Moving from United States to Costa Rica
Moving from United States to Costa Rica: United States passport holders get visa-free (180 days) for short stays and need a residence permit to settle. Costa Rica is about 60% cheaper than United States, around $1,200/month for one person. Citizenship takes about 7 years of residence.
Last updated August 2026 · How we calculate this
Visa & entry
Visa-free (180 days) for short visits. To settle you'll need a residence route:
- Pensionado / Rentista — Show a lifetime pension (~$1,000/mo) or a stable rentista income.
- Inversionista — Invest a set amount (around $150k) in property or a registered business.
Digital-nomad visa: available, from $3,000/mo income. The Estancia/Rentista digital-nomad visa needs ~$3,000/month proven income ($4,000 with dependents) for a one-year stay, renewable once.
See all visa routes →Documents & apostille
Single apostille each end. Both countries are in the Hague Apostille Convention — one apostille from United States makes your documents valid in Costa Rica.
Where in United States: Secretary of State of the issuing state (state-level documents) plus the US Department of State, Office of Authentications, for federal documents — official source
↳ Costa Rica: Apostille handled by the MFA's Autenticaciones office; online appointment/electronic verification available
Check each document →Cost, tax & salary
Costa Rica is 60% cheaper than United States — around $1,200/mo vs $3,000/mo for one person.
Citizenship & residency
PR after 3yr temp residence; 5yr for Central Americans, Ibero-Americans, Spaniards; Spanish + basic civics exam.
Your path to a passport →Arrival checklist
- Get a tax number: NITE (foreigner tax ID at Hacienda); working residents transact under their DIMEX number
- Residence permit: DIMEX (Documento de Identidad Migratorio para Extranjeros)
- Healthcare: CCSS ("la Caja") — mandatory affiliation, monthly contributions
Residency approval (DGME) requires proof of CCSS affiliation; you must enroll in the Caja before the DIMEX card is issued/renewed — CCSS and DIMEX gate each other.
Your move, step by step →Driving
No country list needed — any valid foreign licence homologates directly (no reciprocity requirement); non-Spanish licences need official translation
Homologación waives driving/theory exams for any valid foreign licence, but the foreign licence must still be valid at the COSEVI appointment; a medical exam (dictamen médico) is mandatory. 2025 change dropped the old 91-day continuous-stay rule — can start with filed residency expediente, no physical DIMEX needed. Verify official page/appointment portal as procedures change.
Exchange your licence →Pets
- Microchip: Required; ISO 11784/11785 recommended, number on all docs
- Rabies: Required for pets over 3 months; give 21+ days before entry (3-yr vaccines accepted)
- Quarantine: None if compliant
Costa Rica — quick facts
Start your move from United States to Costa Rica
Save this corridor as your plan — tasks, documents and deadlines, on every device.
Full country guide →