Moving to Costa Rica from Luxembourg

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Luxembourg to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 33.3% cheaper than Luxembourg overall. A €64,304 salary in Luxembourg would need to be roughly CRC19,511,981 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 56°F in Luxembourg, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 CRC19,511,981

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 45.3% less

Groceries

pay 20.4% less

Transportation

pay 25.5% less

Housing

pay 55.1% less

Childcare

pay 50.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 18.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 527.26 CRC (June 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 Luxembourg to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
18 ↑ 20% vs 2015

people born in Luxembourg 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 Luxembourg to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

LU
1.5
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LU
3.9
CR
15.5

Luxembourg 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

LU
$8,808
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LU
29.9
CR
26.4

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

LU
13.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LU
10.6t
CR
1.6t

Luxembourg generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LU
38.7
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LU
4.0%
CR
5.9%

Luxembourg 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

LU
5.2%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LU
$132,400
CR
$25,800

Luxembourg generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LU
83.0 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LU
3.2
CR
8.4

Luxembourg generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in education spending.

Data: Administration des Contributions Directes, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Luxembourg Rain: 35.3 in/yr (897 mm)
56° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Luxembourg San Jose
Jan–Mar 42°/31°F (6°/0°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/46°F (17°/8°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Luxembourg San Jose
Jan 38°/29°F (3.1°/-1.6°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.3°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 48°/35°F (9.1°/1.6°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.3°/4.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 64°/47°F (17.8°/8.4°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 69°/52°F (20.7°/11.1°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.2°/13.3°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 73°/55°F (22.8°/13.0°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.0°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.1°/6.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.3°/2.2°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Air Navigation Administration (ANA), Meteolux Air Navigation Administration (ANA), Meteolux, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Luxembourg 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.

Luxembourg passport

Luxembourg passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Luxembourg

Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holders can enter Luxembourg 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 Luxembourg?

Yes — Costa Rica is on average about 42% cheaper than Luxembourg. 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 CRC4,877,995 in Costa Rica on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?

Luxembourg performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Luxembourg.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Luxembourg?

Luxembourg 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 29.9 in Luxembourg. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Luxembourg: 83).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 56°F in Luxembourg. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Luxembourg gets 35.3 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Luxembourg, the official languages are French, German and Luxembourgish.

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At a Glance

LU CR
Population 650,364 5,204,411
Currency Euro (€) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages French, German, Luxembourgish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +352 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911