Moving to Costa Rica from Samoa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Samoa to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Samoa to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Jose averages 77°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Samoa to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa 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 Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Samoa generally does better on environment, though Costa Rica leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Samoa 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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in poverty 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
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in literacy rate.
Data: Ministry of Revenue, Samoa, 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 | Apia | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Instituto Meteorológico NacionalVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.
Samoa passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on ArrivalData: 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?
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?
Samoa performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Samoa?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
