Quick answers: healthcare in Costa Rica
- How much does health insurance cost in Costa Rica for expats?
- Indicative international health insurance for a 32-year-old living in Costa Rica (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA) typically costs £241 to £334 a month, with a median of £263 and the cheapest at £181, based on 12 plan quotes from the 14 insurers on our panel, taken in 2026-09. Your price depends on your age, medical history, plan and deductible, and is only confirmed by the insurer.
- How much does expat health insurance cost by age in Costa Rica?
- Indicative median monthly premiums in Costa Rica (inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA): age 25 US$264, age 35 US$347, age 45 US$429, age 55 US$702, age 65 US$1,220. Quotes taken 2026-09; the insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
- Do foreigners need health insurance in Costa Rica?
- It depends on the visa. Tourists: Visitors get only their first emergency treatment free, and all later treatment is charged. Digital nomad (remote worker stay): Under Law 10008, each applicant and each family member must hold a medical services policy that lasts for the whole stay and covers medical expenses for illness in Costa Rica of at least USD 50,000. Digital nomad (remote worker stay): The stay lasts one year and can be extended once by another year, which requires at least 180 days in the country during the first year. Temporary and permanent residents: Residents must show CCSS insurance from the date residency was granted in order to renew their residence card. Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Can foreigners use public healthcare in Costa Rica?
- The Migration Law (Ley 8764) says temporary and permanent residents must show CCSS insurance from the date residency was granted. Temporary residents must show it without a break up to the renewal of their residence card. Voluntarily insured people and migrants pay contributions set by CCSS scales: health insurance (SEM) totals 12% of the declared contribution base, and the member's share rises with income, from 2.89% to 10.69%, with the state paying the rest. Pensions (IVM) total 9.59%, of which the member pays 4.00% to 8.26%. The monthly amount depends on the category and income declared at registration. The digital nomad stay is not residency, and its rules require private medical insurance, not the Caja.
- Do hospitals in Costa Rica ask foreigners to pay upfront?
- Yes. The US State Department says private hospitals usually want payment or proof of insurance before treating you, that most providers only accept cash, and that most do not accept US health insurance. Hospital CIMA says its accounts department checks payments for outpatient care, hospital stays and surgery in advance.
- What is the emergency number in Costa Rica?
- Call 911 for an ambulance in Costa Rica.
What health insurance costs in Costa Rica (indicative)
These are indicative prices, based on 12 plan quotes from the 14 international insurers on our panel, for one standard profile: a 32-year-old living in Costa Rica, inpatient and outpatient cover, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA. The typical monthly price is £241 to £334, with a median of £263 and the cheapest at £181. Your actual price depends on your age, medical history, the plan, your deductible and where you want cover, and is only confirmed by the insurer. Snapshot 2026-09-24. See the Health Insurance Cost Index.
Indicative prices: the 5 lowest of 12 plan quotes, monthly in GBP, cheapest mid-level plan in each insurer's range. Quotes taken 2026-09-24.
See the figures
| Age | Cheapest | Median | Higher end | Plans quoted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | US$168 | US$264 | US$290 | 13 |
| 35 | US$234 | US$347 | US$369 | 13 |
| 45 | US$266 | US$429 | US$526 | 13 |
| 55 | US$447 | US$702 | US$797 | 13 |
| 65 | US$700 | US$1,220 | US$1,463 | 12 |
Indicative. Single adult, inpatient and outpatient, cheapest mid-level plan per insurer, worldwide excluding the USA. Quotes taken 2026-09-29. The insurer confirms the final price. Shown in US$. Other HealthiNomad prices are in GBP.
How healthcare works for expats
Costa Rica has a public system run by the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS, known as the Caja), plus private hospitals in the San José and Escazú area. Legal residents must be insured with the CCSS. Remote workers staying under Law 10008 have to hold private medical insurance instead. Visitors get only their first emergency treatment free, and every later treatment is charged, so private insurance is the practical route for anyone who is not a resident.
Public care and state schemes
The Migration Law (Ley 8764) says temporary and permanent residents must show CCSS insurance from the date residency was granted. Temporary residents must show it without a break up to the renewal of their residence card. Voluntarily insured people and migrants pay contributions set by CCSS scales: health insurance (SEM) totals 12% of the declared contribution base, and the member's share rises with income, from 2.89% to 10.69%, with the state paying the rest. Pensions (IVM) total 9.59%, of which the member pays 4.00% to 8.26%. The monthly amount depends on the category and income declared at registration. The digital nomad stay is not residency, and its rules require private medical insurance, not the Caja.
Private hospitals
The main private hospitals in the capital area are Hospital CIMA (Escazú), Hospital Clínica Bíblica, Hospital Metropolitano and Hospital Internacional La Católica. Clínica Bíblica publishes fixed prices for its vaginal birth and caesarean packages and sells a membership called Mi Vida. Mi Vida is a discount plan, not insurance: from CRC 9,900 a month it gives 25% off hospital stays and 20% off specialist visits, imaging and emergencies. La Católica's maternity packages leave out physician fees, which are quoted separately, and do not cover complications. The patient pays and then claims back from their insurer. No hospital page we checked lists direct billing agreements with international insurers.
Paying up front
Yes. The US State Department says private hospitals usually want payment or proof of insurance before treating you, that most providers only accept cash, and that most do not accept US health insurance. Hospital CIMA says its accounts department checks payments for outpatient care, hospital stays and surgery in advance.
Typical medical costs in Costa Rica
Published prices, mostly from private hospitals. Pound figures are approximate conversions.
| Treatment | Price | About |
|---|---|---|
| General medicine (GP) consultation, private doctors listed in Escazú on the HuliHealth booking directory3 San José, per consultation | CRC 25,000 to CRC 70,000 | £41 to £115 |
| Specialist consultation (internal medicine and gastroenterology), private doctors in Escazú including at Hospital CIMA, Hospital Metropolitano, La Católica and Clínica Bíblica4,7 San José, per consultation | CRC 60,000 to CRC 77,000 | £98 to £126 |
| General dentistry consultation, private dentists in Escazú including Hospital CIMA5 San José, per consultation | CRC 15,000 to CRC 50,000 | £25 to £82 |
| Colonoscopy, Clínica Integral Soutien (Curridabat)6 San José, per procedure | CRC 195,000 | £320 |
| Gastroscopy with sedation, Clínica Integral Soutien (Curridabat)6 San José, per procedure | CRC 85,000 | £139 |
| Vaginal birth package, Hospital Clínica Bíblica (VAT included)1 San José, per package | CRC 920,461 | £1,509 |
| Caesarean package, Hospital Clínica Bíblica (VAT included)1 San José, per package | CRC 1,107,716 | £1,817 |
| Mi Vida discount membership, Hospital Clínica Bíblica (not insurance), individual, lowest published price2 San José, per month | CRC 9,900 | £16 |
Health insurance rules for foreigners
Tourists
Visitors get only their first emergency treatment free, and all later treatment is charged. The UK FCDO advises having travel health insurance and funds to cover treatment and repatriation.15
Digital nomad (remote worker stay)
Under Law 10008, each applicant and each family member must hold a medical services policy that lasts for the whole stay and covers medical expenses for illness in Costa Rica of at least USD 50,000. The policy can come from an insurer authorised by Costa Rica's insurance regulator (SUGESE) or be an international policy.9,11
Digital nomad (remote worker stay)
The stay lasts one year and can be extended once by another year, which requires at least 180 days in the country during the first year. Applicants must show stable income from abroad of at least USD 3,000 a month, or USD 4,000 with family members, and pay a USD 100 application fee to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería. The law does not require CCSS enrolment.10,11,14
Temporary and permanent residents
Residents must show CCSS insurance from the date residency was granted in order to renew their residence card. Temporary residents must show it without a break up to renewal. Contributions follow the CCSS scale for voluntarily insured people and migrants: health 12% and pensions 9.59% of the declared contribution base, split between the member and the state.12,13
Workers
Foreign cross-border workers must pay into the CCSS social security system and into work injury insurance (Riesgos del Trabajo) with the Instituto Nacional de Seguros.12
Tips before you buy cover
- If you apply for the remote worker stay, check that your policy certificate shows at least USD 50,000 of medical cover in Costa Rica and runs for the full stay. Each family member needs their own qualifying policy.
- Carry your insurance details or a payment card when you go to a private hospital. Private hospitals usually ask for payment or proof of insurance before treatment, and many providers take cash only.
- Budget for birth packages to exceed the published price. Clínica Bíblica's vaginal birth package is CRC 920,461 and its caesarean package is CRC 1,107,716, and La Católica's packages leave out physician fees and complications. Choose a maternity benefit that covers doctors' fees and complications as well as the hospital package.
- Once you become a resident you must join the CCSS, and a break in contributions can cause problems at card renewal. Many residents keep private insurance as well so they can use private hospitals.
- A hospital membership such as Clínica Bíblica's Mi Vida (from CRC 9,900 a month) only gives discounts. It does not meet the insurance requirement for the remote worker stay and does not replace medical insurance.
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Sources
- 1.Maternidad, Hospital Clínica Bíblica (2026)
- 2.Mi Vida, Hospital Clínica Bíblica (2026)
- 3.Medicina General doctores cerca de Escazú, San José, HuliHealth (2026-09)
- 4.Medicina Interna doctores cerca de Escazú, San José, HuliHealth (2026-09)
- 5.Odontología General cerca de Escazú, San José, HuliHealth (2026-09)
- 6.Promociones y precios: Gastroscopias y Colonoscopias, Clínica Integral Soutien (2026)
- 7.Gastroenterología doctores cerca de Escazú, San José, HuliHealth (2026-09)
- 8.Paquetes de Maternidad, Hospital Internacional La Católica (2026)
- 9.Digital Nomads Medical Services Policy, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica) (2026)
- 10.Digital Nomads Requirements, Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Visit Costa Rica) (2026)
- 11.Ley N° 10008, Ley para atraer trabajadores y prestadores remotos de servicios de carácter internacional, Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica (via RINDHCA) (2021-08)
- 12.Ley General de Migración y Extranjería N° 8764, Título VI Categorías migratorias, Defensoría de los Habitantes de Costa Rica (2009)
- 13.Especificación de Escalas Contributivas para trabajadores independientes, asegurados voluntarios y migrantes (enero 2025), Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (2025-01)
- 14.CCSS Registration in Costa Rica (2026), CRIE (2026-09)
- 15.Costa Rica travel advice: Health, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (2026-09)
- 16.Costa Rica International Travel Information, US Department of State (2025-08)
- 17.GBP to CRC currency converter, XE (2026-08)
- 18.Baby CIMA, Hospital CIMA (2026)
Costs and rules change. Always check with the hospital, the insurer or the relevant authority before relying on a figure.