Costa Rica’s digital nomad stay (Law 10.008, for remote workers and providers of services abroad) asks for income from outside Costa Rica of at least USD 3,000 a month, or USD 4,000 if you apply with dependants. It turns a 90-day tourist stay into one year, renewable once for a second year, costs a USD 100 government fee and needs health insurance of at least USD 50,000 for the whole stay. You apply online through the Trámite Ya platform or in person at a migration office. Record: tracker row.
Requirements
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Income | USD 3,000 a month from outside Costa Rica; USD 4,000 with dependants | Requirements |
| Length | Extends a 90-day tourist stay to one year | Overview |
| Renewal | Once, for one more year; you must have spent at least 80 days in Costa Rica (Art. 15 of the law) | Renewal |
| Fee | USD 100, or the colón equivalent | Requirements |
| Health insurance | Covers the full authorised stay, at least USD 50,000, from an international or Costa Rican insurer; dependants insured too | Overview |
| Family | Family members may be included; applications for minors are signed by a parent | Requirements |
| Where | Trámite Ya online platform, or in person at central or regional migration (DGME) offices | Requirements |
Note the change from older versions of this page: the renewal presence rule is 80 days, not 180.
Not verified
- Processing time: not stated on the pages read.
- Criminal record and document legalisation: commonly listed by agencies; check the requirements page and DGME before applying.
- Rentista residency: a separate category for passive income that some guides compare with this stay. We did not read an official page for its amounts, so we do not print them here.
Tax
The tourism board’s overview says digital nomads are exempt from income tax; we did not read that in the statute or on a tax-office page. PwC’s summary says a person is tax resident after more than 183 days in the fiscal period and that Costa Rican-source income is taxable, without an explicit statement on foreign income (PwC). See how other countries treat foreign income in countries that do not tax foreign income.
How it compares
USD 3,000 a month sits in the middle of the lowest-income ranking, above Brazil’s USD 1,500 and below Mexico’s consulate bar of USD 4,630. For dependants and schooling across schemes, see family digital nomad visas compared.
Researched from the Costa Rica Tourism Board’s official pages and a PwC summary; read 29 Sept 2026. Not legal or tax advice.