Moving to Costa Rica from Oman

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Oman to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 63.7% more expensive than Oman overall. A OMR28,837 salary in Oman would need to be roughly CRC50,673,256 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 Muscat, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

OMR28,837 CRC50,673,256

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 74.2% more

Transportation

pay 58.2% more

Housing

pay 40.7% more

Childcare

pay 84.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 26.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 OMR = 1178.94 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 Oman to Costa Rica, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
3

people born in Oman 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 Oman to Costa Rica.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

OM
0.3
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

OM
11.0
CR
15.5

Oman performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

OM
$1,444
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

OM
20.6
CR
26.4

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

OM
104.0
CR
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

OM
18.7t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Oman 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

OM
10.9
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

OM
116.7%
CR
5.9%

Oman generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

OM
1.5%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

OM
$40,000
CR
$25,800

Oman 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

OM
76.9 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

OM
14.4
CR
8.4

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Oman across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Muscat Rain: 3.5 in/yr (90 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Muscat San Jose
Jan–Mar 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) 75°/60°F (24°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) 78°/62°F (26°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) 77°/62°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
View all months
Month Muscat San Jose
Jan 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C)
Feb 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C)
Mar 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C)
Apr 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C)
May 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C)
Jun 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C)
Jul 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C)
Sep 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C)
Oct 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C)
Nov 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C)
Dec 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C)

Data: Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority, Instituto Meteorológico Nacional Instituto Meteorológico Nacional

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman 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.

Oman passport

Oman passport holder visiting Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Oman

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Costa Rica passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Oman.

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 Oman?

No — Costa Rica is on average about 49% more expensive than Oman. 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 CRC12,668,314 in Costa Rica on a OMR28,837 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?

Oman performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Oman?

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Oman leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 20.6 in Oman. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).

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

The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Oman, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

OM CR
Population 3,764,348 5,204,411
Currency Omani Rial (OMR) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages Arabic Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +968 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 9999 911