A complete relocation hub for anyone moving to Costa Rica — whether you are relocating for work, joining family, retiring or moving a household internationally for the first time. Costs, shipping, visas, customs, housing, schools, pets and vehicles in one place.
Law 9986 — the Attraction of Investors, Rentiers and Pensioners act — is the single most valuable filing for a foreign national moving to Costa Rica, covering household goods and up to two vehicles.
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Quick facts
Indicative planning benchmarks for an international household move — not a quotation.
Typical moving cost
from $4,500
Door-to-door benchmark, 20ft container entry point
Typical transit time
3–5 weeks
Ocean freight 10–14 days to Caldera or Puerto Limón
Cost of living
$$
San José is the highest-cost hub
Key visa routes
Pensionado (pension income) · Rentista (stable income)
Investor Residency · Digital Nomad Visa
Customs difficulty
Moderate
Dirección General de Aduanas grants relief on Household goods declaration with Law 9986 exemption approval, but the paperwork must be complete before arrival.
Major arrival cities
San José · Escazú · Tamarindo
San José (SJO) · Liberia (LIR)
Plan
Overview
How households actually arrive in Costa Rica: where they move from, how their goods travel, and what customs and tax treatment to expect.
Customs treatment depends on your origin as much as on Costa Rica — see the origin selector below.
| Household | Volume | Usual shipping option |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / partial load | 3–5 CBM | LCL groupage or luggage express |
| 1-bedroom apartment | 8–12 CBM | LCL consolidated groupage |
| 2-bedroom home | 18–22 CBM | 20ft sole-use container |
| 3-bedroom home | 28–32 CBM | 20ft high-cube or 40ft container |
| 4+ bedroom home | 45–60 CBM | 40ft high-cube container |
Dirección General de Aduanas grants relief on Household goods declaration with Law 9986 exemption approval, but the paperwork must be complete before arrival. Required registration: Law 9986 import exemption certificate.
Household goods entering Costa Rica are in principle liable to import duty and 13% import VAT. Household goods import under residency categories is the relief that removes that charge for genuine transfers of residence, filed with Dirección General de Aduanas. New purchases, goods owned for less than the qualifying period, alcohol, tobacco and vehicles are assessed separately and are the most common source of unexpected charges.
Shipments arriving from the United States are treated as a third-country import into Costa Rica. Relief from duty and the 13% import VAT normally depends on Household goods declaration with Law 9986 exemption approval filed with Dirección General de Aduanas, evidence that you lived in the United States for the required qualifying period, and an itemised inventory. Documentation issued in the United States (proof of address, visa, ownership records) is what customs will ask for.
| Shipping option | Typical volume | Indicative cost | Transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean LCL (shared container)Partial household moves and apartment shipments | Under 14 CBM | $35 – $90 / CBM ($1,500 minimum) | 3 – 8 weeks |
| Ocean FCL — 20ft container1–3 bedroom full household moves | 14 – 33 CBM | $2,500 – $13,000 per container | 3 – 8 weeks (EU) / 6 – 10 weeks (Oceania) |
| Ocean FCL — 40ft container3–5 bedroom moves plus vehicle transport | 33 – 67 CBM | $4,000 – $19,000 per container | 3 – 8 weeks (EU) / 6 – 10 weeks (Oceania) |
| Air freight (expedited)High-value gear and time-critical relocations | Any — charged by weight | $2.50 – $8.50 / kg | 3 – 7 days |
| Cross-border FTL / LTL (ground)Regional road freight where a land corridor exists | Full or partial trailer | $1,200 – $5,500 per trailer | 1 – 5 days |
Price
Households typically budget from $4,500 door-to-door for a container move, with the final figure set by volume, service level and season. Use the estimator for a route-specific range.
Volume in cubic metres is the single largest driver — decluttering before survey is the cheapest saving available.
Port-to-port, partial pack and full door-to-door packing differ by thousands on the same load.
Narrow streets, stairs and permit parking in San José can require a shuttle vehicle and extra crew.
May to September sailings and vans book out first and price highest; shoulder months are materially cheaper.
Terminal handling, Dirección General de Aduanas inspection, quarantine and storage are billed to you and are usually excluded from headline freight rates.
We're building detailed benchmarks for the world's most-used relocation corridors, so you get your move size, recommended shipping method and a realistic door-to-door cost before you request quotes. If your route isn't benchmarked yet, we generate a modelled planning estimate from distance, volume and service level.
Estimated moving cost range
A realistic low-to-high bracket for your route
Recommended shipping method
Shared container, full container or air freight
Typical transit time
How long your belongings are likely to travel
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This is an estimated relocation cost for planning purposes, not a binding quote. Final pricing is confirmed by a vetted international moving partner after a survey.
Plan
High-level educational overview of the residence routes most relocating households use. This is not legal or immigration advice.
Most commonly used by: Retirees, Remote professionals, Families.
Educational information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, thresholds and processing times change frequently and depend on your nationality and circumstances. Confirm current requirements with the Costa Rica immigration authority or a qualified adviser before you commit to a moving date.
Execute
Most households arriving in Costa Rica book temporary accommodation for four to eight weeks: long leases usually need a local bank account, proof of income and often a registered address, all of which take time to arrange. Serviced apartments bridge the gap between landing and the container clearing customs.
Find furnished temporary housing through our AltoVita partnership.
MyExpatGo helps connect you with temporary housing options. Availability is subject to AltoVita and provider inventory — MyExpatGo does not guarantee or book accommodation.
| City | Profile | Cost index |
|---|---|---|
| San José | Capital and Central Valley base, short haul from Caldera | $$ |
| Escazú | Established expat suburb, international schools | $$$ |
| Tamarindo | Guanacaste coast, longer inland leg and humidity packing | $$ |
| Atenas | Retirement belt with mild climate, rural access roads | $$ |
Plan
Local schools in Costa Rica teach in Spanish. Relocating families typically choose between international schools (IB or a home-country curriculum, fee-paying, waiting lists in the main cities), bilingual schools, and local state schools, which offer the fastest language immersion for younger children.
Working language: Spanish. Apply to schools before you ship — admission dates rarely align with container transit.
Plan
Costa Rica sits in our moderate-complexity band for pet imports. Lead times are driven by rabies titre testing, microchipping order and any quarantine requirement — start the timeline before you book freight.
Execute
Law 9986 allows duty-free import of up to two personal vehicles for qualifying residents. Outside the law, vehicle taxes run 50%–80% of assessed value.
Calculate landed vehicle taxesExecute
Traffic drives on the right in Costa Rica.
San José and the other main cities in Costa Rica are generally served by public transport networks, while smaller towns and rural areas are usually easier with a car. Main international gateways: San José (SJO), Liberia (LIR).
Whether you can drive on your existing licence, for how long, and whether it can be exchanged rather than re-tested depends on the country that issued it and on your residence status in Costa Rica. Check the national licensing authority before your current entitlement runs out.
Execute
Approved investors, rentiers and pensioners receive full exemption from import duty and 13% VAT on household items.
Costa Rica requires clearance through a licensed agente aduanal; your moving company appoints one as part of the destination service.
Caldera serves the Central Valley and Pacific coast; Puerto Limón is faster for Caribbean addresses. The wrong port adds days and inland cost.
Exempted goods and vehicles cannot be sold on before the statutory holding period without repaying the relieved taxes.
Prove continuous residence outside the destination country for at least 12 consecutive months immediately before the move.
Every shipped item must have been owned and personally used for at least 6 consecutive months before departure. Newly purchased goods are valued and taxed normally.
Goods must arrive within 12 months of the formal residency transfer, and cannot be sold, rented, pledged or transferred for 12 months after import.
Execute
The first-30-days sequence specific to Costa Rica, in the order most households need it.
Complete local registration
Register your address as required in Costa Rica — Law 9986 import exemption certificate.
Confirm customs clearance status
Your mover or broker lodges the import declaration with Dirección General de Aduanas; keep the cleared declaration.
Open a local bank account
Needed for a long-term lease, utilities and salary payments.
Register for healthcare
Enrol in Costa Rica's health system or activate private cover from day one.
Arrange utilities and connectivity
Electricity, water, internet and a local mobile number for delivery coordination.
Sort driving entitlement
Political stability, healthcare and Law 9986 tax incentives for rentiers and pensioners.
Book school places
International and bilingual schools in the main cities admit on waiting lists.
Schedule delivery and unpack
Confirm access, parking and lift booking before the container is released.
Customs step
Your moving company or licensed broker lodges the import declaration with Dirección General de Aduanas.
Customs step
Ports of entry commonly used: Caldera (Pacific), Puerto Limón (Caribbean).
Plan
Costa Rica operates a publicly funded health system alongside a private sector. Access for new arrivals normally depends on your residence status and local registration, so check what you qualify for before you travel. Many households keep international or travel medical cover in place for the gap between departure and local enrolment. This is general information, not medical or insurance advice — confirm cover for your own circumstances before you move.
Moving to Costa Rica? Before you leave, review how you'll handle healthcare and international coverage in your new country — and make sure you understand what is and isn't covered for your situation. SafetyWing offers two Nomad Insurance options to explore; check current pricing, eligibility and full policy details directly with SafetyWing.
Coverage, eligibility, pricing and exclusions vary. Review the current policy details before purchasing.
Partner recommendation · MYEXPATGO may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Compare
Accredited international moving companies in our network with proven capability on this destination. MyExpatGo is an independent platform — we are not a moving company.
🇺🇸 Miami Gardens, FL, United States · since 2004
Family-run, FAIM-certified US mover with East Coast hubs in Miami, Atlanta and Maryland.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR · since 1968
Asia's leading relocation group with 14 country offices across the region's primary commercial centres.
🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates · since 2011
UAE-based international removals specialist serving the GCC and worldwide destinations.
🇮🇳 Chennai, India · since 2010
India-based global relocation specialist offering fine art and pet relocation services.
🇮🇳 Bangalore, India · since 1971
India's longest-established international mover, with a door-to-door network spanning 180+ countries.
🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · since 1996
Malaysia corporate-relocation specialist and UniGroup Worldwide UTS partner with a 1,200-office network.
Partner availability on any specific corridor is confirmed when you request quotes. How we vet our partners.
Plan
Small things that make the first months easier — and the ones people most often leave too late.
Resources
There is no single country-wide price: the cost depends on where you are moving from, how much you ship, the service level and the season. Households moving a container to Costa Rica typically budget from $4,500 door-to-door as a planning benchmark. Use the MyExpatGo estimator for a route-specific range, or request quotes from vetted movers for a real price.
Plan for around 3–5 weeks door-to-door on a typical lane. Ocean freight 10–14 days to Caldera or Puerto Limón. Customs clearance, destination handling and delivery access all sit on top of the sailing time, so confirm the schedule with your mover for your specific route.
Used household goods and personal effects are the normal shipment. Relief from duty and the 13% import VAT is applied for through Household goods declaration with Law 9986 exemption approval with Dirección General de Aduanas, subject to eligibility. New purchases, alcohol, tobacco, vehicles and any restricted items are assessed separately — check the current rules with Dirección General de Aduanas before you pack.
Visa requirements depend on your nationality, purpose of stay and intended length of residence. Routes commonly used by relocating households include Pensionado (pension income), Rentista (stable income), Investor Residency. Confirm current requirements with the Costa Rica immigration authority or a qualified adviser.
San José, Escazú, Tamarindo are the main arrival cities for international households. Most people rent first, often using temporary or serviced accommodation for the first weeks while they view long-term homes and wait for their shipment to clear.
Costa Rica operates a publicly funded health system alongside a private sector. Access for new arrivals normally depends on your residence status and local registration, so check what you qualify for before you travel. Many households keep international or travel medical cover in place for the gap between departure and local enrolment. This is general information, not medical or insurance advice — confirm cover for your own circumstances before you move.
We rate it moderate. Dirección General de Aduanas grants relief on Household goods declaration with Law 9986 exemption approval, but the paperwork must be complete before arrival. Complete, accurate paperwork filed before arrival is the single biggest factor in avoiding storage and demurrage charges.
Confirm your visa or residence route, get a moving cost benchmark, compare quotes from accredited movers, file your customs relief paperwork, arrange temporary accommodation, and plan pets, vehicles and school places well ahead of your shipping date.
My Move Pro · Coming soon
My Move Pro turns this Costa Rica guidance into your own plan: the steps that apply to your household, the documents behind them, when each one is due, and what it is likely to cost.
Start with an independent cost benchmark for your route, then compare quotes from vetted movers who work this destination.
This Costa Rica guide is published for general education and planning. It is not legal, tax, immigration or customs advice, and it is not a quotation. Always confirm current requirements with Dirección General de Aduanas, your visa authority or a qualified professional before shipping. Costs and transit times are indicative benchmarks.
Regulatory and customs content last reviewed 2 September 2026.
Moving cost guide
How international moving pricing is built up.
Customs & Transfer of Residence guide
Relief rules, eligibility and paperwork.
LCL vs Groupage
Which shared-container option suits your load.
Moving money abroad
Transfers, currencies and setting up banking after you arrive.
