Moving to Costa Rica from Guatemala
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Guatemala to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 43.7% more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,138 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly CRC42,676,187 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Guatemala to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,138 → CRC42,676,187
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 67.8% more
Groceries
pay 12.4% more
Transportation
pay 2.1 times more
Housing
pay 11.9% more
Childcare
pay 93.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.9% 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 Guatemala 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
- · · ·
-
12.3,192
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Guatemala 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
Guatemala 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
Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.
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
Guatemala 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 Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Superintendence of the Tax Administration, 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 | Guatemala City | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala 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.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Guatemala
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 Guatemala?
No — Costa Rica is on average about 26% more expensive than Guatemala. 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 CRC10,669,047 in Costa Rica on a GTQ572,138 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Costa Rica has 21.3 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?
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala 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 12.8 in Guatemala. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
Both Guatemala and Costa Rica share the same official language: Spanish.
