Moving to Costa Rica from Nigeria
What to Expect
Considering a move from Nigeria to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Nigeria to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 2.8 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN103,376,008 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly CRC53,175,482 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 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nigeria and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
NGN103,376,008 → CRC53,175,482
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 47.8% more
Transportation
pay 68.8% more
Housing
pay 57.8% more
Childcare
pay 6.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 times 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 Nigeria 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
- · · ·
-
125.3
Nigeria
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Nigeria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Nigeria 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
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than Nigeria across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Nigeria 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 Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria, 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 | Abuja | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-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 Nigeria?
On average Costa Rica is around 56% pricier than Nigeria, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC13,293,870 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a NGN103,376,008 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?
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 21.7 in Nigeria.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 3.9 in Nigeria. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Nigeria, the official language is English.
