English
Español
Français
עברית
Português
Costa Rica Pensionado
eligibility calculator.
Plug in your CPP + OAS + other Canadian pension and find out in 5 seconds whether you clear Costa Rica's $1,000/month residency threshold. Most Canadians at full benefits do — automatically.
Your Canadian retirement income, mapped to Costa Rica's three residency paths.
The single biggest mental blocker for Canadian retirees is "do I qualify?"
The answer for most Canadians at full or near-full CPP+OAS benefits is yes, automatically. Knowing it instead of wondering it changes the entire conversation.
Costa Rica's three residency pathways for Canadians:
- Pensionado — USD $1,000/month from a guaranteed lifetime pension source. CPP and OAS both qualify. Most Canadian retirees clear this on full benefits without any other income source.
- Rentista — USD $2,500/month guaranteed income for 24 months OR a USD $60,000 deposit in a Costa Rica bank. Used by buyers who don't yet have full pension benefits.
- Inversionista — USD $150,000 investment in Costa Rica, typically real estate held in your personal name (not corporate). Used by Canadians who buy first and apply for residency through the property.
All three pathways grant temporary residency renewable annually for the first 3 years, then permanent residency. Permanent residents enrol in CAJA (Costa Rica's public health system) at 7-11% of declared income; most layer private insurance on top for $150-$400/month covering CIMA, Clínica Bíblica, Hospital Metropolitano.
The calculator above does the conversion for you. The real eligibility certificate comes from a Costa Rica immigration attorney pulling your Service Canada benefit verification, having it apostilled by Global Affairs Canada, and translating it through a DGME-recognized Spanish translator. We coordinate the whole sequence — most of our Canadian buyers get their Pensionado application filed within 60 days of closing on a Costa Rica property.
For the deeper Pensionado vs Rentista vs Inversionista comparison, see our residency page. For the 18-month sequenced workflow that ties this calculator into a real timeline, see the Florida → Costa Rica exit playbook.
What Canadian retirees actually ask about Pensionado eligibility
What's the Pensionado income threshold for Costa Rica?
USD $1,000 per month from a guaranteed lifetime pension source — the income must be lifetime (not a fixed-term annuity) and from a recognized pension source (CPP, OAS, employer DB pension, government plan). The threshold has been $1,000/month since 2020. Most Canadian retirees at full or near-full CPP+OAS benefits clear it automatically — typical full CPP at age 65 is ~CAD $1,433/month and full OAS adds ~CAD $735/month, both indexed to inflation.
Does CPP count for Pensionado eligibility?
Yes. The Canada Pension Plan is a recognized lifetime pension source for Costa Rica's Pensionado program. Service Canada issues a benefit verification letter that the Costa Rica DGME accepts as proof of lifetime pension. CPP is paid for life, indexed to inflation, and meets every Pensionado source-of-funds criterion.
Does OAS count?
Yes. Old Age Security is a recognized lifetime government-pension source. OAS is paid for life and indexed quarterly to inflation. Combined CPP + OAS at full benefits typically totals around CAD $2,168/month (2026 maximums), which converts to approximately USD $1,560/month at 0.72 — well above the $1,000 Pensionado threshold.
What if I haven't reached age 65 and don't have OAS yet?
You can still qualify on CPP alone if your CPP benefit is at least USD $1,000/month equivalent. CPP can be drawn as early as age 60 (with reduction) or as late as age 70 (with bonus). Alternatively, the Rentista pathway requires USD $2,500/month income from any source for 24 months OR a USD $60,000 bank deposit. The Inversionista pathway requires a USD $150,000 investment in Costa Rica.
What if my CPP+OAS are in CAD and the threshold is in USD?
Costa Rica's DGME applies the Bank of Costa Rica reference rate at the time of application. As of 2026, the CAD/USD rate sits around 0.72-0.74, so a Canadian retiree needs CAD ~$1,360-$1,400 per month in lifetime pension to clear the $1,000 USD threshold. The calculator above does the conversion using a default 0.73 — but the rate at the time of your actual filing will determine final eligibility.
What documents do I need to prove eligibility?
For CPP: a Statement of Estimated Benefits or Benefit Verification letter from Service Canada (request via My Service Canada Account or by calling 1-800-277-9914). For OAS: same — Service Canada issues a combined CPP+OAS verification. For employer pensions: a letter from your pension administrator confirming lifetime status and monthly amount. All documents must be apostilled (Global Affairs Canada) and translated to Spanish by a Costa Rica-recognized translator. Real Estate Grupo coordinates this through Costa Rica counsel.
Map your specific Pensionado application — book a call.
30 minutes, free, no commitment. We'll review your CPP + OAS, confirm the document checklist, and connect you with the Costa Rica immigration attorney who files Canadian Pensionado applications every month.
- Eligibility certificate in 24 hours
- Document checklist for your case
- Apostille + translation coordination
- 60-day filing timeline post-closing