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Mexico vs Costa Rica

On the objective, day-count measures below, Mexico edges it 1–0. But the right answer turns on who you are, passport, income, family, not a scoreboard.

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DimensionMexicoCosta Rica

Easier visa-free entryLonger visa-free stays mean less paperwork before you settle in.: 180 days; 180 days
Later tax-residence triggerMore days before residence is triggered = more room to plan. (A visa never decides this on its own.): 183 days; 183 days
Faster to citizenship: ~5 yearsedges it; ~7 years
More remote-work routes: 1; 1
Schengen areaSchengen members share one 90-in-180 visa-free clock, a plus for travel, a constraint for long stays.: No; No
Local banking: Possible with residence card; Possible, residency helps

See Mexico→See Costa Rica→Or split a year across both →

A comparison like this narrows the field; it doesn’t settle it. Tax residence, company management and your specific passport can all flip the answer, the builder models the day-count, a professional settles the rest.