Living in San Jose
What it really costs to live in San Jose, what you can earn, the visas that get you in, and the taxes you'll pay — for Costa Rica, updated 2026. San Jose lies in Central America. Costa Rica's capital is San José. The main language is Spanish. Costa Rica borders Nicaragua, Panama.
What You Can Earn in Costa Rica
Typical gross annual salaries in Costa Rica by sector (entry · median · senior). San Jose pay usually sits around the national median.
| Sector | Entry | Median | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| it | €29 500 | €42 000 | €59 000 |
| retail | €10 500 | €15 000 | €21 000 |
| finance | €26 500 | €38 000 | €53 000 |
| education | €15 500 | €22 000 | €31 000 |
| healthcare | €19 500 | €28 000 | €39 000 |
| engineering | €24 500 | €35 000 | €49 000 |
| hospitality | €11 000 | €16 000 | €22 500 |
| construction | €17 000 | €24 000 | €33 500 |
Living in San Jose: Safety, Health & Climate
San Jose shares Costa Rica's wider quality-of-life profile. San Jose has a tropical climate. Here is what daily life looks like on the things that matter most when you relocate.
Visa Routes to Costa Rica
Affording San Jose is only half the question — you also need a visa that lets you stay in Costa Rica. The main routes:
- A job offer is normally required for the main work route.
- Permanent residence after about 5 years.
- Citizenship after ~7 years — dual nationality allowed.
- Investment route from about €60 000 (USD).
Taxes in Costa Rica
Top marginal rate 15%, VAT 13%. Special regime — Temporary Residence for Remote Workers: Reduced income tax rate of 10%
Settling into San Jose
- Foreigners can open a local bank account in Costa Rica.
- Budget around €2 800 for first-month setup in San Jose.
- Regulated professions needing credential recognition: Medicine, Law, Engineering, Dentistry, Psychology, Nursing.
Get Your Costa Rica Emigration Report
Personalised visa options, costs and a 90-day plan for Costa Rica.
Get Essential Report — €5or start the free assessmentSources: salaries, taxes, safety, healthcare and visa data from World Bank, OECD, the Global Peace Index and official government portals. Cost-of-living figures are community-sourced benchmarks — a guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 2026-05.
Related: Costa Rica Guide · Visa Comparison · All Countries