Costa Rica

01The country in 30 seconds

Costa Rica is different from the other countries in this guide. It is not about visa-free tourism forever. It is the one country here where you can get a real visa based on remote income.

If you earn $3,000/month or more (or $4,000 with family), you can apply for the digital nomad visa right in the country, no embassy visit needed. It's granted for 1 year, renewable once for 1 more year — 2 years total.

The currency is the colon (CRC), but most prices are also quoted in US dollars. Time zone is UTC-6, no daylight saving.

• No visa needed to enter, just a passport
• Digital nomad visa needs $3,000+/month income, max 2 years total
• Spanish is official, but English works fine in tourist and remote-work areas
• Facts checked as of September 2026 — visa rules change, check official sources before you travel

02Who it's for

This guide is for people who already earn good money remotely — $3,000/month or more — and want to live in Costa Rica legally, not just as a tourist.

If your income is lower, this is probably not for you. The digital nomad visa is the main realistic path here without marriage or investment, and the income bar is strict.

If you want to stay forever, this is not the right visa either. It does not lead to permanent residency. After 2 years you must leave or switch to another category (rentista, pensionado, marriage-based residency).

03Entry & visa

Russians do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica. Russia stays in the visa-free group under new entry rules starting in 2026.

At the border you usually get a 30-day stamp. It can be extended up to 90 days, at the officer's discretion. They may ask for a return ticket and proof of funds, about $100 per month of your stay.

Once you are in Costa Rica as a tourist, you can apply for the digital nomad visa online, through the Trámite Ya platform. No embassy visit in Moscow needed.

The income bar is $3,000/month for one person, or $4,000/month with family. You prove it with 12 months of bank statements plus a notarized statement or accountant certificate.

04Residency & legalization

The digital nomad visa is given for 1 year. You can renew it once, for 1 more year — 2 years total is the maximum.

To renew, you need to physically stay in Costa Rica for at least 80 days during the first year, according to the official DGME page. But there's a conflict: some commercial guides say 180 days. Check the current rule directly with DGME before you plan your renewal.

Key point: this visa does not lead to permanent residency or citizenship. After the 2-year max, you either leave or switch to another category: rentista (passive income from $2,500/month), pensionado, or marriage-based residency.

05Work & taxes

While you hold the digital nomad visa, your foreign income is exempt from local Costa Rican income tax. This is written directly into Law 10008. You don't file a local tax return for this income.

You cannot work for a local employer or run a local business on this visa. It's strictly for remote work for foreign clients or employers.

The law also lets you bring in your laptop and work equipment duty-free, and it opens the door to a local bank account (allowed by law, but banks in practice can ask for a lot of paperwork — see the banking section).

06Banks, cards & money

Russian cards — Mir, sanctioned banks — barely work in Costa Rica. Plan on a card from a bank outside Russian sanctions (a foreign multi-currency account) or cash dollars.

The law allows nomad visa holders to open a local bank account, but banks in practice ask for a lot of paperwork, and it's not fast. It's not confirmed whether a Russian bank's 12-month statements will be accepted without issues for the visa application — check this with an immigration lawyer before you plan your timeline.

Cash dollars plus a non-Russian bank card is the safest setup for your first months.

07Renting a place

Look for an apartment after you arrive. Renting something reliable from abroad is hard — there are a lot of scam listings using real photos of someone else's place.

Stay in short-term rental (Airbnb, guesthouse) for your first month or two, until you find a real place and see the neighborhood yourself.

A 1-bedroom in Escazu or Santa Ana runs $700-1,400/month. In Tamarindo it's $1,000-2,200/month, more expensive because of tourism.

Standard deal: first month's rent plus a deposit (usually one more month), paid when you get the keys, not before.

08SIM card & internet

You can set up an eSIM before you land, from a local or international provider, from $10-20/month for a decent data plan.

A local SIM (Kolbi, Movistar, Claro) is easy to buy at the airport or in town, you just need your passport.

Home fiber internet is available almost everywhere in the Central Valley (San Jose, Escazu, Santa Ana) and in tourist areas, speeds 100-500 Mbps, price $40-60/month.

09Healthcare & insurance

The digital nomad visa requires private health insurance with at least $50,000 coverage for the whole visa period. No insurance, no visa.

Access to the public system (CAJA) is basically closed for nomad visa holders — you need an ID card (cedula), which takes 6-14 months to get, and even then it's not guaranteed for this category.

Private insurance costs $80-280/month depending on age and coverage. International plans (SafetyWing, Cigna) start around $50/month for a basic package.

Without insurance, a doctor visit costs $50-90, a night in a private hospital $500-1,000.

10Transport

You can skip having your own car at first: Escazu, Santa Ana, and San Jose have Uber, taxis, and buses between areas.

Outside the city and on the coast (Tamarindo), it's harder without a car — distances are longer and buses run less often. Renting a car or scooter is common there.

Your home driver's license works for a while under the visa law, but some rental companies ask for an international driving permit — check when you book.

11Safety & important laws

Overall, Costa Rica is safe to live in, especially in expat areas like Escazu, Atenas, Santa Ana, and the coast. Most newcomers don't run into trouble.

Homicide rates went up in recent years, but it's mostly gang conflict tied to drug trafficking in specific districts of San Jose (Catedral, Hospital, Merced, Pavas) and Limon. It rarely touches regular tourists or expats.

Drug laws are strict — minimum 8 years for trafficking, even small amounts can get you arrested. Don't risk it.

"Virtual kidnapping" scam calls are rising — someone calls pretending to be police or kidnappers and demands money. It's a phone scam, stay calm and verify through official numbers.

12How much money you need per month

Total: ~$2,200-3,300/month for one person

13Step-by-step moving plan

1. Check the current visa rules on the DGME website (migracion.go.cr) and Visit Costa Rica before you travel.
2. Collect 12 months of bank statements proving income of $3,000+/month, and get them notarized or certified by an accountant.
3. Get private health insurance with at least $50,000 coverage for the full visa period.
4. Book a flight and enter Costa Rica as a tourist — no visa needed.
5. Book short-term housing (Airbnb) for your first month in Escazu, Santa Ana, or Tamarindo.
6. Apply for the digital nomad visa through the Trámite Ya platform once you are in the country.
7. While you wait for approval, get a local SIM or eSIM, and use a non-Russian bank card or open a foreign account.
8. After the visa is approved, look for long-term housing in person — never pay for an apartment you haven't seen.
9. After 12 months, if you plan to renew, check how many days you actually spent in the country (80 days minimum per official DGME info).
10. A few months before the 2-year limit ends, decide: leave, or switch to another visa category (rentista, pensionado, marriage-based).

14Useful links & Telegram

• DGME — official digital nomad visa page
• Visit Costa Rica — digital nomad requirements
• Visit Costa Rica — visa renewal rules
• La Gaceta — 2026 visa directive
• Numbeo — cost of living in Costa Rica
• Fragomen — Costa Rica visa options guide