{"id":13193,"date":"2025-05-06T22:41:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T14:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/?p=13193"},"modified":"2026-04-15T22:03:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T14:03:35","slug":"expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html","title":{"rendered":"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats \u2013 Public and Private Options"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re moving to Costa Rica as an expat, you\u2019ll need health insurance through either the public system (CCSS or \u201cCaja\u201d) or private providers. Public health insurance covers most medical procedures and prescription drugs, while private insurance offers shorter wait times and access to English-speaking doctors and private clinics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/country\/americas\/costa-rica-health-insurance\/\">Costa Rica has a universal healthcare system<\/a> that expats can join once they register for residency. While the Caja is mandatory for long-term residents and offers comprehensive care, many expats also choose an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/health-insurance-plans\/international-health-insurance-plan\/\">international health insurance plan<\/a> for added flexibility and quicker access to medical services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><div class='code-block code-block-73' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<link rel='stylesheet' href='https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/compare-box\/css\/compare-73-new.css?v1.67' type='text\/css' media='all'\/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog\" class=\"inserter-73-link CompareNowbutton\">\n  <div class=\"inserter-73-new\">\n    <div class=\"inserter-left-box\">\n        <h3>Kickstart Your Search for the Perfect Insurer<\/h3>        \n        <div class=\"inserter-compare-box\">\n            <p>Compare over <br>50,000 Plans <br>from Top Insurers<\/p>\n            <button >Compare NOW<\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    \n    <div class=\"inserter-img-box\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/compare-box\/img\/mobile.png\" alt=\" \" class=\"banner-img-mobile\">            \n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/a>\n\n<style>\n\n.inserter-73-new .inserter-img-box amp-img {right: -31%;}\n@media (max-width: 1199px) {\n  .inserter-73-new .inserter-img-box amp-img {\n    right: -20px;\n  }\n@media (max-width: 991px) {\n  .inserter-73-new .inserter-img-box amp-img {\n    right: -10px;\n  }\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n  .inserter-73-new .inserter-img-box amp-img {\n    height: auto;\n    width: 30%;\n  }\n}\n@media (max-width: 512px) {\n  .inserter-73-new .inserter-img-box amp-img {\n    height: 200px;\n  }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overview of Costa Rica\u2019s Healthcare System<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21269 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica.webp\" alt=\"Image of Group Of People Gathered On Sandy Beach In Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica with text overlay of &quot;Overview of Costa Rica\u2019s Healthcare System&quot;\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/group-of-people-gathered-on-sandy-beach-in-playa-tamarindo-costa-rica-150x84.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expats relocating to Costa Rica must register with the country\u2019s national healthcare system known as the \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccss.sa.cr\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(CCSS, also known simply as \u201cCaja\u201d).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expats, however, prefer to also have private health insurance thanks to added perks such as access to private clinics and hospitals, shorter waiting times, and English-speaking doctors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is crucial for expats to know how the healthcare system works here in Costa Rica to ensure they get the most suitable health insurance for their unique healthcare needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><div class='code-block code-block-79' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<!-- Blog Banner Stylesheet Import -->\n<link rel='stylesheet' href='https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/css\/m-blog-banner-v2.css?ver5.2' type='text\/css' media='all'\/>\n<style>\n@media (min-width: 1200px) {\n  div.banner-insurers-card-content-v2 ul {\n    margin-top: auto;\n    margin-bottom: auto;\n  }\n}\n<\/style>\n<!-- Blog Banner Stylesheet Import ends -->\n<!-- Blog Banner International - v2 -->\n<div class=\"banner-insurers-container-v2\">\n  <h3 class=\"banner-insurers-title-v2\">\n      Our Recommended International Health Insurance Plans\n  <\/h3>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog\">\n    <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-v2\">\n      <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-image-v2\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/img\/logo-cigna.png\"\n            alt=\"Cigna\">\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-content-v2\">\n        <ul>\n          <li>Worldwide Coverage (excluding the US)<\/li>\n          <li>Access to Cigna's trusted global network of hospitals and doctors<\/li>\n          <li>4 Core Insurance Plans<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n        <button class=\"banner-insurers-card-button-v2 CompareNowbutton asiarecbutton\" onclick=\"window.location.href='https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog';\">\n          Get a Quote NOW\n        <\/button>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/a>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog\">\n    <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-v2\">\n      <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-image-v2\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bupa\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/img\/logo-bupa.png\"\n            alt=\"Bupa\">\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"banner-insurers-card-content-v2\">\n        <ul>\n          <li>Lifetime Renewal Possibilities<\/li>\n          <li>24\/7 Medical Help via Global Virtual Care<\/li>\n          <li>Direct Billing Options<\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n        <button class=\"banner-insurers-card-button-v2 CompareNowbutton asiarecbutton\" onclick=\"window.location.href='https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog';\">\n          Get a Quote NOW\n        <\/button>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public Health Insurance Through the CCSS<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the CCSS national healthcare system, you will get complete coverage for all medical procedures along with prescription drugs. During your residency application when relocating to Costa Rica, you will have to pay for the Caja healthcare as part of the immigration application process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are the areas in which public health insurance in Costa Rica covers:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General medication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialized and surgical care<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced surgeries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cash subsidies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pharmacy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laboratory<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dentistry<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, public health insurance in Costa Rica has some drawbacks. These include potentially long waiting times for non-emergency cases, difficulties finding English-speaking medical staff, or potentially limited selections for practitioners and specialists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While waiting times may be longer for non-emergency care, the excellent quality of Costa Rica\u2019s Caja healthcare system makes up for it with complete medical procedures and prescription medication coverage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Expats Choose Private Health Insurance<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When selecting private health insurance, expats can opt for any international health insurance provider (provided they offer international health insurance policies in Costa Rica) or the Costa Rican government-supported private health insurance scheme known as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ins-cr.com\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instituto de Seguro Nacional <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(INS)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of waiting times, the one key aspect that Costa Rican private health insurance has over public health insurance is shorter waiting times. Another benefit is that you also have access to not only private healthcare facilities but also English-speaking medical staff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Private health insurance in Costa Rica also allows access to even higher standards of healthcare quality and medical facilities in comparison to public health insurance. You will also have the option of selecting any specific practitioner or specialist depending on your specific needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">INS coverage includes dental work, optometry, and annual checkups, along with private hospital and clinic visits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><div class='code-block code-block-3' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<p><button class=\"mo-modal-open\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4632\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/SEO-Baner-Family.jpg\" alt=\"Family health insurance banner\" width=\"1138\" height=\"493\" \/><\/button><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health Insurance Costs for Expats in Costa Rica<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cost of health insurance in Costa Rica will vary depending on a multitude of factors such as your age, your selected benefits, deductibles, medical conditions, and coverage needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, health insurance plans can start as low as $100\/month (approx CRC <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">51,686), while Costa Rican private health insurance via INS costs approximately $60-$250\/month (approx CRC 31,012-129,216).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most expensive plans will reach $1000\/month (approx CRC 516,864) with comprehensive benefits and no deductibles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As always, it\u2019s strongly recommended that you consider your exact coverage needs thoroughly and not decide purely based on price as the most affordable plan might not actually grant you adequate coverage for your needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><div class='code-block code-block-7' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<p><button class=\"mo-modal-open\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4628\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/SEO-Baner-04_updated-1.jpg\" alt=\"Health insurance quote banner\" width=\"1138\" height=\"493\" \/><\/button><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Register for the Caja Public Insurance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registering for the Caja public health insurance system<\/span><b> is mandatory for all long-term residents <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with a valid residence card in Costa Rica. Below are the steps in the Caja health insurance registration process:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Prepare Your Documents<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you enter Costa Rica, you will need to submit the following documents when applying for the Caja health insurance:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Residence card or document from the Immigration authority verifying your eligibility for living in Costa Rica (with copies).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your passport.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A photocopy of the ID page in your passport, which contains your entry to Costa Rica.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proof of your residency approval (with a photocopy).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registration Request Form (must be filled out by your employer if you are going to work in Costa Rica).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Visit Your Local Caja Office<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve gathered up your required documents, proceed to your nearest Caja office, submit your application, and pay for the registration fees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Claim Your Appointment Card<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once your application is complete, bring your receipt from the registration payment and head to your local Baja office once again to claim your appointment card proving your rights to healthcare services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This appointment card will feature the same validity date as your residency card, which means you\u2019ll need to re-apply if you get a new residence permit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because the Caja health insurance application process can be time-consuming, you will need valid health insurance during this time to ensure your and your family\u2019s safety. You can choose any international health insurance provider as long as they include policies for Costa Rica stays.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steps to Apply for INS Private Insurance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To register for the INS private health insurance, you\u2019ll need to fill out an application form, and a health declaration form, and sign a permission slip to allow the INS to view your medical history. You can register for the INS health insurance either online or by phone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please note that if you are over the age of 55, you may need to provide additional details in your application.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are retirees eligible for health insurance in Costa Rica?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retirees can opt to pay the INS for private health insurance, but the INS is not available for expats over the age of 70. As such, most expat retirees pay for international private insurance in addition to registering for the Caja public health insurance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I use my US health insurance in Costa Rica?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t use your US health insurance in Costa Rica unless your US health insurance policy is valid for international travel. Because the insurance plans usually cover only basic medical needs, it\u2019s highly recommended that you obtain international health insurance as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is healthcare in Costa Rica free for expats?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public healthcare services in Costa Rica are free for expats. However, you must pay monthly social contributions to the public health system, which then covers the medical fees. The only people who are eligible for completely free healthcare in Costa Rica are those with financial difficulties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><div class='code-block code-block-72' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<link rel='stylesheet' href='https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/compare-box\/css\/compare-72-new.css?v1.47' type='text\/css' media='all'\/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/compare-quotes\/step-one-name\/?campSource=PP-Blog&utm_campaign=Blog\" class=\"inserter-72-link CompareNowbutton\">\n        <div class=\"inserter-72-new\">\n            <h3>Start by Comparing <br>Insurance Plans Online<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"inserter-img-box\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/readable-child\/blog-banner\/compare-box\/img\/desktop.png\" alt=\" \">\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"inserter-compare-box\">\n                <p>Browse and Compare 50,000+ <br>International Health Plans<\/p>\n                <button>Compare NOW<\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/a><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health insurance in Costa Rica for expats is available both as public and private health insurance. While public health insurance may provide comprehensive coverage for medical care and prescription medication, it comes at the cost of longer waiting times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For shorter times and access to further medical facilities, private health insurance is a viable alternative preferred among expats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re relocating to Costa Rica on your own or with your family, it\u2019s crucial to understand the healthcare system in the country to ensure the safety and well-being of you and your family with the right health insurance policy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a leading international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has more than 20 years of experience in matching not only locals but also expats with their preferred health insurance plans that match both their unique healthcare needs and their budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you need <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/health-insurance-plans\/short-term-health-insurance-plans\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">travel insurance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/health-insurance-plans\/individual-health-insurance\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">individual health insurance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/health-insurance-plans\/family\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">family health insurance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we will be happy to help you with impartiality and service-mindedness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have any further questions, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/contact-us\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">please get in touch with us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re moving to Costa Rica as an expat, you\u2019ll need health insurance through either the public system (CCSS or \u201cCaja\u201d) or private providers. Public health insurance covers most medical procedures and prescription drugs, while private insurance offers shorter wait times and access to English-speaking doctors and private clinics. Costa Rica has a universal healthcare &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":21268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,217],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-insurance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pacific Prime&#039;s Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pacificprime\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Serena Fung\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Serena Fung\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Serena Fung\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/28ca51ef3d01177132923253f8b13623\"},\"headline\":\"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats \u2013 Public and Private Options\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\"},\"wordCount\":1290,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Health\",\"Insurance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\",\"name\":\"A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00\",\"description\":\"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"Image of Historic Church In Lush Garden Under Clear Blue Sky In Costa Rica with text overlay of \\\"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats\\\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats \u2013 Public and Private Options\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Pacific Prime's Blog\",\"description\":\"The Lighter Side Of Health Insurance\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pacific Prime\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/PP_logo-nonSlogan_blue-nonOutline.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/PP_logo-nonSlogan_blue-nonOutline.png\",\"width\":3314,\"height\":999,\"caption\":\"Pacific Prime\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/pacificprime\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/ThePacificPrime\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/pacific-prime\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/28ca51ef3d01177132923253f8b13623\",\"name\":\"Serena Fung\",\"description\":\"Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog. Serena earned her Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it\u2019s cognitive psychology!). Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel\\\/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/serena-fung-849902126\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pacificprime.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/serena\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats","description":"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats","og_description":"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html","og_site_name":"Pacific Prime&#039;s Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pacificprime","article_published_time":"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Serena Fung","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Serena Fung","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html"},"author":{"name":"Serena Fung","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/28ca51ef3d01177132923253f8b13623"},"headline":"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats \u2013 Public and Private Options","datePublished":"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html"},"wordCount":1290,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp","articleSection":["Health","Insurance"],"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html","url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html","name":"A Guide to Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp","datePublished":"2025-05-06T14:41:13+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-15T14:03:35+00:00","description":"Explore public and private health insurance options in Costa Rica for expats, including costs, coverage, and how to register with the local systems.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/historic-church-in-lush-garden-under-clear-blue-sky-in-costa-rica.webp","width":1280,"height":720,"caption":"Image of Historic Church In Lush Garden Under Clear Blue Sky In Costa Rica with text overlay of \"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats\""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/expat-health-insurance-in-costa-rica.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Health Insurance in Costa Rica for Expats \u2013 Public and Private Options"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/","name":"Pacific Prime's Blog","description":"The Lighter Side Of Health Insurance","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Pacific Prime","url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PP_logo-nonSlogan_blue-nonOutline.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/PP_logo-nonSlogan_blue-nonOutline.png","width":3314,"height":999,"caption":"Pacific Prime"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pacificprime","https:\/\/x.com\/ThePacificPrime","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/pacific-prime\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/28ca51ef3d01177132923253f8b13623","name":"Serena Fung","description":"Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog. Serena earned her Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it\u2019s cognitive psychology!). Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel\/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/serena-fung-849902126\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/author\/serena"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13193"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29931,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13193\/revisions\/29931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}