Moving to Costa Rica from Honduras

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Honduras to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Honduras to Costa Rica.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Honduras to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
4,708 ↑ 20% vs 2015

people born in Honduras 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Honduras to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

HN
35.1
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HN
18.5
CR
15.5

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Honduras across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

HN
$554
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

HN
4.9
CR
26.4

Honduras generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

HN
49.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HN
1.1t
CR
1.6t

Honduras generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HN
4.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HN
4.6%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Honduras leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

HN
6.1%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

HN
$6,500
CR
$25,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

HN
75.2 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HN
15.1
CR
8.4

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Honduras across all family life metrics.

Data: Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tegucigalpa Rain: 34.3 in/yr (872 mm)
82° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tegucigalpa San Jose
Jan–Mar 81°/59°F (28°/15°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/64°F (30°/18°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Tegucigalpa San Jose
Jan 78°/58°F (25.7°/14.3°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 81°/58°F (27.4°/14.5°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 85°/60°F (29.5°/15.5°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.1°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 86°/65°F (30.2°/18.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.6°/18.2°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 82°/64°F (27.8°/18.0°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 83°/64°F (28.5°/18.0°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 83°/64°F (28.5°/17.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 81°/64°F (27.3°/17.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.3°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 78°/59°F (25.4°/15.0°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Honduras 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.

Honduras passport

Honduras passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Honduras

Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holders need a visa to enter Honduras.

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?

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?

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Honduras across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 35.1 in Honduras.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Honduras?

Honduras 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 4.9 in Honduras. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Honduras: 64).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 82°F in Tegucigalpa. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Tegucigalpa gets 34.3 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

Both Honduras and Costa Rica share the same official language: Spanish.

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At a Glance

HN CR
Population 9,459,440 5,204,411
Currency Honduran Lempira (HNL) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +504 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911