Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 8. Immigration › Rentista and pensioner residence in Costa Rica: US$2,500 and US$1,000 a month and how to prove the income

Rentista and pensioner residence in Costa Rica: US$2,500 and US$1,000 a month and how to prove the income

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Stable

Pensioners qualify for temporary residence with a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000 a month; rentistas with stable income of at least US$2,500 a month guaranteed for at least two years by a bank. A bank deposit paid back in monthly instalments does not count as income since 2023. Both may include a spouse and children under 25, and both pay the same fees as other residents.

Colón figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), which is also the rate Ley 8764 tells payers to use for fees set in dollars. Fines set in salarios base use the 2026 salario base of ₡462,200 (Circular 246-2025 of the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, under Ley 7337 art. 2).

Key facts

Minimum stable monthly income for rentista residence	2500 USDLey 8764 art. 82, as of 2010-03-01 · in force
Minimum monthly lifetime pension for pensioner residence	1000 USDLey 8764 art. 81, as of 2010-03-01 · in force
Years the rentista income must be guaranteed	2 yearsDecreto 37112-G art. 99(l), as of 2023-02-23 · in force

The rule

1. Pensioners must prove monthly, permanent and stable pensions from abroad of at least US$1,000 or its equivalent.
Example: ₡454,820 a month. / US$1,000 a monthLey 8764, art. 81, 2009-08-19 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. Rentistas must prove monthly, permanent and stable income from abroad or from Costa Rican banks of at least US$2,500 a month, which covers the spouse and children under 25 or with disabilities.
Example: ₡1,137,050 a month. / US$2,500 a monthLey 8764, art. 82, 2009-08-19 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. The rentista proves, by a document from a Costa Rican bank (or a bank of the source country, notarised and apostilled or legalised), income of at least US$2,500 a month for at least two years; otherwise a Costa Rican CPA certification based on reliable foreign documents; translations by an official translator or notary.Decreto Ejecutivo 37112-G, as amended by Decreto 43926, art. 99(l), 2023-02-14 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Income means yield of an asset; a bank deposit returned in monthly fractions is not income.Decreto Ejecutivo 37112-G, as amended by Decreto 43926, art. 2, definition of Renta, 2023-02-14 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: Definition added by Decreto 43926, in force 23 February 2023.

5. The pensioner proves, with a document from the competent authority (apostilled if foreign), a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000 a month.Decreto Ejecutivo 37112-G, art. 100(l), 2012-03-21 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Both files include the signed application, US$50 fee, stamps, photos, apostilled birth and criminal record certificates and certified passport pages; dependants add marriage or birth certificates.
Cost to do it: US$50 (₡22,741) per applicant, plus US$200 if changing from tourist status in countryDecreto Ejecutivo 37112-G, art. 99 and art. 100, 2012-03-21 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. The Ley 9996 incentives (household goods, vehicles, 20% transfer tax relief) for rentistas and pensioners could only be opted into until 14 July 2026; prior beneficiaries keep them ten years.Ley 9996, art. 5 and art. 12, 2021-07-05 official text · verified 2026-10-29 · changed: Opt in window closed 14 July 2026.

Worked example

A couple living on a US$1,400 lifetime pension (₡636,748) qualifies as pensioner plus spouse. With US$2,000 a month of rental income and no pension they would not reach the rentista floor of US$2,500 (₡1,137,050).

Step by step

Obtain an apostilled pension certificate or a bank letter covering two years of US$2,500 monthly income.
Translate foreign documents officially into Spanish.
File with the US$50 fee per person; add US$200 if changing status inside Costa Rica.
After approval pay deposit and card fees and join the CCSS, which is required to renew.

Common traps

Prepaying a lump sum into a bank to be paid back monthly does not qualify as rentista income.
The pension must be lifetime (vitalicia); a fixed term annuity may be refused.
Residence is cancelled for absences over two consecutive years without a justified reason (Ley 8764 art. 129(6)).

Sources

← Investor residence in Costa Rica: the US$150,000 threshold, qualifying assets and the end of the Ley 9996 incentive windowDigital nomad stay in Costa Rica: US$3,000 a month, US$50,000 health cover and the income tax exemption →

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