300,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 80.8% more
Housing
pay 2.3 times more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.3% 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?
How many people actually move from Ecuador to Costa Rica, based on official data.
Who's moving to Costa Rica?
Top countries of origin for Costa Rica's foreign-born residents.
- 350,854
- 28,214
- 25,530
- 16,682
- 15,209
- 13,711
- · · ·
-
19.1,526
Ecuador
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ecuador to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Ecuador 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
Ecuador 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 significantly better than Ecuador 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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Ecuador across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Ecuador leads in unemployment 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 performs significantly better than Ecuador across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (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 | Quito | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/49°F (22°/9°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 70°/49°F (21°/10°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Quito | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ecuador 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.
Ecuador passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Ecuador
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 Costa Rica than Ecuador?
No — Costa Rica is on average about 102% more expensive than Ecuador. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CRC17,325,000 in Costa Rica on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Costa Rica has 23.3 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 Costa Rica safe for expats?
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.7 in Ecuador.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Ecuador?
Ecuador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 23.1 in Ecuador. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ecuador: 77).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Ecuador?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 71°F in Quito. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Quito gets 43.2 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
Both Ecuador and Costa Rica share the same official language: Spanish.
