How Many U.S. Citizens Are Living in Costa Rica Today in 2017?

Over the 17 years I have lived in Costa Rica, many people have guessed how many U.S. citizens are living here but very few have ever been able to quote a reliable source for their numbers.

Search online for how many Americans live in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua or whatever country and you will find many guesses but very few facts, even from the official government websites.

But once in a while you’ll see something that gives you that nugget of hard to find information

Ten Years Ago Back in January 2007

Because of allegations of “unprofessional services” at the US Embassy, Russell L. Frisbie, at the time, the Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica sent a letter to one of the local newspapers published on 26th January 2007 regarding “improved public services” and he clarified a few points for us.

“As many as 50,000 U.S. citizens are estimated to reside in Costa Rica, and another 700,000 US tourists visited the country last year. At any time during the high season there can be 70,000 US citizens in the country as visitors or residents.”

“On average 15 US citizens die every month in Costa Rica…” They “repatriate 40-60 US citizens annually” and “visit each of the 35-50 US citizens incarcerated in Costa Rica.”

Fast Forward To January 2017

In a 19th January 2017 article in La Nación newspaper ‘Embajador de EE. UU.: Costa Rica debe estar tranquila ante llegada de Donald Trump‘ the U.S Ambassador in Costa Rica Stafford Fitzgerald Haney confirmed how many U.S. citizens are currently living in Costa Rica.

“Obviously, there are good things and reasons why so many American citizens come here. We have more than 100,000 Americans living here in Costa Rica, and over one million visit this country each year. It is a nation with much to offer, both for the one who comes for a couple of weeks, and for the one who stays longer.” Stafford Fitzgerald Haney. U.S. Ambassador in Costa Rica.

About The U.S. Ambassador.

According to the Times of Israel, S. Fitzgerald Haney is a convert of Orthodox Judaism with a background in finance, and prior to taking the post in San José lived in Englewood, New Jersey with his wife Andrea, a rabbi, and their four children — Asher, Nava, Eden and Shaia.

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 3. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raíces en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.