Moving to Costa Rica. How to immigrate to Costa Rica
THE BASICS
Things to know when moving to Costa Rica
San Jose
UTC-6
Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
5 million
Spanish
+506
911
On the right side
BEFORE MOVING
The cost of moving to Costa Rica. International removals to Costa Rica with Eurosender
With Eurosender, you can take advantage of affordable shipping services with lower than the average cost of moving to Costa Rica.
Visa regulations for Costa Rica
Citizens of many states worldwide can move to Costa Rica without a visa for up to 90 days. Afterwards, they might travel to neighbouring Nicaragua or Panama for a weekend and then come back to Costa Rica and stay there for another 3 months. There are no specific restrictions or limitations related to the number of entrances per year. Here are the most common permits requested by expats when moving to Costa Rica.
- Residence permit for rentiers. Those people who are willing to live in Costa Rica without work permit need to prove that they have at least €60,000 per person or family for the period of 2 years.
- Residence permit for retirees. Those who are going to immigrate to Costa Rica as pensioners are called pensionados. They must have an income from a pension or deposit account of at least €600 US per month for a period of five years.
- Residence permit for students, volunteers, and researchers. If you are moving to Costa Rica as a student, you need to provide a certificate of enrolment to a university or course in the country.
- Residence permit for investors. Those who want to buy a dwelling which costs at least €200,000 or invest even more in the country’s economy are automatically granted a temporary residence permit.
Send my documents express
Property information. Rentals in Costa Rica
Many foreigners want to obtain a residence permit by purchasing real estate property in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, others prefer to rent an apartment in San Jose, Puerto Limon, Alajuela, Heredia, or another major city.
The most expensive dwellings are in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. You can rent a small apartment for about €500 per month in the suburbs of the city or a spacious 1-bedroom apartment for about €1200 in the San Jose city centre. If you are moving to Costa Rica with family, you can rent a fancy house for €500 per month somewhere inland.
Get a quote for relocating to Costa Rica with Eurosender
LIVING IN COSTA RICA
The cost of living in Costa Rica
There is a myth that the cost of living in Costa Rica is low. The cost of living might differ depending on the city and region across the country. However, expats will feel comfortable when their monthly budget is around €1500 per person or €2500 per family. Generally, the average expenses of expats living in Costa Rica are the following: utilities per month – €80, Internet – €70, a meal of the day – €7.
Do you need to send documents urgently to Costa Rica to help secure a place to stay before moving?
Eurosender offers fast envelope delivery with our Express delivery service.
The job market in Costa Rica
Given that many local people get a decent education in Costa Rica, there is high competition in the job market. Costa Rican law states that a foreigner can only be hired for a certain position if there are no nationals available or there was no local with the required level of qualification.
Nevertheless, expats are moving to Costa Rica from the USA, Canada, and Europe as highly trained professionals in the sphere of IT and engineering. Those who prefer relocating to Costa Rica as English teachers or seasonal workers in the tourism industry are also welcome.
School and education in Costa Rica
Primary and secondary education in Costa Rica is free. Even the children of illegal immigrants have the right to attend local schools. The major expenses that need to be covered include only a school uniform, textbooks, and other school supplies. There are many international and bilingual schools for expats living in Costa Rica with children.
Age: 3-6
Compulsory: No
Age: 6-12
Compulsory: Yes
Age: 13-17
Compulsory: Yes
Healthcare in Costa Rica
The results of many international surveys and investigations show that the Costa Rican healthcare system is one of the best in Central America and Latin America. There are two main sectors in the healthcare system of Costa Rica: government-sponsored and private ones. The state-owned network of hospitals and clinics throughout Costa Rica is called the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (or simply Caja) that is available to locals and expats moving to Costa Rica.
Tourists and residents usually prefer private healthcare services in Costa Rica due to the range of benefits it provides. Compared to public healthcare institutions, private ones usually employ English-speaking professionals who were trained in the US, Canada, and Europe. The cost of medical services in private clinics is much lower than in the US, for instance, but highly trained physicians guarantee the best experience for patients.
Driving in Costa Rica. Should I get a driving licence for Costa Rica?
Expats who immigrate to Costa Rica for a long term prefer renting a car or buying one. As a foreigner, you are allowed to drive in Costa Rica for up to 90 days, so long as you have a valid driver’s licence from your home country. After that, you will need to get a Costa Rican driver’s licence.
Consider that the road infrastructure is far beyond the ideal state in Costa Rica. Even in major cities like San Jose or Alajuela, you will find many dirt roads instead of the paved ones. Moreover, most of the roads across the country are deteriorated and full of potholes, so you need to be extra careful while driving in Costa Rica.
Send urgent documents
What else to know about living in Costa Rica as a foreigner
Immigrants moving to Costa Rica allocate the following aspects of living there:
- The country’s political and economic situation is stable, so many expats are immigrating to Costa Rica from the USA, Canada, France, and other developed countries.
- The crime rates in Costa Rica are very low compared to other countries in Latin and Central America which means a lot to expats moving to Costa Rica with their families.
- The government of Costa Rica makes everything possible to create workplaces for local people. Those who want to immigrate to Costa Rica for employment reasons will have to prove that they have exclusive skills.
Relocate to Costa Rica with Eurosender
MOVING DESTINATIONS
The most popular destinations from where people immigrate to Costa Rica
Moving to Costa Rica from the United Kingdom
Are you tired of overcrowded London or industrial Liverpool? If so, consider moving to Costa Rica from the United Kingdom in case you are a qualified specialist, a pensioner, or a rentier. Eurosender will make your move overseas fast and simple because we collaborate with logistics partners operating globally. Enjoy the stress-free shipping services when immigrating to Costa Rica.
Moving to Costa Rica from Canada
Are you a highly qualified professional or a retiree who is moving to Costa Rica from Canada? If yes, then you need to take care of your relocation in advance. Instead of taking your multiple suitcases and bulky items with you, choose International removals services to Costa Rica with Eurosender. We offer reliable door-to-door services, so moving house to Costa Rica or shipping lots of personal belongings abroad would be a piece of cake.
Moving to Costa Rica from Australia
If you want to immigrate to another country but have not decided where to, then consider moving to Costa Rica from Australia. Don’t worry about taking lots of stuff with you because international removals to Costa Rica powered by Eurosender will take care of that. Just wait for a courier to pick up all your packages and get ready for relocation to Costa Rica. Furthermore, you will get the cheapest way to move furniture to Costa Rica.