Moving to Costa Rica from Puerto Rico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Puerto Rico to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Puerto Rico to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 11.3% cheaper than Puerto Rico overall. A $75,000 salary in Puerto Rico would need to be roughly CRC30,400,000 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CRC30,400,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.3% less
Groceries
pay 14.4% less
Transportation
pay 12.3% more
Housing
pay 31.6% less
Childcare
pay 14.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.8% 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 Puerto Rico 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
- · · ·
-
28.426
Puerto Rico
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Puerto Rico.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Puerto Rico performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Puerto Rico generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in water stress level.
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
Puerto Rico generally does better on employment & economy, though Costa Rica leads in top income tax 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
Puerto Rico generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), Puerto Rican Department of Treasury (2016), Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica (2016). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Puerto Rico 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Puerto Rico
Visa RequiredData: 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 Puerto Rico?
On average Costa Rica is about 11% less expensive than Puerto Rico, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC7,600,000 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a $75,000 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?
Puerto Rico performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Puerto Rico.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in adult obesity rate.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Puerto Rico, the official languages are English and Spanish.
