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Costa Rica

Pura vida with a genuine territorial tax system: your foreign income stays tax-free. An honest assessment.

Tax system

Territorial 😃: foreign income tax-free

Naturalisation

7 years

from the first residence, temporary counts (5 yrs for Ibero-Americans, Spaniards)

Presence required

Low: at least 1 entry per year (administrative practice) · Naturalisation: no departure of more than 3 months

CRS status

✓ CRS participant

Sources for these facts

Naturalisation: tse.go.cr, checked on 24 October 2026.
Presence required: tse.go.cr, checked on 24 October 2026.
CRS status: oecd.org, checked on 24 October 2026.
Tax system: taxsummaries.pwc.com, checked on 24 October 2026.

Why Costa Rica?

Pura vida with a genuine territorial tax system: your foreign income stays tax-free. An honest assessment.

Costa Rica has a genuine territorial tax system: your foreign income, whether dividends, interest or foreign pensions, stays tax-free, regardless of how many days you spend in the country. Add pura vida, lush nature and one of the most stable and greenest democracies in the world, with no army since 1948. The programmes are established and predictable (pensionado since 1971). To be fair: Costa Rica is neither the cheapest nor the fastest country, and an income-based CAJA health insurance contribution belongs in your calculation.

✓A genuine territorial system: 0% on foreign income, regardless of days of presence
✓One of the most stable and greenest democracies in the world, no army since 1948
✓Established, predictable programmes (pensionado since 1971)
✓Low presence requirement: one entry a year is enough to keep your status
✓Dual citizenship possible

Residence permits and residency options

Pensionado

USD 1,000 a month in lifelong pension (a real pension or annuity, not investment income). Temporary residence first, permanent residency after 3 years.

Rentista

USD 2,500 a month in guaranteed passive income over 2 years.

Inversionista

Investment in property, a business or an approved project. The reduced threshold of USD 150,000 under Law 9996 applied only within its five-year window, which ended on 14 July 2026; anyone who opted into the law's benefits by then keeps them for ten years from the grant (Article 12). For new applications, no accessible rule sets the threshold unambiguously: the regulation to Law 9996 (Decreto 43926) still names USD 150,000 and in 2023 repealed the earlier rule of USD 200,000, but the law itself limits the USD 150,000 to its term. We clarify which threshold the migration authority applies today before you apply.

Digital Nomad

A visa for remote workers, up to 2 years, income from around USD 3,000 a month, duty-free import of work equipment.

Presence & Status

To keep your status: at least one entry a year, which makes Costa Rica low-presence and suitable as a Plan B. Permanent residency after 3 years of temporary residence. For naturalisation (7 years, 5 for Ibero-Americans and Spaniards), real presence and ties count.

Tax in Costa Rica

Territorial 😃: foreign income tax-free

Costa Rica is a genuine territorial state: only income from Costa Rican sources is taxed (progressive up to around 25%). Your foreign income, whether dividends, interest or foreign pensions, stays tax-free, no matter how many days you spend in the country. That is the real core: no worldwide income, no complicated reporting logic on foreign earnings.

One cost belongs in an honest picture, although it is not a tax: every resident pays into the state health insurance CAJA, an income-based monthly contribution (roughly 7% to 11% of declared income). It secures your healthcare and must be kept up to date, otherwise your residency renewal stalls. On pensions: Costa Rica does not tax foreign pensions, but whether your pension stays taxable at home depends on your country and its treaty with Costa Rica. The overview below shows where you stand; we check your case.

Your home country and Costa Rica

Your pension and health cover from home

Moving to Costa Rica does not by itself end your obligations at home. Pick your country below: each answer is checked against the law and the tax or pension authority of that country.

Home country	Tax treaty	Social security	State pension abroad	Health cover
United States	None	None	Paid to citizens in all 12 countries	Medicare usually does not cover care abroad
Canada	None	None	CPP paid abroad; OAS needs 20 years' residence	Provincial cover ends after the allowed absence
United Kingdom	None	None	Paid, but frozen at the first rate in all 12	NHS entitlement ends; S1 not available
Ireland	None	None	Contributory pension paid abroad	Medical card tied to living in Ireland
Australia	None	None	Age Pension portable, pro rata below 35 years	Medicare ends when you stop residing
New Zealand	None	None	NZ Super pro rata; apply 6 weeks before leaving	Citizens keep public health eligibility
Sweden	None	None	Income pension paid; guarantee pension stops	Swedish insurance generally ends
Norway	None	None	Paid; guarantee pension needs 20 years' residence	Folketrygden membership ends after 12 months
Denmark	None	None	Basic amount only, after 30 years' residence	Yellow card cover ends
Finland	None	None	Earnings pension paid; Kela pension stops	Kela cover ends on a permanent move
Netherlands	None	Signed, not in force	AOW paid; rate depends on the treaty	Zvw insurance ends with residence

United StatesPaid to citizens in all 12 countriesNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

Citizenship-based taxation

US citizens remain taxable on worldwide income and must keep filing Form 1040 while living abroad, with an automatic extension to June 15 (interest runs from April 15). Earned income can be excluded up to $132,900 for 2026 under section 911 (Form 2555) with a foreign tax home and bona fide residence or 330 full days abroad in 12 months; pensions and Social Security are not covered. Foreign income tax can be credited (Form 1116) except on excluded income, and treaty saving clauses generally keep US tax on citizens. FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is required above $10,000 in foreign accounts, and Form 8938 above $200,000 at year end or $300,000 at any time for a single filer living abroad.

Sources: 26 U.S.C. 911, Citizens or residents of the United States living abroad (govinfo) · IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments) · IRS 2025 Instructions for Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income · IRS: Foreign earned income exclusion · IRS: Foreign tax credit · FinCEN: Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts

State pension paid abroad

US citizens can receive Social Security in all 12 destinations: the alien nonpayment rule of Social Security Act section 202(t) does not apply to citizens, and only Cuba and North Korea are Treasury-restricted. Non-citizen beneficiaries lose payment after six full calendar months abroad unless an exception applies, such as a totalization agreement or the social insurance exception that SSA lists for citizens of 11 of the 12 destinations (not Paraguay). Citizens are taxed on benefits as usual; for nonresident aliens 85 percent of the benefit is taxed at 30 percent, and none of the 12 destinations is on the IRS list of treaty countries whose residents are exempt.

Sources: SSA POMS RS 02610.001, Alien Nonpayment Provisions · 42 U.S.C. 402 (Social Security Act section 202) (govinfo) · SSA POMS RS 02610.010, Exceptions to the Alien Nonpayment Provisions (ANP) · SSA POMS RS 02610.015, Status of Countries for Alien Nonpayment Provision (ANP) Exceptions Based on Citizenship · SSA POMS RS 02650.001, Treasury Department Restrictions · IRS Publication 915 (2025), Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits

Private and occupational pensions

US pensions and annuities paid to a US citizen abroad remain taxable in the US, and a citizen or resident cannot opt out of federal withholding on payments delivered outside the United States (section 3405(e)(13)); for lump sums delivered abroad the rate cannot be set below 10 percent. Nonresident aliens owe 30 percent on US-source annuities under section 871(a), withheld on the gross amount, unless a treaty reduces it; Publication 515 notes most treaties exempt non-government pensions but not always lump sums. A covered expatriate is treated as receiving IRAs in full the day before expatriation and suffers 30 percent withholding on eligible deferred compensation.

Public health cover

Medicare usually does not cover care received outside the United States, apart from limited foreign inpatient hospital exceptions, and Medicare drug plans do not cover drugs bought abroad (section 1862(a)(4) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)(4)). Medigap policies may cover emergency care abroad. Anyone who delays Part B enrollment without a Special Enrollment Period pays a premium surcharge of 10 percent for each full 12-month period of delay.

Sources: Medicare.gov: Travel outside the U.S. · 42 U.S.C. 1395y, Exclusions from coverage and medicare as secondary payer (govinfo) · Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties

CanadaCPP paid abroad; OAS needs 20 years' residenceNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

CPP is payable abroad after at least one valid contribution and rises each January with the Consumer Price Index. OAS is payable abroad only after 20 years of residence in Canada after age 18 (or 20 years combined with a social security agreement country); otherwise it can stop after six months abroad, and GIS and the Allowances stop after six months. OAS rises each January, April, July and October. Both are subject to 25% non-resident tax unless a treaty reduces it: Service Canada lists 15% for Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador (first CAD 12,000 of Canadian pensions exempt with Form NR5), Mexico and Peru, 25% or 0% for Brazil (0% only for Brazilian nationals resident there), and 25% for all countries not listed, which includes Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. Non-resident OAS recipients must file the OAS Return of Income for the recovery tax unless a treaty limits it.

Sources: CRA, Non-residents of Canada · Income Tax Act, section 212 (Justice Laws) · Service Canada, Taxes: Foreign and Canadian pensions and benefits (non-resident tax rates by country) · CRA, Pensions and similar payments (Part XIII special payments) · CRA, Electing under section 217 · CRA, IC76-12 Applicable rate of Part XIII tax on amounts paid or credited to persons in countries with which Canada has a tax convention

Private and occupational pensions

Pension benefits, RRSP and RRIF payments and retiring allowances paid to a non-resident bear 25% Part XIII withholding under subsection 212(1) of the Income Tax Act, which is usually the final Canadian tax, unless a treaty reduces the rate. A treaty reduction or exemption is claimed on Form NR5 (filed every five years) and applies only after written CRA authorization; alternatively a section 217 election lets the non-resident file a return and pay tax at resident rates. RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs and pension rights are not subject to the departure deemed disposition, and a TFSA can be kept but not contributed to while non-resident.

Public health cover

Public health insurance is provincial: each province decides who is an eligible resident and how many days a year must be spent there, and most provincial plans give little or no cover for care outside Canada. In Ontario, for example, cancelling the health card on a move out of the province keeps OHIP for the allowable period, generally 90 days, and the extended two-year absence rules apply only to temporary absences. On a later return, re-registration can involve a wait of up to three months. Keeping provincial health cover also counts as a secondary residential tie for tax residence.

Sources: Health Canada, How publicly funded health care coverage works · Global Affairs Canada (travel.gc.ca), Retiring outside Canada · Government of Ontario, Replace, cancel or change information on your health card · Government of Ontario, OHIP coverage while outside Canada · CRA Income Tax Folio S5-F1-C1, Determining an Individual's Residence Status

Quebec

A Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) retirement pension already in payment continues wherever you live, can be paid by direct deposit in several countries, and is taxable and indexed each January to the cost of living. You cannot ask for Quebec provincial tax to be withheld from it: the tax rate that applies is determined by the Canada Revenue Agency. A person who contributed to both the QPP and the CPP and lives outside Canada applies to the plan of the last province of residence, that is Retraite Québec if it was Quebec. Canada's federal social security agreements cover only OAS and CPP; Quebec has its own agreements with 39 countries covering QPP retirement, disability and death benefits, and among the 12 destinations only Brazil (in force 1 October 2016), Chile (1 November 1999) and Uruguay (1 January 2002) have one. Under section 5 of the RAMQ eligibility regulation (chapter A-29, r. 1), a person who settles outside Canada ceases to be a Quebec resident for health insurance from the day of departure, or from the day of settling abroad if that happens during a stay outside Quebec; RAMQ health insurance and the public prescription drug plan end on that day. Even without a move, a resident absent from Quebec 183 days or more in a calendar year (ignoring stays of 21 consecutive days or less) loses that status for the year (s. 6), with exceptions such as studies or work outside Quebec for a Quebec-based employer if RAMQ is notified (s. 7). Quebec's reciprocal agreements with a health component cover only eleven European countries, none of the 12 Latin American destinations.

Sources: Revenu Québec, Vous avez quitté le Québec (live page) · Revenu Québec, Leaving Québec (live page) · LégisQuébec, Loi sur les impôts (chapitre I-3), à jour au 12 août 2026 (Internet Archive snapshot 2026-10-21 of the official text; live LégisQuébec returned HTTP 502/403) · LégisQuébec, Règlement sur l'admissibilité et l'inscription des personnes auprès de la Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (chapitre A-29, r. 1), à jour au 1er décembre 2025 (Internet Archive snapshot 2026-04-11 of the official text; live LégisQuébec returned HTTP 502/403) · RAMQ, Déménagement hors Québec (live page) · RAMQ, Moving outside Québec (live page)

United KingdomPaid, but frozen at the first rate in all 12None

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

The UK State Pension is paid worldwide, including to residents of all 12 destinations, into a local or UK bank account. It is uprated each year only in the EEA, Switzerland, Gibraltar and listed social security agreement countries; none of the 12 destinations is on that list (the UK-Chile convention covers contributions only), so the pension stays at the rate first paid abroad and rises to the current rate only if the pensioner returns to live in the UK. It is taxable but paid without tax deducted, and HMRC says non-residents do not usually pay UK tax on it; a treaty exempts it from UK tax only if its pensions or other income article covers it.

Sources: DWP, Countries where we pay an annual increase in the State Pension · GOV.UK, State Pension if you retire abroad (printable guide) · GOV.UK, Tax on your UK income if you live abroad (printable guide) · HMRC, Form DT-Individual and notes (PDF) · HMRC, Double Taxation: Treaty Relief (Form DT-Individual) · GOV.UK, Tax codes (printable guide)

Private and occupational pensions

UK occupational and personal pensions paid to a non-resident are taxable in the UK under PAYE unless treaty relief applies; most UK treaties let them be paid without UK tax to a resident of the other country, claimed on form DT-Individual (relief at source, then an NT 'no tax' code, or a repayment). UK government service pensions are usually taxed only in the UK. Without an in-force treaty (Paraguay, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Brazil until its 2022 treaty enters into force) UK tax stays, with the Personal Allowance available to British citizens on a yearly R43 claim. Pension lump sums received during temporary non-residence of 5 years or less can be taxed on return.

Public health cover

The NHS is residence-based, so a permanent move abroad ends automatic entitlement to NHS treatment under normal rules, and the leaver should ask the GP practice to remove them from the register. The S1 scheme that funds healthcare abroad for UK State Pension recipients applies only in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, so it does not cover the 12 Latin American destinations.

Sources: NHS website, Planning your healthcare when living abroad

IrelandContributory pension paid abroadNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

State Pension (Contributory) is payable from age 66 with at least 520 full-rate PRSI contributions, and the Department of Social Protection pays it during a permanent absence, into an Irish account or into an account in the country of residence (by EFT where available, otherwise by cheque). The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) and Household Benefits are not paid to people living outside the State. Revenue states that Irish State Pensions are taxed by the country of residence and are not governmental pensions for treaty purposes. None of the 12 destinations has a social security agreement with Ireland, so periods there cannot be combined with Irish contributions.

Sources: gov.ie (Department of Social Protection): State Pension (Contributory) · gov.ie (DSP): Operational Guidelines: State Pension Contributory · gov.ie (DSP): Operational Guidelines: Payment-related issues · Revenue: If you have retired and are moving abroad · gov.ie (DSP): Operational Guidelines: Application of Bilateral Agreements (last updated 10 June 2025) · Revenue Tax and Duty Manual Part 34-00-01

Private and occupational pensions

A private-sector occupational pension paid to a non-resident is taxed only in the country of residence when that country has a double taxation agreement with Ireland, and a PAYE Exclusion Order can stop Irish deduction; in a country without a DTA it stays taxed in Ireland. Of the 12 destinations, the treaties with Mexico and Panama give the residence country sole taxing rights over private pensions, while the Chile treaty lets the source state tax pensions at up to 10% of the gross amount. Public-sector pensions are generally taxed in Ireland, and withdrawals from ARFs and vested PRSAs, and a fund balance taken as a taxable lump sum, are taxed at source regardless of residence with no PAYE Exclusion Order.

Public health cover

Eligibility for an Irish medical card is tied to living in Ireland: the HSE says anyone who lives in the Republic of Ireland and plans to live there for at least one year can apply. The HSE pages consulted do not set out what happens to an existing medical card or to public hospital entitlement after emigration.

Sources: HSE: What the medical card covers

AustraliaAge Pension portable, pro rata below 35 yearsNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

The Age Pension requires pension age and, in general, 10 years of qualifying Australian residence, and the Social Security Act 1991 gives it an unlimited portability period, so it can continue to be paid to a resident of any of the 12 countries. After more than 26 weeks of continuous absence the rate is the domestic rate multiplied by a residence factor: 1 (full rate) with 35 years (420 months) or more of Australian working life residence between age 16 and pension age, and proportionally less below that. A pension granted within 2 years of returning to Australia is not payable abroad if the person leaves again within those 2 years. Where a social security agreement applies it overrides these portability rules; the only one in force with a portfolio country is Chile (in force 1 October 2009), which counts Chilean insurance periods toward Australian minimum qualifying periods, while the agreement with Uruguay is signed but not yet in force. How Australia taxes an Age Pension paid to a non-resident, and the treaty rules for such pensions, could not be verified at a primary source.

Sources: Social Security Act 1991, Compilation No. 234 (20 September 2026), Volume 1, s 43 · Social Security Act 1991, Compilation No. 234 (20 September 2026), Volume 4, Part 4.2 (ss 1211 to 1221) · Social Security (International Agreements) Act 1999, Compilation No. 56 (9 September 2026), Volume 1 (ss 1 to 25, Schedules 2 to 15) · Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994, Compilation No. 159 (1 July 2026), Volume 2, Schedule 1 · Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994, Compilation No. 159 (1 July 2026), Volume 1 · Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, Compilation No. 268 (1 October 2026), Volume 6, ss 301-170, 301-175

Private and occupational pensions

Superannuation of Australian citizens and permanent residents stays preserved after departure until a condition of release is met, for example retirement after preservation age (60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964) or reaching age 65; leaving Australia is not itself a condition of release for them. The departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP) applies only to former temporary visa holders who have left Australia and whose visa has ceased, and the release rules expressly exclude Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and permanent residents. DASP is taxed at nil on the tax-free component, 35% on the taxed element and 45% on the untaxed element (65% on amounts from contributions made as a working holiday maker). For other investment income paid to non-residents, domestic withholding tax is 30% on unfranked dividends (franked dividends are exempt), 10% on interest and 30% on royalties, before any treaty reduction. The withholding or tax treatment of superannuation income streams and lump sums paid to non-resident citizens, and the reduced treaty rates, could not be verified at a primary source.

Public health cover

Medicare eligibility under the Health Insurance Act 1973 depends on being an 'Australian resident', defined as a person who resides in Australia and is a citizen, a permanent visa holder or in another listed category. Medicare benefits are paid for professional services rendered in Australia. A person who stops residing in Australia therefore falls outside the statutory definition and has no Medicare cover abroad; Services Australia's procedural guidance on leaving could not be retrieved.

Sources: Health Insurance Act 1973, Compilation No. 136 (19 September 2026), Volume 1, ss 3 and 10

New ZealandNZ Super pro rata; apply 6 weeks before leavingNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

NZ Super stops when you leave New Zealand unless you apply (at least 6 weeks before leaving, while ordinarily resident in New Zealand) and qualify in your own right; living in the UK is excluded. None of the 12 destinations has a social security agreement with New Zealand, so the general rule applies: the rate is the months lived in New Zealand between ages 20 and 65 divided by 540, applied to the single or couple rate ($595.57 gross a week single), and an overseas pension does not reduce it. NZ Super paid to someone living overseas (other than humanitarian workers) is not taxed in New Zealand and may be taxed in the new country. For people turning 65 from 1 July 2024 the residence requirement rises gradually from 10 to 20 years since age 20 (20 years for those born on or after 1 July 1977), with at least 5 years since age 50.

Sources: Work and Income: Living overseas if you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension · Work and Income: Travelling overseas for more than 26 weeks · Work and Income: NZ Super and Veteran's Pension residency changes 2024 · Inland Revenue: Getting my KiwiSaver funds when I move overseas · Inland Revenue: Deduct NRWT at the right rate · Inland Revenue: Tax for non-resident taxpayers

Private and occupational pensions

KiwiSaver members moving permanently to Australia may transfer to an Australian superannuation scheme; members living in any other country can withdraw most of their savings (not government contributions) after 1 year overseas, or ask their provider to transfer to an approved foreign superannuation scheme. Interest, dividends and royalties paid to non-residents bear non-resident withholding tax: without a treaty 15% on interest and royalties and 30% on dividends, with a 2% approved issuer levy available instead of NRWT on certain debt; under the treaties Chile is listed at 10% interest and 15% dividends, Mexico at 10% interest and 0, 5 or 15% dividends. Non-resident investors in portfolio investment entities move to a 28% prescribed investor rate. The New Zealand tax treatment of occupational superannuation pensions and lump sums paid to non-residents was not verified at a primary source.

Public health cover

New Zealand citizens remain eligible for publicly funded health and disability services after moving abroad: Health New Zealand states that time spent overseas does not affect a citizen's eligibility. A citizen who is only in New Zealand temporarily may not be able to enrol with a primary health organisation (general practice). ACC cover for accidents overseas is available only to New Zealand residents and only in limited situations.

Sources: Health New Zealand: Publicly funded healthcare (eligibility)

SwedenIncome pension paid; guarantee pension stopsNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

Pensionsmyndigheten pays the income pension, premium pension and supplementary pension wherever you live, including in Latin America, to a Swedish or foreign account, against an annual life certificate. The guarantee pension (garantipension) is residence-based and stops when you move from Sweden for more than a year (Canada is the only exception); the income pension supplement is paid only in the EU/EEA, Switzerland or a social security agreement country, which among the 12 destinations means Chile only. Non-residents with limited tax liability pay SINK, a final withholding tax of 22.5 percent in 2026 and 20 percent from 1 January 2027, with a monthly tax-free amount (SEK 3,799 in 2026) on public pensions; Pensionsmyndigheten withholds 22.5 or 0 percent depending on the treaty. Treaties differ: the Chile treaty lets Sweden tax pensions, the Argentina treaty lets both states tax pensions and social security payments, and the Brazil treaty taxes pensions up to USD 4,000 a year only in the country of residence.

Sources: Pensionsmyndigheten: Du som är bosatt utanför Sverige · Pensionsmyndigheten: Planera att flytta från Sverige · Pensionsmyndigheten (news): Garantipension upphör för utlandsbosatta · Socialförsäkringsbalk (2010:110), as amended up to SFS 2026:1658 (Riksdagen open data) · Pensionsmyndigheten: Utbetalning av din pension till annat land · Lag (1991:586) om särskild inkomstskatt för utomlands bosatta (Sveriges riksdag)

Private and occupational pensions

Occupational pensions (tjänstepension) for work mainly performed in Sweden and pensions from private pension insurance issued by a Swedish insurer are taxable under SINK at the same flat rate (sections 5 and 7 of the SINK Act, Lag 1991:586). Income exempted by a tax treaty is exempt from SINK, and a non-resident can instead ask to be taxed under the Income Tax Act for the year. Treaty pension articles (see statePension) also apply to these pensions.

Public health cover

Public healthcare in Sweden is residence-based: regions must offer care to people resident in the region, and for social insurance a person who leaves stays resident only if the stay abroad is expected to last at most one year. After a permanent move to Latin America you are generally no longer insured in Sweden; Försäkringskassan decides after you notify it of the move. As a Swedish citizen living outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK you can still get care that cannot wait during visits to Sweden at Swedish patient fees, and residents of the 12 destinations are not on the list of countries whose residents pay full cost for planned care, provided they use the region where they were last registered.

Sources: Socialförsäkringsbalk (2010:110), as amended up to SFS 2026:1658 (Riksdagen open data) · Hälso- och sjukvårdslag (2017:30) (Riksdagen open data) · Försäkringskassan: Flytta utomlands · 1177 (regions' national health information service): Vård i Sverige om du är utlandssvensk

NorwayPaid; guarantee pension needs 20 years' residenceNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

Nav pays Norwegian old-age pension abroad, including to a bank in the country of residence, but never as a lump sum. Outside the EEA and without a social security agreement (all destinations except Chile), the earned income pension is paid abroad, while the guarantee pension (and, for people born before 1963, the full pension) is kept only with at least 20 years of residence in Norway between ages 16 and 67 (folketrygdloven §§ 19-3 and 20-10); with Chile, which has a social security agreement, Nav says the pension can as a rule be taken along without reduction. Pensions in payment are uprated each year with the average of wage and price growth under § 20-18, which sets no residence condition. After tax emigration, Norway withholds 15 percent of gross pension (kildeskatt, skatteloven § 2-3(4)) with no allowance; treaties change this: under the Mexico treaty pensions, including state pensions, are taxable only in the state of residence, the Chile treaty caps Norwegian tax at 15 percent, and Skatteetaten states that for residents of Argentina and Brazil all pensions from Norway remain taxable in Norway.

Sources: Lovdata, skatteloven kapittel 2 · Skatteetaten, Kildeskatt på pensjoner og uføreytelser · Skatteetaten, Kildeskatt på pensjon - begrensninger etter skatteavtaler · Lovdata, Norges traktater, Norway-Mexico convention · Lovdata, Norges traktater, Norway-Chile convention · Lovdata, Norges traktater, Norway-Brazil convention 2022

Private and occupational pensions

The 15 percent withholding tax also covers public and private occupational pensions and other private pensions paid by a Norwegian payer when the recipient has pension capital or points in the National Insurance Scheme; private pensions are not subject to it if the recipient has no such pension capital. Treaty relief depends on the destination: Mexico gives the residence state sole taxing rights over pensions and annuities, Chile caps source tax at 15 percent, and the Argentina and Brazil treaties let both states tax, with the residence state relieving double taxation. Nav advises asking each private or occupational pension provider about its own export rules; the treatment of lump sums was not verified.

Public health cover

Compulsory membership of the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden) ends when a stay abroad is intended to last, or lasts, more than 12 months (folketrygdloven § 2-14), and with it public health cover. A pensioner settling outside the EU/EEA must apply to Nav for voluntary membership to keep any cover; this requires at least 30 years' membership after age 16, including 10 years immediately before applying (§ 2-8). Even with voluntary membership the right to a GP is lost, care abroad is only partly reimbursed by Helfo (claims within 6 months), and care in Norway remains covered. Non-members generally pay no National Insurance contribution.

Sources: Lovdata, folketrygdloven kapittel 2 (§§ 2-1, 2-8, 2-9, 2-14) · helsenorge.no (Helfo), Pensjonister utenfor EU/EØS · Nav, Alderspensjon (updated 20.10.2026) · Nav, Medlemskap i folketrygden · Skatteetaten, Medlemskap i folketrygden og trygdeavgift når du flytter til utlandet

DenmarkBasic amount only, after 30 years' residenceNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

Folkepension and other Danish social pensions paid to a non-resident are subject to Danish limited tax liability (kildeskatteloven section 2(1) no. 11) at an average rate; Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico have treaties that may shift the taxing right (exemption is applied for on form 01.016), and for the other 8 destinations Denmark taxes. Under the Social Pension Act section 3, a Danish citizen can receive folkepension abroad after at least 30 years of residence in Denmark between age 15 and pension age, or keep an already awarded pension abroad after at least 10 years (or a quarter of the time from 15) of Danish residence; Udbetaling Danmark can grant a dispensation, which must be sought before leaving. Only the basic amount (grundbeløb) is paid outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK: the pension supplement (pensionstillæg) is not exported, personal and heating supplements must be applied for separately after the move, and the pension is reduced pro rata if Danish residence was below 9/10 of the period from 15 to pension age. Chile is the only destination with a social security convention: a Chilean national moving to Chile can take the pension after 3 years of residence and 1 year of work in Denmark.

Sources: Retsinformation, Bekendtgørelse af kildeskatteloven, LBK nr. 460 af 3. maj 2024 (Withholding Tax Act, consolidated; status Valid at retrieval) · Skattestyrelsen, Den juridiske vejledning 2026-2, C.F.3.1.11 Sociale ydelser mv. · Skattestyrelsen, Den juridiske vejledning 2026-2, C.F.3.1.10 Pensioner · Skattestyrelsen (skat.dk), Dansk pension, når du flytter til udlandet · Retsinformation, Bekendtgørelse af lov om social pension (pensionsloven), LBK nr. 1123 af 2024 (Social Pension Act, consolidated; status Valid at retrieval) · borger.dk (written by Udbetaling Danmark), Vil du have din folke-, førtids- eller seniorpension med til udlandet?

Private and occupational pensions

Occupational and private pensions paid to a non-resident are taxable in Denmark under kildeskatteloven section 2(1) nos. 9 and 10; where a treaty applies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico) the treaty decides, and Skattestyrelsen notes that Denmark may keep the taxing right where it gave the deduction for contributions. With the other 8 destinations there is no treaty, so Denmark taxes the payments, and cashing in a kapitalpension, aldersforsikring, aldersopsparing or supplerende engangssum triggers the Danish duty on the full amount for which deduction was given. The tax on pension-fund returns (PAL tax) stops once the person is no longer fully liable or is resident abroad, on application with form 07.058.

Public health cover

Entitlement to Danish public health care follows a registered address in Denmark. A person who registers a move to a country outside the EU, Switzerland and the EEA (all 12 destinations) is no longer socially insured from Denmark and is not covered by the yellow health card (gule sundhedskort), even when visiting Denmark; borger.dk points to the public scheme or private insurance in the new country. A pensioner who stays outside the EU for under 6 months can as a rule keep a Danish address and the yellow card, depending on the housing situation.

Sources: borger.dk, Guide: Når du flytter til udlandet (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen with KL, ATP/Udbetaling Danmark and Skattestyrelsen; all answers view)

FinlandEarnings pension paid; Kela pension stopsNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: None.

State pension paid abroad

The Finnish earnings-related pension (statutory TyEL, YEL and similar schemes) is paid to any country regardless of nationality; residents of countries without a social security agreement claim it directly from Finland, confirm their details to the payer every year, and the pension is adjusted with the earnings-related pension index, which applies to all pensions in payment. Kela's national pension and guarantee pension are paid abroad only during a temporary stay: on a permanent move to a non-EU/EEA country without an agreement Kela stops payment from the start of the next month, while the Chile agreement keeps Kela old-age and survivors' pensions payable on conditions such as citizenship and length of residence. Pensions are not subject to Finnish tax at source: a non-resident's Finnish pensions are taxed under the Assessment Procedure Act much as if the person lived in Finland, using the national average municipal tax rate for a full non-resident year, and a treaty-based tax card is requested on Form 6207a. Finland keeps the right to tax these pensions under its treaties with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, Finnish tax is capped at 20 % under the Mexico treaty, and with the other eight destinations there is no treaty, so Finland taxes under its own law.

Sources: Työeläke.fi (Finnish Centre for Pensions), How will my pension be paid and taxed? · Työeläke.fi (Finnish Centre for Pensions), Earnings-related pension paid abroad from Finland · Kela, Pension from Finland to another country · Finnish Tax Administration, detailed guidance: Taxation of pension income in cross-border circumstances (issued 9/25/2026) · Finnish Tax Administration, detailed guidance: Taxation of income received by nonresidents, natural persons (issued 8/7/2026) · Finlex, Laki rajoitetusti verovelvollisen tulon verottamisesta 627/1978 (Act on the taxation of nonresidents' income, consolidated)

Private and occupational pensions

Pensions from voluntary individual pension insurance, long-term savings (PS) agreements and a Finnish insurer's voluntary contracts are Finnish-source income, as are private-sector pensions for work done mainly in Finland for a Finnish employer. Under section 13 of the Act on the taxation of nonresidents' income (627/1978) these are assessed under the Assessment Procedure Act rather than withheld at a flat source rate; without a pension tax card the payer withholds 40 %. Small earnings-related pensions are paid as a one-off lump sum. Annex 2 of the Tax Administration's pension guidance shows that Finland may tax voluntary pensions paid to residents of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, caps Finnish tax at 20 % for Mexico, and may tax all pension categories where there is no treaty.

Public health cover

Entitlement to Kela benefits generally ends on the day a person leaves Finland permanently, and a stay of more than 6 months outside the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK is as a rule treated as a permanent move. Kela states that after a move abroad of more than 6 months the right to use the Kela card ends on the day of the move, and without a Finnish municipality of residence only emergency care is available on visits, which can be billed afterwards. Kela can certify that residence-based cover has ended, and the Tax Administration uses such a certificate as evidence when assessing ties.

Sources: Kela, Are you going outside Finland? · Kela, Can you get Kela benefits outside Finland? (employees section) · Finnish Tax Administration, detailed guidance: Taxation of pension income in cross-border circumstances (issued 9/25/2026)

NetherlandsAOW paid; rate depends on the treatyNone

Tax treaty with Costa Rica: None. Social security agreement: Signed, not in force.

State pension paid abroad

The AOW state pension is paid abroad, but AOW insurance is residence-based, so each calendar year lived abroad before pension age cuts the pension by 2% unless you take voluntary insurance (possible if you left less than a year ago) (articles 6 and 13 of the Old Age Pensions Act). Under the AOW as amended by the Benefits Export Restriction Act, a pensioner living abroad receives only the married-person rate and no partner supplement, unless they live in a country where a treaty or international decision provides for the right (articles 8a and 9a). Of the 12 destinations, social security or benefit export treaties are in force with Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Panama and Ecuador; agreements with Brazil and Costa Rica will not enter into force, and none exists with Mexico, Colombia, Peru or El Salvador. The amounts are derived from the Dutch net minimum wage, the AOW cannot be taken as a lump sum, and the SVB may ask for life certificates. Whether the Netherlands withholds tax on the AOW depends on the tax treaty; without a treaty the Netherlands may tax it (for Mexico the Belastingdienst summary notes a 17.5% cap on Dutch tax on AOW and similar benefits).

Sources: Algemene Ouderdomswet, arts. 6 and 13 · NederlandWereldwijd: Krijg ik AOW buiten Nederland? · Wet beperking export uitkeringen · SVB: Buiten Nederland wonen (AOW) · SVB: Uw AOW buiten Nederland · SVB: Betaling van de AOW buiten Nederland

Private and occupational pensions

Dutch occupational pensions and annuities paid to non-residents are Dutch-source income (article 7.2(2) of the Income Tax Act 2001), and the applicable tax treaty decides which country taxes them; without a treaty the Netherlands may tax. On emigration the accrued pension and deducted annuity premiums are covered by a conservatory assessment, and commuting the pension or annuity (a lump-sum buy-out) within the ten-year deferral makes that assessment payable. For a move outside the EU, security may be required where the pension scheme is not placed with a recognised insurer in the EU, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland.

Public health cover

Dutch public health insurance (Zvw) is compulsory only for people insured under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), which covers residents, so emigration ends the insurance obligation and the Zvw policy ends by law from the next day; you must inform your insurer (articles 2 and 6 of the Health Insurance Act, article 2.1.1 of the Wlz). Pensioners abroad can keep Dutch-funded cover through the CAK only in listed treaty countries for medical care, and no Latin American country is on that list. Anyone moving to one of the 12 destinations therefore needs local or international health insurance.

Sources: Wet langdurige zorg, art. 2.1.1 · Zorgverzekeringswet, arts. 2 and 6 · NederlandWereldwijd: Wat zijn verdragslanden bij de buitenlandregeling voor de zorgverzekering? · SVB: Overzicht verdragslanden (Zvw contribution) · NederlandWereldwijd: Hoe regel ik zelf een zorgverzekering in het buitenland?

Checked at official sources on 25 October 2026. Rules change and your own facts decide: we confirm your home-country position, together with our local partners, licensed attorneys in each country, before anything is filed.

Citizenship: the route to a second passport

Costa Rica is a long-term passport: you can apply for naturalisation after 7 years of uninterrupted legal residence at the earliest, or after 5 years for nationals of Spain and Ibero-American countries. You need to pass a test on language, history and values and have a clean criminal record. Approval is at the authorities' discretion. Dual citizenship is possible in practice. The Costa Rican passport is solid, but it is not the real reason for the country: that is territorial tax, stability and quality of life.

Our Costa Rica insider tip: Tamarindo

Tamarindo is the insider tip for beach life with infrastructure: a lively Pacific town in Guanacaste with surfing, an established international community and good connections, but American in feel and priced accordingly (comfortable flats often USD 1,600 to 2,400 a month). If you prefer cheaper and milder: Atenas and the Central Valley are said to have one of the most pleasant climates in the world and are popular with retirees; Escazú and Santa Ana offer upscale suburban infrastructure near San José; the south (Uvita, Dominical) pure nature. For a pura vida base, what counts in the end is access to nature, political and legal stability and an established expat infrastructure.

Banking outside Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a CRS participant. Banking and your operating company belong outside the country, so that your income stays clearly foreign-source and the territorial exemption applies. You open local accounts for daily life on the ground as a resident. We build the international structure for you.

Flag theory: why bank outside the country?

For your foreign income to stay genuinely foreign-source and the territorial exemption to apply, banking and company formation have to take place outside Latin America. We structure this for you. More about our services →

Who is Costa Rica right for, and who not?

✓ A good fit for

✓Anyone who wants to combine a genuine territorial system (0% on foreign income) with first-class nature and stability
✓Anyone who values a low presence requirement and an established, predictable residency process
✓Anyone drawing a pension who is looking for pura vida

✗ Less suited to

✗Anyone looking for the cheapest country (Costa Rica is more expensive, plus the CAJA contribution)
✗Anyone who wants to naturalise quickly and cheaply (7 years, discretionary decision)
✗Anyone who wants the same territorial principle cheaper and faster (then rather Panama)

Frequently asked questions about Costa Rica

Is my foreign income tax-free in Costa Rica?

Yes. Costa Rica taxes on a territorial basis, only domestic-source income. Foreign income, dividends, interest and foreign pensions stay tax-free, regardless of your days of presence.

What is the CAJA and how much does it cost?

The CAJA is the state health insurance. As a resident you pay an income-based monthly contribution (roughly 7% to 11% of declared income). It is compulsory and must be kept up to date, otherwise your residency renewal stalls.