Moving to Costa Rica from Ukraine
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ukraine to Costa Rica? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ukraine to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 2.5 times more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,340,036 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly CRC59,437,036 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 56°F in Kiev, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ukraine and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
UAH3,340,036 → CRC59,437,036
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 2.6 times more
Transportation
pay 2.6 times more
Housing
pay 3.7 times more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Ukraine 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
- · · ·
-
37.186
Ukraine
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Ukraine.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ukraine 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
Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in health coverage index.
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 Ukraine 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
share of households with internet
Ukraine generally does better on infrastructure, though Costa Rica leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Ukraine 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
Ukraine generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine, 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 | Kiev | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kiev | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ukraine 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.
Ukraine passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Ukraine?
On average Costa Rica is around 74% pricier than Ukraine, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC14,859,259 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a UAH3,340,036 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Ukraine performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Ukraine?
Ukraine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in health coverage index. There are 26.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Costa Rica, compared to 29.9 in Ukraine. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Ukraine?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.
