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 World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

KN
64.2
CR
17.8
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 World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KN
30.9
CR
26.9

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saint Kitts and Nevis leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

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 World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KN
46.7
CR
23.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

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, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KN
4.5%
CR
6.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KN
$25,223
CR
$19,970

Saint Kitts and Nevis performs better than Costa Rica across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

KN
72.3 yrs
CR
81.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KN
13.9
CR
9.1

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

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 23.3 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 17.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 64.2 in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

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

Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saint Kitts and Nevis leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 30.9 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 46,922 5,152,950
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