Americas · Spanish · updated 2026-10

Moving to Costa Rica: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,650 a month to live in San José, and a family of four about $3,650, including rent. Costa Rica usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 3 yrs, with citizenship after 7 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Digital nomad visa, the Rentista and the Pensionado.

Monthly budget

$1,650

Very low cost

Safety

Take care

Stability

Stable

Family

Good

Main city: San José
Language: Spanish
Permanent residence: 3 yrs
Citizenship: 7 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Digital nomad visa: Yes

What can your passport do in Costa Rica?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

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Cost of living in Costa Rica, per month in US$

One person

$1,650

Family of four

$3,650

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, San José centre

$700

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$1,300

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$1,494

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

Take care

Homicides per 100k

17.75

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

+1.22

Rule of law

+0.60

Control of corruption

+0.69

Government effectiveness

+0.41

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Stable overall (70/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Good

Child outcomes (HCI)

0.629

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

10.4

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

81 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$1,163

per person / year

Education spending

5.3%

of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Remote work

Digital nomad visa$3,000/month ($4,000 with family); foreign income untaxed. Up to 2 years, does not lead to PR.

Passive income

Rentista$2,500/month for 2 years, or $60,000 deposited in a local bank.

Passive income

PensionadoLifetime pension of $1,000/month.

Investment

Inversionista$150,000 in property or a business.

Who gets easier access to Costa Rica

Costa Rica is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Visiting: 95 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 103 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: 3 yrs
Citizenship: 7 yrs; 5 for Latin Americans and Spaniards
Dual citizenship: Allowed

Last checked 2026-10. Official source: www.migracion.go.cr

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Costa Rica?

About $1,650 a month for one person and $3,650 for a family of four in San José, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $700 a month and a 3-bedroom around $1,300. Prices are 63% of US levels. Costa Rica is the 36th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Costa Rica safe to live in?

Costa Rica scores 33/100 for safety (take care), ranking 68th of 76. The homicide rate is 17.75 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Costa Rica politically stable?

Costa Rica scores 70/100 for stability (stable), ranking 30th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Costa Rica good for families?

Costa Rica scores 51/100 for family-friendliness (good), ranking 53rd of 76. Life expectancy is 81 years and under-5 mortality is 10.4 per 1,000 births.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Costa Rica?

Usually 3 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Costa Rica?

Usually 7 yrs of residence. 5 for Latin Americans and Spaniards. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to Costa Rica without a job offer?

Yes. Digital nomad visa: $3,000/month ($4,000 with family); foreign income untaxed. Up to 2 years, does not lead to PR. Rentista: $2,500/month for 2 years, or $60,000 deposited in a local bank. Pensionado: Lifetime pension of $1,000/month.