Arenal Volcano by Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
Costa Rica
Capital San José
Ways in
Every mobility asset the live catalog holds for this country. Open one for the full requirement detail.
How much time you must spend on the ground
Derived from each program’s stated physical-presence requirement.
The pipeline to permanent residency
The staged journey for Temporary Residency as Pensioner (Retiree). Processing, permanent residence and citizenship times come from the Mobility Asset Database.
Prove Pension Income
The Pensionado route requires a lifetime pension of at least $1,000/month (Social Security or a qualifying private pension). Assemble proof that clears the threshold comfortably.
Gather & Apostille Documents
Collect a birth certificate, police clearance, and a pension-verification letter; each must be apostilled (or consularized) and officially translated into Spanish.
File with Migración (DGME)
Submit the application to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, in person or through an attorney. Processing typically runs a few months.
Approve, Enroll in CAJA & Get DIMEX
After approval, enrollment in CAJA (public health) is mandatory, and you receive your DIMEX residency card. Registration is a required step to activate residency.
Maintain & Renew
Keep CAJA current, convert your pension each month as required, and renew the card before it expires. Continuous legal residence is what accrues toward permanent status.
Before card expiry
Permanent Residency, Then Citizenship
Apply for permanent residency after 3 years as a temporary resident. Naturalization is a separate, longer path — generally 7 years of legal residence.
City archetypes
Landing-zone comparisons — cost bands, community, and who each city suits.
San José
The capital and Central Valley hub: the country's best hospitals, services, and job market, offset by urban congestion, petty crime, and the highest cost of living in Costa Rica. Central enough to reach either coast on a weekend.
- Best healthcare + infrastructure
- Most jobs and international business
- Priciest, most congested in the country
Santa Ana
A polished Central Valley suburb west of San José with spring-like weather, safer neighborhoods, and established expat infrastructure — lower cost than downtown, with a quieter, suburban feel and less nightlife.
- Established expat community
- Milder cost than San José
- Spring-like Central Valley climate
Manuel Antonio
A Pacific-coast beach town wrapped around a famous national park, with strong tourism infrastructure and the highest, most tourist-driven prices in the country. Small-town feel, steep terrain, and a long drive from San José.
- Beach + national-park access
- Strong tourism infrastructure
- Highest, tourist-driven prices
Could Costa Rica be your next move?
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