Moving to Costa Rica from Greenland

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greenland to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Greenland to Costa Rica, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
9 ↑ 12% vs 2015

people born in Greenland live in Costa Rica · UN DESA

Who's moving to Costa Rica?

Top countries of origin for Costa Rica's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GL
5.4
CR
17.4

Greenland performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GL
10.5t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Greenland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GL
31.7
CR
21.3
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

GL
69.5%
CR
83.0%

Greenland generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GL
9.1%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GL
$68,100
CR
$25,800

Greenland generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GL
74.0 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GL
8.8
CR
8.4

Greenland generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greenland 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.

Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Greenland

Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holders can enter Greenland without a 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?

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 Greenland and Costa Rica.

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Greenland performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.4 in Greenland.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Greenland, the official language is Greenlandic.

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At a Glance

GL CR
Population 57,792 5,204,411
Currency Danish Krone (DKK) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Greenlandic Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +299 +506
Time zones 4 1
Emergency number 911