Country comparisons
Mexico vs Costa Rica
A side-by-side comparison of Mexico and Costa Rica for digital nomads and movers. Every figure is an estimate pulled from the country pages below, confirm it with the official source before you act.
Side by side
| Mexico | Costa Rica | |
|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad visa | No | Estancia para Trabajadores Remotos |
| Income requirement | ~US$4,400/mo income (or ~US$74k savings) via Temporary Resident Visa; rebased to UMA yearly | ~$3,000/mo foreign income solo (~$4,000 with dependents), Estancia para Trabajadores Remotos / digital nomad visa under Law 10008 |
| Tax residency | Resident if home/centre of vital interests in Mexico (>50% income Mexican-sourced or main work base); worldwide income taxed. | Territorial system; foreign income untaxed; 183-day residency trigger, but nomad-visa foreign earnings stay exempt past that. |
| Cost of living | Low | Moderate |
| Currency | MXN | CRC |
| Healthcare | Mexico has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with foreign countries, so travel or private health insurance is essential and care is paid out of pocket without cover. | Costa Rica has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with foreign visitors, so comprehensive travel or international health insurance is needed and is required for the digital-nomad visa. |
| Driving | Visitors can drive on a valid foreign licence, and carrying an International Driving Permit alongside it is recommended; residents should obtain a Mexican state licence. | You can drive on a valid foreign licence for the length of your authorised stay, and carrying an International Driving Permit alongside it is recommended. |
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Digital-Nomad Visa Checker
See which digital-nomad visas you could actually get with your passport and income — ranked, with the binding reason per country.
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Tax-Residency Reality Checker
Go beyond the 183-day myth: model the treaty tie-breaker and see whether two countries could both claim you as a tax resident.
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Cost-of-Relocation Calculator
Estimate the all-in, one-time cost of moving to a country — shipping, visa fees, flights, deposits — as low, likely and high bands.
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