Moving to Costa Rica from Morocco

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Morocco to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 2.3 times more expensive than Morocco overall. A MAD701,579 salary in Morocco would need to be roughly CRC54,719,802 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

MAD701,579 CRC54,719,802

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 2.8 times more

Groceries

pay 2.7 times more

Transportation

pay 82.8% more

Housing

pay 2.3 times more

Childcare

pay 3.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 54.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MAD = 48.72 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 Morocco to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
4

people born in Morocco 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 Morocco to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MA
1.7
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MA
18.6
CR
15.5

Morocco generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MA
$606
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MA
7.3
CR
26.4

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

MA
59.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MA
1.8t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Morocco 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

MA
6.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MA
50.8%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Morocco leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
9.1%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$8,800
CR
$25,800

Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Morocco leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
73.7 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MA
19.2
CR
8.4

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

Data: Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rabat Rain: 20.6 in/yr (522 mm)
73° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rabat San Jose
Jan–Mar 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Rabat San Jose
Jan 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Morocco 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.

Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Required
Morocco passport holders need a visa to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Morocco

Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holders need a visa to enter Morocco.

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 Morocco?

No — Costa Rica is on average about 60% more expensive than Morocco. 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 CRC13,679,950 in Costa Rica on a MAD701,579 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?

Morocco generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.7 in Morocco.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Morocco?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 7.3 in Morocco. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Morocco: 69).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 73°F in Rabat. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Rabat gets 20.6 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Morocco, the official languages are Arabic and Berber.

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At a Glance

MA CR
Population 36,738,229 5,204,411
Currency Moroccan Dirham (MAD) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Arabic, Berber Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +212 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 911