Moving to Costa Rica from Guyana

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Guyana to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Guyana to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 87°F in Georgetown, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Guyana to Costa Rica.

Living there in 2020
33 ↑ 18% vs 2015

people born in Guyana 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

The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Guyana.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GY
16.3
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GY
15.2
CR
15.5

Guyana performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GY
$1,331
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GY
14.0
CR
26.4

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guyana 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

GY
52.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GY
4.6t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Guyana 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

GY
13.1
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GY
3.3%
CR
5.9%

Guyana generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GY
12.4%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GY
$49,800
CR
$25,800

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Guyana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GY
71.9 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GY
22.1
CR
8.4

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Guyana 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.

Georgetown Rain: 89.1 in/yr (2263 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Georgetown San Jose
Jan–Mar 84°/75°F (29°/24°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/76°F (30°/24°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Georgetown San Jose
Jan 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.2°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 84°/75°F (28.9°/24.1°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 85°/76°F (29.6°/24.2°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 85°/76°F (29.5°/24.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 103°/76°F (39.4°/24.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 85°/75°F (29.2°/23.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 85°/74°F (29.6°/23.5°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.8°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.2°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.2°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.4°/23.7°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Hydrometeorological Service Hydrometeorological Service, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guyana 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.

Guyana passport

Guyana passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Free
Guyana passport holders can enter Costa Rica without a visa.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Guyana

Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holders can enter Guyana 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?

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?

Guyana performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 16.3 in Guyana.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Guyana?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guyana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 14.0 in Guyana. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guyana: 76).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 87°F in Georgetown. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Georgetown gets 89.1 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Guyana, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GY CR
Population 789,683 5,204,411
Currency Guyanaese Dollar (GYD) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +592 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911