Every year, thousands of people from the United States, Canada, and around the world make the exciting decision to move to Costa Rica. They arrive with dreams of beach days, pura vida vibes, and a slower, more meaningful pace of life. But the reality is sobering: an estimated 30 to 50 percent of expats leave Costa Rica within the first two years.
That statistic is not meant to scare you. It is meant to prepare you. As relocation consultants who have personally moved to Costa Rica and helped dozens of families do the same, we have seen firsthand why people thrive here and why others pack their bags. In this guide, we break down the top 10 reasons foreigners leave Costa Rica so that you can think through these challenges before you make the move — not after.
1. Unmet Expectations
This is the number one reason foreigners leave Costa Rica, and it underlies almost every other item on this list. People arrive with a romantic vision of what life will look like: sitting on the beach every day, drinking cocktails, living in a permanent state of vacation bliss. Then reality sets in.
Even if you are retired, you still have to go to the bank. You still need groceries. You still have to deal with your car, your house, your neighbors, and the everyday logistics of running a life. Costa Rica is not a 24/7, 365-day vacation. The initial excitement wears off, and what remains is daily life — beautiful, but real.
If you want things to feel instant and convenient — the Amazon delivery in 24 hours, a drive-thru on every corner, a dry cleaner around the block — you are going to struggle. That level of convenience simply does not exist here, and the sooner you accept that, the better your transition will be.
2. Cost of Imported Goods
A lot of people move to Costa Rica thinking everything will be cheap. It is not. Costa Rica is a small country with a population of roughly 5 to 5.5 million people — about a fifth the size of Mexico City alone. That tiny consumer market means imported goods carry significantly higher per-unit costs.
Think of it like buying anything in Hawaii or the Cayman Islands. If you depend on imported brands and are not willing to shop local, your grocery bill and household expenses will be higher than you expect. The cost is not astronomical, but it is enough to frustrate people who moved here expecting bargain prices on everything.
The key is going into your move with a realistic understanding of what things cost. For a detailed breakdown, read our complete guide to the cost of living in Costa Rica.
3. Healthcare Navigation
Costa Rica has genuinely good healthcare. The quality of medical care is strong, and the public system — the CAJA — provides universal coverage for residents at very low cost. But the system operates differently than what most North Americans are used to.
Doctors often speak English, but not always. If you are part of the public system, you may face wait times for specialist appointments and procedures. The bureaucracy of navigating the healthcare system requires patience and persistence. Many foreigners never learn how to work within the system effectively, and that frustration becomes a reason to leave.
The solution is not to avoid the system — it is to learn how it works. For a thorough walkthrough, see our guide to navigating healthcare in Costa Rica.
4. Bureaucracy and Residency Requirements
People assume that because it is easy to enter Costa Rica as a tourist — no visa stamp, no hassle — everything else will be equally simple. It is not. Costa Rica has intentional bureaucracy built into its residency process. The government does not want everyone to simply move here without meeting requirements.
Whether you are applying as a rentista, pensionista, or investor, there are financial thresholds and documentation requirements to meet. Beyond residency, everyday bureaucratic tasks can be time-consuming. Getting your car inspected for the riteve (the equivalent of a smog check) can take an hour of waiting with no alternative. Banking in person is often required. Government offices move at their own pace.
This bureaucracy is cumbersome by design. If you can accept that and plan around it, it becomes manageable. If you cannot, it will wear you down.
5. Lack of Convenience and Services
Costa Rica is not a 24/7 society. Stores close earlier than you expect. A shop that would be open until 9 or 10 PM back home might shut its doors at 8 PM here. The farther you move from the Central Valley or major hubs, the fewer conveniences you will find.
In San Jose, you can order Uber Eats and access some modern amenities. But in mountain towns, beach communities, and more remote areas, life is genuinely sleepy. If you are considering living in a place like Dominical or the southern Pacific coast — which are stunningly beautiful — you need to plan how you will handle groceries, bulk shopping, and access to an airport. It is a small country with real logistical challenges.
For families weighing different regions, our guide to where to live in Costa Rica breaks down the tradeoffs by area.
6. Language Barrier
You do not have to be fluent in Spanish to live in Costa Rica. We are not fluent. But you have to try. If you move here with the mindset that English is the world’s language and everyone should accommodate you, you are going to have a hard time — especially if you choose to live outside tourist-friendly or international communities.
Learning even basic conversational Spanish changes your experience dramatically. You connect with neighbors, navigate stores and banks more easily, and show respect for the country you have chosen to live in. Many international residents put off language learning for years. Do not make that mistake. Start before you arrive, and invest in structured lessons once you are here.
The Payoff of Trying
Even imperfect Spanish opens doors. You will find that many Costa Ricans appreciate the effort and will meet you halfway. Some will even switch to English to make things easier for you. But the gesture of trying matters, and it makes a real difference in how deeply you can integrate into your community.
7. Climate Challenges
Costa Rica does not have perfect weather year-round, even though vacation brochures might suggest otherwise. The rainy season — roughly May through November — brings intense humidity, heavy rainfall, and occasional mudslides. Coastal areas can be oppressively hot and humid during certain months.
The Central Valley is often described as having spring-like weather all year. That is partially true, but the rain still comes, and it comes hard. The difference between visiting during dry season and living through rainy season is significant. People who moved expecting paradise weather 365 days a year often become disillusioned when the reality sets in.
The advice here is the same as choosing where to live anywhere in the world: think carefully about climate before you commit. People move to snowy climates and then realize they hate the cold. The same dynamic plays out in Costa Rica with heat, humidity, and rain.
8. Homesickness and Cultural Adjustment
For short periods — a week, a month, maybe even a year — many people can push through the cultural differences. But over time, homesickness and cultural adjustment fatigue are real. The grind of daily life in a foreign country, combined with distance from family and lifelong friends, takes a toll.
The good news is that modern video communication has made staying connected far easier than it was a decade ago. You can be on FaceTime with family and friends regularly. But for some people, digital connection is not enough to replace physical proximity.
Building a local community is one of the most effective antidotes to homesickness. Finding your tribe — people who understand what you are going through and can share the experience — makes an enormous difference. We have seen it repeatedly: the internationals who invest in community are the ones who stay.
9. Traffic
This one catches people off guard. Traffic in Costa Rica — particularly around the Central Valley and San Jose — can be absolutely maddening. A 2-kilometer drive can feel like it takes forever. When it rains, everything slows to a crawl.
For families with children in school, traffic has a direct impact on quality of life. The commute to drop off kids, run errands, and get home can eat up hours of your day if you are not strategic about where you live relative to schools and services. This is one of the major factors we work through with our scouting clients — ensuring that families minimize commute time and maximize their daily quality of life.
Many internationals learn to simply avoid driving when they can. Some go days without getting in their cars. Others fill drive time with podcasts or audiobooks and learn to find their zen in traffic. Adapting your expectations around getting from place to place is a necessary part of life here.
10. Safety and Security Concerns
Some international leave because they feel Costa Rica is not as safe as they expected. Maybe they had a car broken into, or they read about an incident in a tourist town. Crime does exist in Costa Rica — we have discussed this openly in other content.
That said, we do not feel any less safe in Costa Rica than in the United States. For many people, it actually feels safer in their daily lives. The internationals who cite safety as their primary reason for leaving have often, in our experience, simply reached a point where they are ready to go and safety becomes an additional justification on the list.
For a balanced and honest look at this topic, read our guide to safety in Costa Rica.
How to Avoid Becoming a Statistic
If you are serious about relocating to Costa Rica, here are the key steps we recommend based on everything we have seen working with clients and living here ourselves:
Research Thoroughly and Visit Before You Move
You can watch every YouTube video, read every blog post, and join every Facebook group — but there is no substitute for spending extended time on the ground. Not a vacation. A scouting trip where you experience everyday life: grocery shopping, driving, dealing with weather, navigating a bank. Come for longer than a few days so you can feel what weekly and monthly life is actually like.
Set Realistic Expectations
Be honest with yourself about what you need. If you want a beautiful beach life but hate humidity, bugs, and tourists — you have a contradiction to resolve. We use a detailed survey with all of our clients to surface these kinds of conflicts early, before they become expensive mistakes after a move.
Choose Your Location Carefully
Where you live in Costa Rica shapes everything: your commute, your access to services, your social life, your children’s schooling, your proximity to healthcare. Too many people choose a location based on a dream image rather than the logistics of daily life. Think through what you actually need — not just what looks beautiful in a photo.
Prepare Financially
Anyone can live in Costa Rica. The question is whether you can live the life you want at the price you can afford. The more you expect, the more financially prepared you need to be. We work through detailed financial planning with every client because expectation versus reality in the budget is one of the fastest paths to disappointment and departure.
Learn Spanish
Start now. You do not need to be fluent, but every bit of conversational ability you build will improve your experience and deepen your connection to the country.
Ready to Plan Your Move the Right Way?
We built Your Pura Vida specifically to help people avoid the mistakes that cause so many expats to leave. From our initial survey through scouting, relocation, and community building, we guide you through every step with honesty and firsthand experience.
Want to start the conversation? Email us at hola@yourpuravida.com or schedule a free consultation call. We would love to help you figure out if Costa Rica is right for you — before you make the move, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of expats leave Costa Rica within the first two years?
Estimates suggest that anywhere from 30% to 50% of internationals leave Costa Rica within the first two years. The most common reasons include unmet expectations, difficulty adapting to the pace of life, language barriers, and underestimating the cost of imported goods.
Is Costa Rica cheap to live in for expats?
Not necessarily. While some aspects of life can be more affordable than in the US or Canada, imported goods are significantly more expensive due to Costa Rica’s small population and limited import volume. If you shop local and adapt your lifestyle, costs are manageable — but expecting everything to be cheap is one of the top reasons expats leave.
Do I need to speak Spanish to live in Costa Rica?
You do not need to be fluent, but you need to make the effort. Daily life — banking, shopping, interacting with neighbors — largely happens in Spanish. Even basic conversational ability dramatically improves your experience and helps you build genuine connections in your community.
How bad is the traffic in Costa Rica?
Traffic in the Central Valley and San Jose area can be surprisingly intense. Short distances can take a long time, especially during rain. Families with children need to think carefully about proximity to schools and services. Many expats learn to minimize driving or plan errands strategically.
How can I avoid becoming one of the expats who leaves Costa Rica?
Research thoroughly and visit for extended periods before you move. Set realistic expectations about cost, convenience, climate, and bureaucracy. Choose your location based on lifestyle needs, not just scenery. Learn Spanish. Build a community. And work through detailed financial planning so there are no surprises after you arrive.