Pensionado (Retiree) Visa
Retire in Costa Rica on Social Security
The Pensionado visa asks for just $1,000 a month in lifetime passive income, with no minimum age to qualify.
Why retirees pick Costa Rica
Pura vida is real here: warm weather, a stable democracy with no army, and strong universal healthcare system. San Jose is a five-hour flight from Miami, so the grandkids can stay close, too.
What your money buys
Low cost of living
A couple lives well on about $2,500 a month.
Healthcare that works
Join the public Caja, then add low-cost private care.
Close to home
Short flights to the US and a US-friendly time zone.
The Pensionado, simply
Show a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 a month, and you're most of the way there. One pension covers a spouse, so couples don't need to show $2,000 in order to qualify. Here's the catch: you can't work a salaried job in Costa Rica, but you can run a business or live on income from abroad.
- US Social Security
- A government or military pension
- A qualifying private pension or annuity
- Disability income
Retiree Visa (Pensionado)
For retirees with a guaranteed lifetime pension. Temporary residency is granted first; permanent residency is possible after three years if at least 180 days per year are spent in Costa Rica.
- Government cost
- $2,815
- Processing time
- ~90 days
- Timeline
- Temporary, then permanent after 3 years
- Difficulty
- Easy
Key requirements
- Proof of lifetime pension income of at least $1,000/month
- Medical insurance valid in Costa Rica
Scouting Trips
See Costa Rica like a future resident before you commit
Tour the Central Valley and coast with our hosts before you decide.
- We walk neighborhoods
- Meet local experts
- Tour healthcare facilities
- Explore housing options
- Help you understand what daily life actually feels like
Costa Rica experts who can help
StartAbroad
Costa Rica Relocation Specialist
Zach and Anna handle visas, real estate, and the whole move. They also host our Costa Rica scouting trips.
Robbie Parker & Steve Clayson
Costa Rica Local Guide
On-the-ground guides for home searches and settling in, with deep LGBTQ+ know-how.
Where retirees land
Escazú
San Jose's upscale suburb
The comfortable San Jose suburb where the private hospitals, international schools, and American-style malls all cluster, tucked under the hills west of the capital. Plenty of people here never learn Spanish. Traffic into the city is punishing, and this is the least Costa Rican corner of Costa Rica.
Guanacaste
Pacific beaches, dry heat
Costa Rica's northwest, where Liberia's airport takes direct US flights and the beach towns spread south from there, Tamarindo and Nosara among them. The dry season runs December to April and turns the hills brown and hot. Towns are far apart, so a car is not optional.
La Fortuna
Volcano, waterfalls, and hot springs
The adventure hub at the foot of Arenal Volcano, with waterfalls, hanging bridges, hot springs, and Lake Arenal on the doorstep. It's greener, rainier, and more touristy than the coast, with a smaller expat scene and a longer drive to a big hospital. Great for people who want jungle over beach.
Southern Pacific
Where jungle meets sea
The Costa Ballena run from Dominical through Uvita to Ojochal, where rainforest drops straight into the water and a sandbar shaped like a whale's tail sits off the national park. Humpbacks calve here much of the year. One of the wettest coasts in the country, and the roads show it.
Common questions
Can I work on the Pensionado visa?
You can't take a salaried job with a Costa Rican employer. You can own and run a business, invest, and earn rental or remote income. After three years you can move to permanent residency, which drops the work restriction.
How much income do I need for the Pensionado visa?
You show a lifetime pension of at least $1,000 a month from a qualifying source, like US Social Security or a government or private pension. There's no minimum age, and one $1,000 pension covers your spouse and children under 25 as dependents.
Can my spouse and I combine our pensions to reach $1,000?
No. The main applicant has to hit the full $1,000 alone. The good news is that one qualifying $1,000 pension then covers your spouse and dependent kids, so couples don't each need their own.
How long does it take, and does it lead to permanent residency?
Immigration's official target is about 90 days, but in practice budget several months. You get temporary residency first, renewed every two years, then you can apply for permanent residency after three years and citizenship after seven.
Does Costa Rica tax my Social Security or pension?
No. Costa Rica only taxes income earned inside the country, so your US Social Security, pensions, and investment income aren't taxed there. You still file a US return every year, since the US taxes citizens on worldwide income.
Do I have to join the public healthcare system?
Yes. Once your residency is approved you enroll in the public Caja (CCSS) and pay a monthly amount based on your declared income, often somewhere around $60 to $130 on the minimum pension. Many retirees add private insurance for faster specialist visits.
You can actually do this.
Thousands of Americans have already moved abroad.