What Vaccinations for Costa Rica are required?

If you're moving to Costa Rica, you should consider getting all recommended vaccines for Costa Rica. Unlike tourists who are in Costa Rica for a short period of time, expats risk of exposure to various illnesses is much greater due to length of stay, travel to more parts of the country and exposure to different foods.

Routine Vaccines

"Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot," said the CDC.

Hepatitis A

"CDC recommends this vaccine because you can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in Costa Rica, regardless of where you are eating or staying," wrote the CDC.

Typhoid

"You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water in Costa Rica. CDC recommends this vaccine for most travelers, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater," wrote the CDC.

Malaria

According to the CDC, "Although the risk of malaria is low in Costa Rica, you should avoid mosquito bites to prevent malaria. Some travelers to certain areas who are at higher risk for complications from malaria (such as pregnant women) may need to take extra precautions, like antimalarial medicine. Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent malaria while traveling. Areas of Costa Rica with risk of malaria: Rare local cases in Matina Canton in Limón Province, Sarapiqui Canton in Heredia Province, and Pital District in San Carlos Canton in Alajuela Province. See more detailed information about malaria in Costa Rica."

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Expats interested in International Health Insurance should take a minute to get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA.
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Hepatitis B

"You can get hepatitis B through sexual contact, contaminated needles, and blood products, so CDC recommends this vaccine if you might have sex with a new partner, get a tattoo or piercing, or have any medical procedures," wrote the CDC.

Rabies

According to the CDC, "Although rabies can be found in bats and other mammals in Costa Rica, it is not a major risk to most travelers. CDC recommends rabies vaccine for only these groups: Travelers involved in outdoor and other activities in remote areas that put them at risk for bat bites or other animal bites (such as adventure travel and caving). People who will be working with or around animals (such as wildlife professionals and researchers)."

Yellow Fever

"There is no risk of yellow fever in Costa Rica. The government of Costa Rica requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US. If you are traveling from a country other than the US, check this list to see if you may be required to get the yellow fever vaccine: Countries with risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission," wrote the CDC.