Costa Rica
Americas
Key facts
- Capital
- San José
- Population
- 5,152,950
- 2025
- Area
- 51,100 km²
- Official language
- Spanish
- Currency
- Costa Rican Colón
- CRC
- GDP per capita
- US$19,970
- 2025
- Dual citizenship
- Allowed
- Costa Rica allows dual citizenship: Costa Rican nationality cannot be lost or renounced, and naturalisation carries no renunciation requirement.
Costa Rica (Americas) has data on 12/14 Prosperous Intelligence indices. Strongest relative position: Wealth Protection Index — #33/205 (78.0/100). Lowest relative position: Investment Migration ROI — #29/50 (54.0/100). The passport ranks #32/198 and reaches 158 destinations without a consular visa in advance. Global Citizenship Score 68.9/100 (#61/199). On the entry side, 95/197 passports can enter Costa Rica without a consular visa in advance. The dataset records 3 active citizenship and residence programmes in Costa Rica.
Scores on 12 indices
- Health & Longevity65.3
- Safety & Stability75.7
- Economy & Income78.5
- Education67.2
- Environment & Clean Water84.1
- Infrastructure86.5
- Digital Connectivity66.7
- Equality32.1
- Learning Quality52.1
- Educational Attainment70.8
- Expected Years of Schooling69.7
- Education Spending75.5
- Basic Access77.6
- Violent Crime61.5
- Stability & Absence of Terrorism94.9
- Law Enforcement & Order68.6
- Road Safety63.4
- Absence of Armed Conflict100.0
- Health Outcomes90.5
- Coverage & Access95.5
- Health Workforce & Facilities25.9
- Spending & Investment28.0
- Financial Protection69.2
- Personal Income Tax82.0
- Capital Gains & Dividends62.5
- System & Incentives90.0
- Net Wealth Tax100.0
- Inheritance & Gift Tax100.0
- Corporate & Social Security32.6
- Rule of Law & Property Rights66.3
- Political Stability94.9
- Institutions & Regulation61.7
- Financial Soundness75.5
- Monetary Stability99.9
- Freedom of Capital Movement80.0
- Education67.2
- Healthcare65.3
- Safety75.7
- Quality of Life69.3
- Cost of living69.8
- Passport72.9
- Passport72.9
- Quality of Life69.3
- Safety75.7
- Healthcare65.3
- Purchasing power & price stability45.1
- Education67.2
- Wealth Protection78.0
- Tax78.5
- Cost of living69.8
- Healthcare65.3
- Safety75.7
- Quality of Life69.3
- Tax78.5
- Wealth Protection78.0
- Affordable Prices56.9
- Price Stability99.9
- Purchasing power31.4
Monthly living costs
- Total incl. rentUS$1,231Rank 7 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$453Rank 10 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$826Rank 6 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$127Rank 20 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$167Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$51Rank 12 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$60Rank 13 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 2 adults, 2 primary-school children
- Total incl. rentUS$2,357Rank 7 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Total excl. rentUS$1,169Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Housing & utilitiesUS$1,334Rank 5 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Core food basketUS$406Rank 20 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- A fixed basket of 15 everyday items at online retail prices; not a household’s full food spending.
- Eating outUS$334Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- TransportUS$204Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- Internet & mobileUS$79Rank 14 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- International school (reference)US$1,387Rank 9 of 24 countries researched; #1 is the cheapest
- 3 schools, US$1,138–US$1,696 a month; not included in the totals
At a glance
Entering Costa Rica
- Visa-free: 95 passports
- Visa on arrival: 0 passports
- eTA: 0 passports
- e-Visa: 0 passports
- Consular visa required: 102 passports
Regional position and data sources
- First in Americas on 0/12 indices
- Above the regional median on 10/12 indices
- Each index lists its source and data date on the Data sources page
Citizenship and residence programmes in the dataset
- Nómadas Digitales (Ley 10008)
- Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996)
- Residencia Temporal — Pensionado
Frequently asked questions about Costa Rica
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
The capital of Costa Rica is San José.
What is the population of Costa Rica?
According to the World Bank, Costa Rica had a population of 5,152,950 in 2025.
What is the official language of Costa Rica?
The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish.
What currency does Costa Rica use?
Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican Colón (CRC).
Does Costa Rica allow dual citizenship?
Costa Rica allows dual citizenship: Costa Rican nationality cannot be lost or renounced, and naturalisation carries no renunciation requirement.
How strong is the Costa Rica passport?
The Costa Rica passport ranks #32 of 198 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Passport Index and reaches 158 destinations without applying for a consular visa in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA).
How many destinations require a visa for Costa Rica passport holders?
Holders of the Costa Rica passport must apply for a consular visa before travelling to 35 destinations and need an e-Visa for 54. Full list: Costa Rica passport page.
How many passports can enter Costa Rica without applying for a visa in advance?
95 of 197 passports can enter Costa Rica without applying for a consular visa in advance: 95 visa-free. 102 must apply for a consular visa.
What citizenship and residency programmes does Costa Rica offer?
The Prosperous Intelligence dataset records 3 active citizenship and residency programmes in Costa Rica: Nómadas Digitales (Ley 10008), Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996) and Residencia Temporal — Pensionado. Details: Opportunity Map.
What is the minimum investment for residency or citizenship in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996) requires a minimum investment starting from US$150,000 (reference USD conversion).
How long does an application take in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, an application under Nómadas Digitales (Ley 10008) takes about 0–1 months, Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996) about 3–6 months and Residencia Temporal — Pensionado about 3–12 months (reference processing time).
How long does it take to become a citizen of Costa Rica through these programmes?
Through Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996), citizenship of Costa Rica is possible after about 7 years, after a period of permanent residence; through Residencia Temporal — Pensionado, citizenship of Costa Rica is possible after about 7 years, after a period of permanent residence (reference time).
How many days a year do you need to spend in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, Nómadas Digitales (Ley 10008) requires 180 days of physical presence a year, Residencia Temporal — Inversionista (Ley 9996) 1 days and Residencia Temporal — Pensionado 0 days (reference figure).
Can family members join programmes in Costa Rica?
All 3 programmes can include spouse and children under 25.
Where is Costa Rica strongest and weakest in Prosperous Intelligence’s indices?
Relative to other countries, Costa Rica is strongest on the Wealth Protection Index (#33 of 205) and weakest on the Investment Migration ROI (#29 of 50).
How does Costa Rica rank for quality of life?
Costa Rica scores 69.3/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Quality of Life Index, ranking #87 of 211.
Is Costa Rica expensive to live in?
Costa Rica scores 69.8/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Cost of Living Index, ranking #98 of 200. This is the affordability-of-living-costs score: a higher score means lower prices.
How safe is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica scores 75.7/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Global Safety Index, ranking #79 of 203.
How does Costa Rica rank for healthcare?
Costa Rica scores 65.3/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Healthcare Index, ranking #62 of 192.
How does Costa Rica rank for education?
Costa Rica scores 67.2/100 on Prosperous Intelligence’s Education Index, ranking #78 of 191.
What the profile contains
- Key facts from government and international sources
- Scores and global ranks on 12 Prosperous Intelligence indices
- Entry rules, passport strength and residency programmes
Why the profile matters
- Compare one country across many criteria on a single page
- Not a substitute for legal, tax or investment advice
Method
- How each index is scored and weighted
- The limits of the data and how to check official sources
