Health insurance in Costa Rica
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Why get private health insurance in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica's public health system, known as "La Caja", is ranked 36th by the WHO (one above the US). But there's a catch for newcomers: you can't use it until you have a national ID (cédula), and that takes six to fourteen months to come through after your visa is approved.
That's a long time to go uncovered. And paying out of pocket isn't cheap: a private GP visit costs about ₡34,000 (€64), and a hospital night costs around ₡363,000 (€690).
Moreover, the Digital Nomad (Estancia) visa legally requires private health insurance.
How does the healthcare system work in Costa Rica?
La Caja (CCSS): Costa Rica's universal public system
La Caja covers around 95% of Costa Ricans through 30+ hospitals and over 1,000 local clinics (called Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral en Salud, or EBAIS). Every resident with a cédula must enroll and pay based on income. The one exception is the Digital Nomad visa, which can't use it at all. Private care, including internationally accredited hospitals, is concentrated in San José.
Costa Rican pharmacies & medication
Pharmacies (farmacias) are everywhere: Fischel, La Bomba, Sucre, Farmavalue, Walmart, plus a pharmacy in every public hospital. There are 24-hour locations in San José, Escazú, and Heredia. Most medicines, including many antibiotics, are sold without a prescription; only controlled substances need one.
Emergency services in Costa Rica
Dial 911 for police, fire, or an ambulance. Red Cross (Cruz Roja) ambulances are free, and private services run around the clock in the metro area. Response times run 8–15 minutes in San José, longer in beach towns, and 45–90+ minutes in remote areas. Note that a medevac flight from the coast to San José can cost around ₡3.15 million (€5,980) without cover.
What expats need health insurance?
Digital nomads
The Digital Nomad (Estancia) visa legally requires private insurance with at least USD 50,000 (€46,000) in coverage, and it bars you from the public system entirely.
Retirees
On a Pensionado (retiree) visa, joining the public system is mandatory (₡68,000 / €129 a month). Most keep private cover too, because public specialist waiting times can stretch to 6–18 months.
Families
The public system covers children's care, vaccinations, and maternity. But it leaves out children's dental, and a private child ER visit runs around ₡133,000 (€253), so private cover is worth having.
Gap year & job seekers
Without a Costa Rican employer or a cédula, you can't access the public system, and the cédula takes 6–14 months to issue. Private cover is essential to bridge that gap.
Students
Universities like UCR, INCAE, and Veritas usually require proof of health insurance for foreign students, typically USD 30,000+ (around €27,600) until your cédula comes through.
Visa applicants
Only the Digital Nomad visa legally requires private insurance (USD 50,000+ / around €46,000). For every other visa, it bridges the 6–14-month wait before your cédula is issued.
Get global health insurance that works in Costa Rica
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How much is health insurance in Costa Rica?
Without cover, the bills add up fast. A private GP visit costs ₡34,000 (€64), a specialist visit ₡53,000 (€100), and a private hospital night costs ₡363,000 (€690), or ₡1.09 million (€2,070) per day in intensive care.
Public healthcare in Costa Rica
La Caja is mandatory for every legal resident with a cédula. If you're employed, you contribute about 5.5% of your gross salary. If you join voluntarily (typical for retirees and fixed-income residents) you pay around 10.5–11% of your declared income: in practice, about ₡68,000 (€129) a month for retirees and ₡145,000 (€276) for fixed-income residents.
Private medical insurance
Our plans start at €56/month for Essential and €84/month for Plus. You'll get outpatient and inpatient care, plus dental, mental health, maternity, and medical evacuation.
Visa & health insurance requirements for Costa Rica
The Digital Nomad (Estancia) visa legally requires private international health insurance: at least USD 50,000 (around €46,000) in medical cover for the full one-year stay. Both Feather plans meet this.
Ideal for all major Costa Rican visas
Feather's plans provide access to private facilities and medical evacuation, and act as a critical bridge between when you first move to Costa Rica and when you can join the public healthcare system.
Documents ready when you sign up
All your documents (proof of coverage, English/Spanish versions) instantly in your account. Accepted by immigration offices and consulates.
How does Feather's international health insurance work?
Choose your plan
Compare Essential and Plus, pick your deductible, and sign up in under 5 minutes. No paperwork, no medical exams.
Get your documents instantly
Your confirmation and visa-ready proof-of-coverage documents land in your account straight away.
Visit any doctor
See any licensed doctor, specialist, or hospital in Costa Rica. No referrals, no network restrictions, no pre-approval.
Upload your bill in the app
Already paid? Open the Feather app, snap a photo of your invoice, and submit your claim in under a minute.
Get reimbursed to your account
We review your claim and reimburse you directly to your bank account. Most claims are processed within two weeks.
Cancel anytime after year one
There's a one-year minimum term. After that, cancel whenever you want. No penalties.
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Why choose Feather?
200,000+ happy customers
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100,000+ claims processed
Paid out in three weeks on average.
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On over 2,500 reviews.
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All digital
Sign up, file claims, and manage your policy in our app.
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Michal
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“The representative answered my questions clearly and helped me make sure I was aware of my options! This was the perfect fit for my situation as an expat looking for a job in Spain and needing temporary coverage.”
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