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I also suggest giving consideration to your healthcare needs. There are hospitals around the island. Drug stores (CVS, Walgreens) are everywhere. If you have any specialist needs, you may have a harder time finding those unless you are in a major city. I thought of Puerto Rico for retirement but healthcare is one of my big concerns.
Also, consider the amount of Spanish that you know. In the tourist areas (Condado, Isla Verde) and areas like Rincon you will find many people who speak English. But once you leave those areas you will need to be more fluent.
I [22M] am considering moving to Puerto Rico from the mainland US (currently live in Rock Hill, SC) for lower Cost of Living and year-round warm weather, although I'm not 100% sure yet as I'm getting conflicting information. Cost of living almost anywhere in the US makes it almost impossible to live on your own (that, combined with me being Autistic). From what I know, Puerto Rico has a much lower cost of living than the Mainland US, although I'm hearing in some places that rent prices aren't too much lower than the mainland post-pandemic but It's hard to get information on it because much of the country forgets Puerto Rico is still part of the US. I don't mind having to learn Spanish.
But anyway, to help me think about it, I came up with a pros/cons list:
PROS:
* Lower Cost of Living (maybe)
* Tropical Weather (especially as someone who thinks even subtropical winters are too cold). And unlike Miami doesn't have the remote chance of winter storms coming from up north.
* Caribbean/Latin American culture and vibe. I get to actually live in the Caribbean while still living in America.
* San Juan is a fun city. Also the real oldest city in the US, predating St. Augustine by several decades
* The Beach
* Having Mountains, unlike Florida
* Less Federal Taxes (although I actually don't mind them)
* Puerto Rico (along with DC) are among the territories that are the most integrated with the rest of the US are are the most likely to become states
* Unlike Hawaii you're not too far from the US virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic
* Road signs are in kilometers instead of miles
CONS (although some of them still apply to my state so...):
* Losing my right to vote for congress and president
* Corruption
* Federal Neglect
* Much of the country forgetting that Puerto Rico is part of America, causing both a lot of businesses not shipping things/treating residents of the territory differently than mainlanders, and a stigma among many that I'm moving abroad
* Culture shock that comes with the unique culture of Puerto Rico
* Anything within San Juan city limits is still very expensive
* Puerto Rican Spanish is among the harder dialects to understand for non-native speakers
* Hurricanes
* Much of the population is socially conservative
* Statehood being a controversial issue, both within and outside the island
* Going against migration trends, as more Puerto Ricans move to the Mainland US than the other way Around
* Some people will see Mainlanders moving to Puerto Rico as Imperialist
* Having the lowest English Proficiency in the US. A lot more people in the mainly Spanish-Speaking parts of the Mainland US are bilingual than in Puerto Rico.
* It's logistically harder to move to an Island, especially affordably
* While not as Isolated as Hawaii, It's still a good ways away from Miami, the closest part of the mainland US.
So, Anyway, what are your thoughts?
When your list of CONS runs longer than your list of PROS, you may want to take a very close look at what you are potentially getting into.
If it's within your means, consider visiting PR for a month between July and September and then come to your own conclusions. Living among locals for a short while will provide you with an opportunity to experience the distinct culture of a people.
When your list of CONS runs longer than your list of PROS, you may want to take a very close look at what you are potentially getting into.
If it's within your means, consider visiting PR for a month between July and September and then come to your own conclusions. Living among locals for a short while will provide you with an opportunity to experience the distinct culture of a people.
I plan on visiting extensively before making any decisions on moving.
I [22M] am considering moving to Puerto Rico from the mainland US (currently live in Rock Hill, SC) for lower Cost of Living and year-round warm weather
I realize I responded once but I felt I needed to revisit your post.
If these are your reasons for moving to PR, I do not think you should do this. The cost of living is often much higher than people expect. You can get year round warm weather in South Florida (from Daytona Beach on south) or South Texas. Yeah, you'll have some occasional colder days but overall you will be pretty warm and you won't have as many cross-cultural issues.
But the big question I have for you is this: Are you willing to be changed by the culture you live in? Living in PR will be a different experience for you, but you will face challenges. Are you willing to deal with the challenges? You really want to think that through. If you can deal with the challenges, you have an incredibly opportunity to grow, even if you only do it for a year or two. Your eyes will be opened to a lot. But do not underestimate the challenges.
I always like to ask how people move to US terroritores not just Puerto Rico.
And do people actually secure remote work before going there, it seems more difficult to do these days as so many people gone remote since 2020 and won't return to the office.
I been hearing that Puerto Rico is "hiring" many corps personnel to help with the hurricane relief but I be curious the skills needed as well as the living situation there.
Johnny - how do you feel about not having power for weeks, maybe months if another hurricane hits? How do you work remotely when you can't get internet access?
I always like to ask how people move to US terroritores not just Puerto Rico.
And do people actually secure remote work before going there, it seems more difficult to do these days as so many people gone remote since 2020 and won't return to the office.
I been hearing that Puerto Rico is "hiring" many corps personnel to help with the hurricane relief but I be curious the skills needed as well as the living situation there.
The best approach IMO would be to already have a remote job that lets you work from "anywhere." My company doesn't care where in the U.S. we live (as long as they know where we are for tax purposes) and we have the option of living in any country where we have offices. I have an employee living in the middle east, and the only downside is that he has to work east coast U.S. hours, but he doesn't seem to mind.
I [22M] am considering moving to Puerto Rico from the mainland US (currently live in Rock Hill, SC) for lower Cost of Living and year-round warm weather, although I'm not 100% sure yet as I'm getting conflicting information. Cost of living almost anywhere in the US makes it almost impossible to live on your own (that, combined with me being Autistic). From what I know, Puerto Rico has a much lower cost of living than the Mainland US, although I'm hearing in some places that rent prices aren't too much lower than the mainland post-pandemic but It's hard to get information on it because much of the country forgets Puerto Rico is still part of the US. I don't mind having to learn Spanish.
But anyway, to help me think about it, I came up with a pros/cons list:
PROS:
* Lower Cost of Living (maybe)
Not really, food is much higher if you try to eat like in the states. Keep in mind, most has to be shipped in. If you eat like a PR, it is less.
Quote:
* San Juan is a fun city. Also the real oldest city in the US, predating St. Augustine by several decades
Old San Juan is great, tourist area, San Juan not so much, a lot of crime.
Quote:
* Less Federal Taxes (although I actually don't mind them)
My experience was the PR taxes actually were higher than Federal Income taxes if you work at a legitimate company. Most work for cash.
Quote:
CONS (although some of them still apply to my state so...):
* Losing my right to vote for congress and president
* Corruption
* Federal Neglect
* Much of the country forgetting that Puerto Rico is part of America, causing both a lot of businesses not shipping things/treating residents of the territory differently than mainlanders, and a stigma among many that I'm moving abroad
* Culture shock that comes with the unique culture of Puerto Rico
* Anything within San Juan city limits is still very expensive
* Puerto Rican Spanish is among the harder dialects to understand for non-native speakers
* Hurricanes
* Much of the population is socially conservative
* Statehood being a controversial issue, both within and outside the island
* Going against migration trends, as more Puerto Ricans move to the Mainland US than the other way Around
* Some people will see Mainlanders moving to Puerto Rico as Imperialist
* Having the lowest English Proficiency in the US. A lot more people in the mainly Spanish-Speaking parts of the Mainland US are bilingual than in Puerto Rico.
* It's logistically harder to move to an Island, especially affordably
* While not as Isolated as Hawaii, It's still a good ways away from Miami, the closest part of the mainland US.
So, Anyway, what are your thoughts?
Agree on the cons, especially corruption!
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