What if you were born in Costa Rica?

If you had grown up in Costa Rica instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in San José could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Arenal Volcano. Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Costa Rica

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in CRC and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Costa Rica: CRC 845,000Rs 518,000
Rent (city centre): CRC 244,000
Transport (public transport): CRC 57,500
Food: CRC 122,000
Saved: CRC 127,000

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Costa Rica: CRC 1,940,000Rs 1,190,000
Rent (suburbs): CRC 495,000
Transport (public transport): CRC 132,000
Food: CRC 330,000
Saved: CRC 291,000

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Costa Rica: CRC 3,150,000Rs 1,930,000
Rent (city centre): CRC 771,000
Transport (car): CRC 295,000
Food: CRC 385,000
Saved: CRC 881,000

Try it with my own income

A day in San José

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in San José, a city of mild winters around 23°C and warm summers around 25°C, and an umbrella is never far away.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak Spanish at work; English helps in the big cities.
Lunch
Lunch might be gallo pinto: rice and black beans fried together, often eaten for breakfast.
Evening
You get home with CRC 291,000 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast, the mountains and forest trails.

Costa Rica compared with Pakistan

	Costa Rica	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.7× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	81 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	18 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	6.8%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	23°C	26°C
Languages	Spanish	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	CRC	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Costa Rica, living in Costa Rica and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Costa Rica?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around CRC 1,940,000 a month at the same level in Costa Rica (about Rs 1,190,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Costa Rica more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.7 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Costa Rica?

Mainly Spanish. English is spoken by some people, mostly in cities.

Can I actually move to Costa Rica?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Costa Rica page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.