Moving to Costa Rica from Iceland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iceland to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iceland to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 36.7% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly CRC16,955,209 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iceland to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → CRC16,955,209
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 49.1% less
Groceries
pay 26.6% less
Transportation
pay 34.8% less
Housing
pay 46.4% less
Childcare
pay 7.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.1% less
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 Iceland 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
- · · ·
-
134.1
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iceland to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
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
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Iceland performs better than Costa Rica 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax rate.
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
Iceland performs better than Costa Rica across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, 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 | Reykjavik | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Iceland
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 Iceland?
Yes — Costa Rica is on average about 50% cheaper than Iceland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CRC4,238,802 in Costa Rica on a ISK9,423,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Iceland performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
