Moving to Costa Rica from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Costa Rica — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 67.9% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly CRC54,561,399 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → CRC54,561,399
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 70.2% more
Groceries
pay 81.6% more
Transportation
pay 36.6% more
Housing
pay 37.5% more
Childcare
pay 2.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.3% more
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?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Costa Rica, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
53.67
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica performs significantly better than South Africa 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa 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 South Africa 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
Costa Rica generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Costa Rica performs significantly better than South Africa 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 performs significantly better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: 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 South Africa?
No — Costa Rica is on average about 61% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CRC13,640,350 in Costa Rica on a ZAR1,218,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
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?
Costa Rica performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to South Africa?
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Costa Rica
At a Glance
ZA
|
CR
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 5,204,411 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Costa Rican Colón (CRC) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +506 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |