Moving to Costa Rica from Mexico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Mexico to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Mexico to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 36.0% more expensive than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly CRC47,200,000 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Mexico and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,400,000 → CRC47,200,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 22.1% more
Groceries
pay 37.4% more
Transportation
pay 22.6% more
Housing
pay 36.0% more
Childcare
pay 2.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.7% 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 Mexico 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
- · · ·
-
11.3,720
Mexico
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Mexico.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Mexico generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in homicide rate.
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 Mexico 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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Mexico across all environment metrics.
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
Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Mexico leads in electricity per capita.
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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico leads in unemployment 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Mexico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Mexico City | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Mexico
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 Mexico?
On average Costa Rica is around 36% pricier than Mexico, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC11,800,000 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a MX$1,400,000 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: 23.3 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?
Mexico generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Mexico.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Mexico?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 25.9 in Mexico. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
Both Mexico and Costa Rica share the same official language: Spanish.
