Moving to Costa Rica from San Marino
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from San Marino to Costa Rica — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from San Marino to Costa Rica, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How San Marino and Costa Rica stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
San Marino 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
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though San Marino leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
San Marino generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
San Marino 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
San Marino generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between San Marino 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.
San Marino passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting San Marino
Visa FreeData: 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 San Marino and Costa Rica.
Is Costa Rica safe for expats?
San Marino performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.0 in San Marino.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to San Marino?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though San Marino leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 60.2 in San Marino. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (San Marino: 77).
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In San Marino, the official language is Italian.
