Moving to Costa Rica from Saint Kitts and Nevis

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Saint Kitts and Nevis to Costa Rica — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Saint Kitts and Nevis to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Saint Kitts and Nevis to Costa Rica, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1

people born in Saint Kitts and Nevis 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

How Saint Kitts and Nevis and Costa Rica stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

KN
23.1
CR
17.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KN
23.1
CR
15.5

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Saint Kitts and Nevis across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KN
$1,936
CR
$1,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KN
30.3
CR
26.4

Saint Kitts and Nevis generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KN
2.9t
CR
1.6t

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Saint Kitts and Nevis 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

KN
47.4
CR
21.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KN
50.8%
CR
5.9%

Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though Saint Kitts and Nevis leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KN
4.5%
CR
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KN
$30,100
CR
$25,800

Saint Kitts and Nevis 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

KN
77.1 yrs
CR
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KN
8.3
CR
8.4

Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Saint Kitts and Nevis leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saint Kitts and Nevis 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.

Saint Kitts and Nevis passport

Saint Kitts and Nevis passport holder visiting Costa Rica

Visa Free
Saint Kitts and Nevis passport holders can enter Costa Rica without a visa.
Costa Rica passport

Costa Rica passport holder visiting Saint Kitts and Nevis

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Costa Rica passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?

With 21.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Costa Rica can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Saint Kitts and Nevis and Costa Rica.

Is Costa Rica safe for expats?

Costa Rica performs significantly better than Saint Kitts and Nevis across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 23.1 in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Saint Kitts and Nevis?

Saint Kitts and Nevis generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 30.3 in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saint Kitts and Nevis: 79).

What language do they speak in Costa Rica?

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Saint Kitts and Nevis, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

KN CR
Population 54,488 5,204,411
Currency East Caribbean Dollar (EC$) Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1869 +506
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911