Moving to Costa Rica from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 27.6% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly CRC43,040,110 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → CRC43,040,110
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 82.4% more
Groceries
pay 4.6% more
Transportation
pay 10.0% more
Housing
pay 26.0% more
Childcare
pay 23.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.8% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Costa Rica.
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
- · · ·
-
33.338
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica 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
share of people below the poverty line
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average Costa Rica is around 26% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC10,760,028 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a ¥12,124,875 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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?
Japan performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Japan?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
