Moving to Costa Rica from Ethiopia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ethiopia to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ethiopia to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Ethiopia to Costa Rica.
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
- · · ·
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130.1
Ethiopia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Ethiopia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Ethiopia 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
Ethiopia generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Ethiopia 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
Ethiopia 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 significantly better than Ethiopia across all family life metrics.
Data: Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, 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 | Addis Ababa | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Addis Ababa | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI),
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ethiopia 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.
Ethiopia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Ethiopia
Visa Online (e-Visa)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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Costa Rica: 21.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Costa Rica offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Costa Rica safe for expats?
Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Ethiopia?
Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Ethiopia?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.
