Costa Rica Relocation Index

How Costa Rica scores

Relatively strong democratic institutions and rule-of-law compared with peers | Universal-coverage health framework supports baseline access

• Peace and conflict safety59
• Immigrant safety60
• Visa accessibility62
• Residence permit realism64
• Labor market access65
• Healthcare52
• Civil rights67
• Discrimination safety65
• Status security66
• Infrastructure reliability60
• Cost of living sustainability67

Recent news impact

In the recent news cycle (Aug 2026), Costa Rica issued an executive decree expanding state secrecy around information linked to security/intelligence structures (e.g., DIS, “Fuerza Élite,” security council materials). This may slightly worsen short-term relocation perceptions through reduced transparency and possible increased uncertainty around security governance. However, no clear, enacted migration-access restriction or asylum/residence legal tightening was identified in the supplied sources, so the net relocation effect is limited.

• Democratic Backsliding

  Aug 2026 reporting on an executive decree declaring “state secret” and applying absolute secrecy/reservation for information tied to Costa Rica’s security/intelligence structures, potentially reducing transparency and increasing uncertainty in security governance affecting the immigrant/safety outlook.

Sources

• UNODC Global Study on Homicide 2023 (Latin America and the Caribbean): Costa Rica homicide-rate discussionUNODC
• World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2024 (Costa Rica index data PDF)World Justice Project
• Freedom in the World 2025: Costa Rica (democracy and rule of law overview)Freedom House
• Universal Coverage in a Middle Income Country: Costa Rica (WHO publication page)World Health Organization
• Sistema costarricense de información jurídica (CCSS universal health insurance/legal basis excerpt)Costa Rican legal database (SCIJ, PGR)
• World Justice Project: The Rule of Law in Costa Rica (2022 key findings page)World Justice Project
• BTI 2026 Costa Rica country report (governance and rule-of-law context)Bertelsmann Stiftung (BTI Project)
• Decreto Ejecutivo N.° 45870-MSP — Se declara secreto de Estado y régimen de reserva absoluta para información vinculada a la DIS, “Fuerza Élite” y Consejo Nacional de Seguridad Pública (publicado en Alcance N.° 104 a La Gaceta N.° 149; fecha de publicación 10/08/2026 según reportes)Teletica