Moving to Costa Rica from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Costa Rica? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 50.5% more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR282,923 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly CRC41,616,549 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 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
SAR282,923 → CRC41,616,549
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 58.3% more
Transportation
pay 55.2% more
Housing
pay 17.8% more
Childcare
pay 47.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.4% less
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?
What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to Costa Rica.
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
- · · ·
-
71.16
Saudi Arabia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia 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
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Required
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa RequiredData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
On average Costa Rica is around 23% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC10,404,137 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a SAR282,923 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Costa Rica?
Connectivity is usually fine (Costa Rica: 21.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Costa Rica offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Costa Rica safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Costa Rica leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia 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 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
