Moving to Costa Rica from Uruguay
What to Expect
Considering a move from Uruguay to Costa Rica? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Uruguay to Costa Rica, you would find that Costa Rica is 3.2% cheaper than Uruguay overall. A UYU3,011,305 salary in Uruguay would need to be roughly CRC32,433,324 in Costa Rica to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Uruguay and Costa Rica.
What does your salary buy?
UYU3,011,305 → CRC32,433,324
To maintain the same standard of living in Costa Rica
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.4% less
Groceries
pay 17.7% more
Transportation
pay 10.4% less
Housing
pay 4.5% more
Childcare
pay 10.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.9% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Costa Rica
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Uruguay 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
- · · ·
-
29.374
Uruguay
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Costa Rica compared to Uruguay.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Uruguay 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Uruguay 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 Uruguay 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
Uruguay 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
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Uruguay leads in gdp per capita.
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
Uruguay generally does better on family life, though Costa Rica leads in life expectancy.
Data: Dirección General Impositiva, 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 | Montevideo | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Montevideo | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) |
| Feb | 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) |
| Apr | 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) |
| May | 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) |
| Jun | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) |
| Jul | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) |
| Sep | 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) |
| Oct | 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) |
| Nov | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) |
| Dec | 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia,
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.
Uruguay passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa Free
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Uruguay
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 Uruguay?
On average Costa Rica is about 4% less expensive than Uruguay, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Costa Rica?
Budget about CRC8,108,331 for 3 months in Costa Rica (based on a UYU3,011,305 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?
Uruguay performs better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Costa Rica is 17.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.2 in Uruguay.
How is healthcare in Costa Rica compared to Uruguay?
Uruguay 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 46.3 in Uruguay. Costa Rica scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uruguay: 82).
What's the weather like in Costa Rica compared to Uruguay?
The average high temperature in San Jose is 77°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. San Jose receives around 73.5 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Costa Rica?
Both Uruguay and Costa Rica share the same official language: Spanish.
