Deciding to move abroad is one of the biggest life decisions you will ever make. It is exciting, terrifying, and deeply personal. But before you book a one-way ticket, there is a critical step most people skip: systematically evaluating whether your target country actually fits your life, your personality, and your family’s needs.
Inspired by a Psychology Today article by clinical research psychologist Dr. Mara Goldsby, who has lived in multiple countries herself, we are breaking down 12 essential qualities for moving abroad that every prospective expat should consider. As two Americans who moved to Costa Rica full-time, we are adding our own hard-won perspective to each one. Whether Costa Rica is on your radar or you are weighing several countries, this moving abroad checklist will help you make a smarter, more confident decision.
1. Family and Friends Already in the Country
The first quality on the moving abroad checklist is whether you already have family or friends in your target country. From a psychological perspective, having even one familiar person in a new country creates an immediate support structure that dramatically eases the transition.
Aaron’s experience illustrates this perfectly. He moved to Costa Rica first, but his quality of life took a noticeable leap when Patrick and his family followed. Having a close friend of 15 years in the country made everything feel less foreign. You do not need family waiting for you at the airport, but the more familiarity you have, the less homesickness and isolation you are likely to experience.
What If You Do Not Know Anyone?
If you are moving blind, that is not a dealbreaker, but it does mean you need to be more intentional about building community from day one. This is one of the areas where working with a relocation service like Your Pura Vida can make a real difference. We connect newcomers with established expats and local contacts so you are not starting from absolute zero.
2. Cultural Similarity to Your Home Country
How different is the target country from what you know? This quality matters more than most people realize. Patrick lived in Vienna before Costa Rica, and while it was a foreign country, it was still Western European, still culturally familiar in many important ways. Costa Rica, on the other hand, presents a larger gap for North Americans, even though it shares more in common with the US and Canada than many other Latin American countries.
Costa Rica uses the US dollar alongside the colon. Many Ticos are familiar with North American culture. English is widely spoken in tourist areas. These similarities make the transition smoother compared to, say, moving to Southeast Asia or India, where the cultural leap would be significantly larger. The further the cultural distance, the more psychological resilience and adaptability you will need.
3. Political and Economic Stability
Political and economic stability is one of the top reasons people are choosing to leave their home countries right now. We speak with people every week, especially from the United States and Canada, who cite political instability as their primary motivation for exploring life abroad.
Costa Rica stands out in this regard. It is one of the most politically and economically stable nations in all of Central and Latin America. It has a long-standing democratic tradition, no military, and a government that, while imperfect, operates with a level of stability that provides real peace of mind for expats. If political uncertainty is driving your decision to move, Costa Rica checks this box convincingly.
4. Crime and Personal Safety
Closely tied to stability is the question of crime and personal safety. This is a factor that often gets distorted in both directions. Some people assume Costa Rica is dangerous because it is in Central America. Others assume it is a paradise with zero risk. The truth is in between.
We have covered this topic extensively in our post on whether Costa Rica is safe. There is crime, as there is in any country, but the overall sense of personal safety for expats is strong. The important thing from a psychological perspective is your mindset going in. If you arrive convinced the country is unsafe, you will filter every experience through that lens and never feel comfortable. If the idea of living in Costa Rica already fills you with anxiety about crime, it may not be the right fit.
5. Climate and Terrain
Here is where fantasy and reality often collide. So many people moving to Costa Rica have a utopian vision of perfect weather 365 days a year. The postcards and Instagram photos are snapped on what we call “Chamber of Commerce days,” those stunning blue-sky moments that do exist but do not represent the full picture.
Aaron admits that his first rainy season caught him off guard. October and November brought gloomy, relentless rain that reminded him of February in Michigan. He has since learned to love the rain, travel during the heaviest months, and embrace the green season. But it was a psychological adjustment he did not anticipate.
Climate Affects Your Mood
Dr. Goldsby’s article emphasizes that climate directly impacts your mental state, and we agree completely. Costa Rica’s weather and climate are far superior to many places people are leaving. But “superior” does not mean “perfect.” The Central Valley has different weather than the coast. The Pacific side has different patterns than the Caribbean. Research the specific microclimate of where you plan to live, not just the country in general.
6. Healthcare Access and Quality
When you live in your home country, healthcare is a known quantity. You have your doctor, you understand the system, and you know how to navigate it. Moving abroad means starting over with an entirely different healthcare framework.
Costa Rica has a public healthcare system called the Caja (CCSS) that provides coverage to legal residents. But enrollment is not instant. There is a waiting period, and the system works differently from what most North Americans are accustomed to. In the meantime, you will likely need to pay out of pocket or carry private insurance. We help our Your Pura Vida clients think through this transition carefully because healthcare is not something you want to figure out after you arrive.
Plan for the Future
Aaron makes an important point that applies to anyone moving abroad: think about where you will need to be in 10 years. As you age, proximity to quality medical care becomes more important. If you are currently living on a remote beach, that lifestyle may need to evolve as your healthcare needs change. Planning ahead for this reality is a mark of smart expatriation.
7. Education Options for Children
If you have school-age children, education might be the single most important quality on this moving abroad checklist. And here is the hard truth: the decision to move is not about you. It is about what your kids need.
Can your children thrive in a foreign environment with a different language, different customs, and different academic requirements? Some families choose homeschooling or online school. Others find excellent bilingual private schools in Costa Rica. But the psychological barrier of uprooting children from their familiar educational environment is significant and deserves serious consideration.
Patrick and his family did not move until their son was in college, in part because they did not feel comfortable making that transition earlier. Every family’s situation is different, and there is no single right answer. But the question must be asked honestly.
8. Cost of Living
The cost of living is likely the biggest psychological barrier for most people considering a move abroad. The assumption that Central America or Costa Rica will be dramatically cheaper is one of the most common misconceptions we encounter.
The reality is that Costa Rica is not uniformly cheap. Imported goods, vehicles, and certain groceries can cost the same or more than in the United States. Rent in desirable expat areas has risen significantly. And the total cost of relocating, including shipping belongings, buying a car, securing housing, and covering the transition period, adds up quickly.
We are transparent with prospective clients about this. In fact, we turn away more clients than we take on because part of our job is helping people understand when the dream and the reality do not square. If someone tells us they want to live in a beautiful home for $900 a month, our responsibility is to tell them that is not realistic and help them recalibrate, not sell them a fantasy. Understanding the true cost of living in Costa Rica before you commit is non-negotiable.
Do Not Skimp on Your First Home
One practical piece of advice we give every client: do not cut corners on your rental housing during the first few months. You are already dealing with a new language, a new culture, and a hundred unfamiliar systems. The place you sleep should feel comfortable and safe. Spending a couple hundred dollars more per month in the beginning so you have a solid home base while you figure everything else out is money well spent.
9. Language
Language is both a practical and psychological hurdle. You can survive in parts of Costa Rica with English alone, but surviving and thriving are two very different things. Making deep, meaningful friendships with Costa Ricans requires at least conversational Spanish. Ordering at a restaurant is one thing. Having a real conversation that could lead to a genuine friendship is another.
There is a pattern we see in expat communities across Costa Rica: English speakers clustering together, socializing exclusively with other English speakers, and never truly engaging with the local culture. From a psychological perspective, this raises a fair question. Why move to a country with a different language and a rich culture only to isolate yourself with people who are just like the people you had at home?
Learning the language opens doors that nothing else can. You will have a freer spirit, a clearer mind, and a far richer experience if you put in the effort. It does not have to be perfect. It just has to be genuine.
10. Property Ownership
Many people assume they can move to Costa Rica and immediately buy property. You can, and property here is often cheaper than in many places people are coming from. But “can” and “should” are different questions.
If your goal is a vacation home or rental property that you visit for one month a year, that is relatively straightforward. But if you plan to live here full-time, we strongly advise against buying before you truly know the country. You would not move to a different city in your own country without spending significant time there first. The same logic applies, multiplied, when moving to another country.
Rent first. Explore different areas. Understand what makes you tick in your daily life. Then, when you are confident about the location and the lifestyle, make the investment. This patient approach saves people from expensive mistakes.
11. Firsthand Experience and Boots on the Ground
This is one of the qualities we are most passionate about. We regularly speak with people who have already booked their one-way tickets to Costa Rica and have never set foot in the country. This is a recipe for disappointment.
A scouting trip is essential, and not the resort-vacation kind. At Your Pura Vida, we never put scouting clients in hotels. Hotels insulate you from real life. You go down to the concierge, eat at the hotel bar, and learn nothing about what it takes to actually live in a place. Instead, we set clients up in rental homes where they have to shop for groceries, navigate local neighborhoods, and experience the rhythm of daily life.
We recently worked with a client who came for a one-week scouting trip, then traveled to another country, then returned for a second week. That gap gave them time to process, reflect, and come back with sharper questions. By the end, they had a clear picture of which neighborhoods fit their lifestyle and were ready to rent rather than rush into a purchase. That is the kind of thoughtful approach that leads to successful long-term moves.
12. Seasoned Traveler or Complete Newbie
The final quality on this moving abroad checklist addresses your personal travel experience. Whether you are a seasoned international traveler or someone who has rarely left your home state, one truth remains: vacationing somewhere and living there are two dramatically different things.
Seasoned travelers sometimes overestimate their readiness. They have been to 40 countries and assume moving will feel the same. It does not. Living in a country means dealing with bureaucracy, healthcare, banking, and all the mundane realities that vacations conveniently skip. Newbies, on the other hand, may underestimate the adjustment but often bring a beginner’s openness that serves them well.
Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, the key is humility. Accept that you have things to learn. Accept that your assumptions will be challenged. And accept that the process of truly settling in takes time, patience, and a willingness to be uncomfortable.
Your Moving Abroad Checklist: Key Takeaways
- Evaluate your support network. Having family or friends in your target country eases the transition significantly
- Assess cultural distance. The further the culture is from what you know, the more psychological resilience you will need
- Prioritize stability. Research the political and economic landscape thoroughly before committing
- Be honest about safety. Your mindset about crime and safety will shape your entire experience
- Research the real climate. Do not rely on postcards. Understand the weather patterns of your specific area
- Plan your healthcare transition. Know how you will access medical care from day one and in the years ahead
- Put your children first. If you have kids, their educational and social needs should drive the decision
- Know the true cost of living. Budget realistically, including moving costs and the transition period
- Commit to learning the language. Even imperfect effort makes an enormous difference
- Rent before you buy. Take time to understand the country before investing in property
- Get boots on the ground. A proper scouting trip is non-negotiable
- Stay humble. Whether you are a travel veteran or a first-timer, living abroad requires a learner’s mindset
Ready to Start Evaluating Costa Rica for Your Move?
Going through this moving abroad checklist is the first step toward making a confident, well-informed decision. At Your Pura Vida, we have helped hundreds of individuals and families evaluate whether Costa Rica is the right fit, and we will tell you honestly if it is not. From scouting trips and neighborhood tours to healthcare planning and cost-of-living analysis, we walk with you through every step of the process.