Moving to Costa Rica: your relocation checklist
How to move to Costa Rica: the visa and residency routes, cost of living, banking, healthcare and taxes you'll deal with, organized by phase. Generate a free plan tailored to your passport, family, and budget below.
Moving from the United States? See the Costa Rica from the USA guide.
Budgeting the move? See the cost of living in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica at a glance
Live and regularly refreshed data, each fact with its source.
Climate · San José
Jan 20° · Jul 21°
Open-Meteo
Air quality · San José
AQI 21 · Good
WAQI
Messengers
No known issues
OONI, 6 months to July 2026
Foreign-born residents
12.2% of population
World Bank 2024
Population
5.2M
World Bank 2025
Population density
100 / km²
World Bank 2023
Unemployment
6.8%
World Bank 2025
Safety advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
U.S. State Dept
Currency
CRC
ISO 4217
Timezone
UTC-6
Open-Meteo
Territorial taxation
Foreign-source income untaxed
Costa Rica taxes only Costa Rican-source income; the digital nomad law also exempts nomad-visa holders' foreign income.
Verified June 2026 · Ministerio de Hacienda
The Costa Rica relocation checklist at a glance
1Before you go
- Confirm which visa or residency route fits your situation
- Gather and, where needed, apostille/translate key documents
- Sort out international health insurance for the gap period
- Budget the move and notify your bank of the relocation
2First week
- Register your address with the local authority
- Get a local SIM / mobile number
- Start the local bank account application
- Locate the nearest clinic and pharmacy
3First month
- Complete residency registration and get your ID number
- Enroll in the healthcare system or private insurance
- Set up utilities and a long-term rental contract
- Understand your tax residency obligations
4First 90 days
- Exchange or apply for a local driving license if required
- Build a local support network and language basics
- Review and optimize banking, taxes, and insurance
- Handle school enrollment or childcare if you have kids
This is a general outline. Your personalized plan above adapts every step to where you're moving from, your visa status, and your situation. Always verify official requirements: this is not legal or immigration advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to move to Costa Rica?
It depends on your passport and why you are moving: tourist entry rules are different from working, studying or joining family. Generate a free plan above and we check the visa route for your exact passport and situation, using a 238-country visa matrix.
Does Costa Rica have a special tax regime for newcomers?
Yes: Territorial taxation. Foreign-source income untaxed. Costa Rica taxes only Costa Rican-source income; the digital nomad law also exempts nomad-visa holders' foreign income. Status: active, verified June 2026 against Ministerio de Hacienda.
What is the weather like in Costa Rica?
In San José, average daily temperatures run about Jan 20° · Jul 21° (Open-Meteo historical data, 2025). Regional climates can differ a lot; a city-level plan uses data for your exact destination city.
Can I use WhatsApp and Telegram in Costa Rica?
Network measurements over the last six months show Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger working normally in Costa Rica (OONI, 5 January 2026 to 7 July 2026). This reflects measured reachability, not an official policy statement.
How high are taxes on salaries in Costa Rica?
The OECD tax wedge is about 28% (2025): that is the share of what a job costs an employer that goes to income tax and social contributions for a single average worker. It is not your personal income-tax rate, but it is the honest way to compare countries.
How current is this data?
Climate, inflation and life expectancy were refreshed 12 July 2026; prices, taxes and air quality 7 July 2026; messenger reachability 7 July 2026. Tax regimes are hand-verified against official government sources. Every fact on this page shows its source.