The Moving to Costa Rica Report: An Industry White Paper

Costa Rica is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful countries in the world, with picturesque coastline on both the Pacific and Atlantic and nearly 6 percent of all global biodiversity despite spanning only 0.03 percent of the earth's surface.

It’s also a popular location for expatriates to live and retire, as 70,000 U.S. citizens now live in Costa Rica according to the U.S. State Department. That doesn’t even include Canadians, Europeans, other expats from Latin American nations, and more.

Last year alone, Costa Rica welcomed 3,016,667 foreigners according to the Costa Rican Tourism Board, more than half of which (1,580,991) were from the U.S. or Canada. Of course, there is a blurring of lines between expatriation and tourism, as many people come and go, only live there for a few years, or just for half of the year, etc.

The economic impact of expats and tourists combined is notably significant for the progressive Central American nation with no army. In fact, tourism alone brings in more money than banana, pineapple, and coffee exports – combined!

While there is plenty of information on tourism in Costa Rica, accurate statistical data on expatriation to that country is much harder to come by.

In this white paper, I share the results of a comprehensive survey conducted by the website CRexpat.com, which offers The Official Expat’s Moving to Costa Rica Handbook as well as treasure troves of free information for those looking to head south to Costa Rica to start a new life.

Therefore, the survey findings outlined in this white paper may prove valuable to resorts, hotels, airlines, real estate developers, healthcare services and providers, and governmental agencies both in Costa Rica and abroad, and tens of thousands of potential expats, themselves.