Moving to Costa Rica from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 87.7% more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,859,336 salary in Russia would need to be roughly CRC47,363,245 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Russia to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,859,336 → CRC47,363,245
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 92.5% more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 47.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 69.2% 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?
How many people actually move from Russia to Costa Rica, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
23.718
Russia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Russia performs better than Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia 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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Russia 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
Russia performs better than Costa Rica 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
Russia performs better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Russia generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in life expectancy.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, 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 | Moscow | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Russia?
No — Costa Rica is on average about 39% more expensive than Russia. 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 CRC11,840,811 in Costa Rica on a RUB5,859,336 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?
Russia performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Russia?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
