Moving to Costa Rica from Lithuania

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Lithuania to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 17.9% more expensive than Lithuania overall. A €65,700 salary in Lithuania would need to be roughly CRC36,806,109 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 51°F in Vilnius, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Lithuania to Costa Rica.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 CRC36,806,109

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 5.9% less

Groceries

pay 67.3% more

Transportation

pay 19.9% more

Housing

pay 61.0% more

Childcare

pay 1.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 519.83 CRC (July 2026)

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 Lithuania to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
11 ↑ 22% vs 2015

people born in Lithuania 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 Lithuania to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

LT
2.4
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LT
6.3
CR
15.5

Lithuania performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

LT
$4,127
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LT
51.3
CR
26.4

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

LT
39.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LT
4.5t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Lithuania 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

LT
29.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LT
1.8%
CR
5.9%

Lithuania performs better than Costa Rica across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LT
7.0%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LT
$46,200
CR
$25,800

Lithuania performs better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LT
75.8 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LT
3.6
CR
8.4

Lithuania generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in life expectancy.

Data: State Tax Inspectorate, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vilnius Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
51° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vilnius San Jose
Jan–Mar 33°/22°F (0°/-5°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/52°F (21°/11°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Vilnius San Jose
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.6°/-6.4°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.5°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.1°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 54°/36°F (12.2°/2.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 70°/51°F (21.0°/10.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.1°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.3°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 62°/47°F (16.8°/8.1°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 51°/39°F (10.4°/3.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 38°/31°F (3.5°/-0.8°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 31°/23°F (-0.6°/-5.0°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lithuania 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.

Lithuania passport

Lithuania passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Lithuania

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

Data: 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 Lithuania?

No — Costa Rica is on average about 8% more expensive than Lithuania. 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 CRC9,201,527 in Costa Rica on a €65,700 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?

Lithuania performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.4 in Lithuania.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Lithuania?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lithuania leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 51.3 in Lithuania. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lithuania: 75).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 51°F in Vilnius. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Vilnius gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Lithuania, the official language is Lithuanian.

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At a Glance

LT CR
Population 2,683,546 5,204,411
Currency Euro (€) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Lithuanian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +370 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911