We were talking with some friends the other night about the cost of living in Puerto Rico and it made me think of all the various categories that would go into calculating that. Overall, I would say cost of living can be roughly estimated through statistics but it also depends on your lifestyle and budget. Many costs are dependent on a lot of factors including what people consider wants or needs. For us, once we have settled down and have our main capital improvements done, we should be able to live on less than $1000/month give or take which is quite a bit less than what we lived on in Colorado. So, here is how it breaks down at least compared with Colorado. Other places in the US will have higher or lower costs of living.
Housing (Rent/Mortgage)
Housing costs in Puerto Rico are dramatically lower than in Colorado. There are some pretty fancy and expensive houses, but in general, you could easily buy a decent sized house for around $100,000, especially outside of the tourist towns and San Juan. The majority of Puerto Ricans own their homes outright without a mortgage. This is the reverse in the states. Rent is also much lower in PR than in Colorado. Even in the tourist towns like Rincón, people can rent long-term for between $400-$1000/month.
Overall: lower housing costs
Utilities
The two main utilities are water and electricity since people do not need natural gas lines in Puerto Rico to heat the homes or water. The municipal water cost is comparable to Colorado though it has gone up some recently. Electricity is about 3 times as expensive as in Colorado and for that reason it is smart to air dry clothes, have a propane gas stove, and run fans instead of air conditioning. If you can do that we have found electricity is actually not too much either. Plus there are lots of options with utilities such as solar energy, and rain water catchment systems. Another cost that may go into utilities are backup systems in the case of outages that occur from time to time especially in the rainy season. Trash pickup is free whereas in Colorado it was anywhere from $10-$15/month. Other optional utilities like Internet, Phone/cell, Cable/satellite, I have heard are pretty close to the same cost as stateside.
Overall: equivalent utility costs
Food (groceries/restaurants)
Food is definitely one area we have found is as much as double the cost as in Colorado. In general we Americans are used to very cheap food both in terms of out-of-pocket expenses as well as in quality. And while Puerto Rico is a lush tropical environment conducive to a lot of gardening and food production, the vast majority of food does not come from Puerto Rico. That raises the costs because of shipping and refrigeration needs. You can sort of figure whatever you currently pay for groceries it will be double here. Restaurant costs are not quite as dramatic and run around 1.5x the price, especially the chains like Macaroni Grill, Wendy’s, and so on. For instance a large salad at Wendy’s in Colorado was around $5 and here it is about $7. Something you can do to lessen these costs is to grow/raise or fish for at least a portion of your food needs.
Overall: higher food costs (unless growing your own)
Clothing/Non-food items
Clothing wears out a lot faster here due to the warm climate, but clothing overall is fairly inexpensive and you don’t have to have such a wide variety of clothing because of the stability in climate. I have not been able to find a good secondhand store yet and so buying secondhand is left more to word of mouth or through the clasificadosonline.com system. All the major corporations (except Target) are on the island such as Kmart, Sams and Walmart, Sears, JCPenney, Home Depot and even Ikea. Prices for these non-food items in these box stores are relatively close to what they were stateside. You can also buy online, though shipping is sometimes more expensive or not available to Puerto Rico.
Overall: lower or equivalent clothing/non-food costs
Transportation
Vehicles are a little more expensive because there is an import tax on every vehicle that enters the island. The used vehicle market is much closer to stateside prices. Every vehicle is required to have a “marbete” sticker which is essentially both the registration and liability insurance and runs about $100/year. This is much lower than the combined price of registration and insurance in CO. Gasoline prices are about the same. Some roads are toll roads. There is very little public transportation on the island and it is really hilly without many bike lanes or consistent sidewalks which makes alternative transportation somewhat difficult.
Overall: equivalent depending on transportation needs
Graded School?
Schooling
This one doesn’t apply to us as we don’t have children. But many of our friends have chosen private schools over the free public ones because the public schools don’t have the best reputation in terms of scholastic achievement. A private school can run anywhere from $200-$500 (or more?) per month per kid depending on the school and the age group. Higher education is purported to be pretty inexpensive and many Puerto Ricans take advantage of this and so there is a large number of highly educated people here.
Overall: more expensive if used to public school, but less expensive than stateside private schools
Taxes
Residents of Puerto Rico do not have to pay Federal Income taxes on income derived in Puerto Rico. However, there is an income tax on Puerto Rico income that I have heard can be pretty high. Property taxes are practically non-existent (we pay only $40/year compared with about $1000/year in Colorado). Sales taxes are relatively new and only started within the last decade. However, cash is still king here and many small businesses don’t have ATH (credit card) machines and may, or may not, charge you the tax (IVU).
Overall: less expensive
Health care
Health care is MUCH less expensive in Puerto Rico as compared to the U.S. This topic could warrant a whole post in and of itself, but suffice it to say that whether you get insurance or not, health care costs are DRAMATICALLY less here (for instance, if a procedure/hospital visit were to cost $50,000 in the states, it would be closer to $1000 here, and that’s without insurance).
Overall: much less expensive
Entertainment
Movies, bars and clubs, sports and whatever activity you are into are all available in PR for roughly the same price. Movies are usually in English with Spanish subtitles and cost about 3/4 what they would in most states. Beer/alcohol is a little more expensive along the same line as food. And the beach is always free!
Overall: equivalent
Jobs/Labor/wages
This is the one area that may make it more difficult to live in Puerto Rico if you are used to traditional job structure. In Puerto Rico the official labor participation rate is very low, unemployment is high and the official income per capita is only around $15,000. However, Puerto Rico does many things “off-the-books” and there is a lot of economic activity that is not recorded. If you come here with a source of income, are savvy to find your niche, and keep your expenses in check, you can make it here and there are lot of opportunities hiding in wait.
Overall: fewer jobs and lower pay
Cost of living is a hard thing to pin down because it will depend greatly on the person, and in Puerto Rico it can be higher in some aspects and lower in others. The costs I would say are overall less, but because there aren’t as many high-paying jobs it makes it harder for people to up and move without some major consideration and for that reason it sort of equals out. For us, we came with a source of income that matches our needs here and the lower cost of living definitely helps us. It fits us great and we love living here!
That’s actually a very good assessment and I’m sure that this post will be shared a lot in the future.
What a great summary of expenses. And I had no idea Ikea was on the island – that makes me very happy in anticipating our move!
Excellent work Cassie! Very useful overview.
Good Job Cassie
This to me was probably one of your best posts. Just like anywhere else there are the plus and minuses on living in Puerto Rico I have found you just have to be a little self-reliant and you can have an enjoyable lifestyle living there. You have posted a lot of information to share with people who may be thinking on moving to PR. Almost everything you are talking about here Mary Jane and I have already experienced. The only thing I might add to this is If you are retired military there are some benefits when moving to PR. Commissary privileges if you make the trek to Fort Buchannan in Bayamon, you will definitely save on your grocery bill, spirits and fuel. One other thing great about living in Puerto Rico NO SNOW
Hi Cassie
I am so glad to see you write that you love living there. I could tell that Britton was thriving (from his posts) but I wasn’t so convinced about you…until now. I have been worried since it is a BIG move with lots of changes (and bugs) and I wasn’t sure if it was working out. Do people really not have hot water in their houses there? that baffles me. Are you ever going to get a cell phone or internet connection? If you did, how much would those cost? This post was very interesting.
Keep enjoying life!
Laura
Thank you for sharing this useful information. I am sure for those contemplating a move to PR and who follow your blog will find this helpful. What I appreciate is your love for the island and your optimism. Often times, when we share with Puerto Ricans that we want to retire there in the future they look at us like we have 5 heads coming out of our necks. When we ask what’s wrong with living there they reply “millions of Puerto Ricans are dying to leave the island each year and here you are wanting to live here”.
It’s so disappointing to hear that and at times discouraging. But your blog brings new life to my dreams each and every time. Thank you so much!!!
Great information, Cassie! I would add a couple of things. Once your property gets appraised as a family home (they are supposedly getting around to updating appraisals) and it appraises at more than $150,000, you will owe property taxes on the overage. Most folks I know on the eastern side pay property taxes. Having once being in real estate, I follow prices and trends. If you want to buy a house for under $150k here in the east, you are most likely looking at a rural area, a run down house, or a small condo. Also, public transportation is widely available in the greater San Juan area as well as most larger municipalities. Not so much in the rural areas, for the reasons you mentioned. Re taxes, any stateside income (including pensions, like ours) is subject to federal income tax. So, some might end up filing both fed and local, but it winds up being less than in any state, unless your income is in the top 5%. You are right about health care costs, but I have heard that may be changing (not for the better) with the ACA. Also, sales taxes are probably going to change soon (either via a hike or going back to taxing merchandise at the port at a higher rate) to help balance the budget. Overall, Steve and I estimate it’s cheaper to live here than in California. Great post! — Fran
Wow, you guys have IKEA. Very nice
Good Post Cassie. I agree with a lot of what you say.
I would suggest you buy liability car insurance. The marbete only covers your liability up to $4000. That $4000 of coverage cost about $100. For another $200 of private insurance you get $296,000 worth of coverage. The marbete is a TOTAL scam. Universal (CACIO) insurance is good.
I disagree with your 50:1 assessment of the health care costs. I find its more of 4:1 which is still much better than in the states. My 12 hour trip to the hospital cost the insurance company $900. All I had done was a few CAT scans and some pain meds. Whereas Drs, tests, and hospitals are far cheaper most RX medicine is not cheaper. You may find some RX cheaper but don’t count on it.
I assume based on your $1000/month figure you do not have health care. Please, if you don’t have it I suggest you get it. Even here you can lose everything if you get sick. I don’t want that to happen to you two.
You are right on about rents. They are very cheap. The owner is NOT making any money. They are in fact losing a lot by renting it to you in most cases.
Homeownership is so high in PR because it’s very hard to sell a house and because of inheritance laws. Therefore lots of people have more than one house. They don’t go through all the numbers in what it costs them to rent it and they have to charge what the market will bear. How on earth can you rent a $150,000 house for $600 a month?
Property taxes can run a couple thousand IF you don’t live in the house or own more than one and like Fran said if your house is more than $150K (Fran, I thought it was $200K, did they lower it?). You were only paying $1000 in property tax in CO?!!! That’s cheap!!! And you got Library’s, sidewalks, and all kinds of other services for it.
Income tax is insane if you’re a married couple and you both work and each make over $50K. That being said the wages are about 60% of what they are in the states.
78 degree water is cold for a morning shower! Some people go without hot water. I won’t.
Electricity is about 30 cents a KWH. As I drive down the road I see so many houses with incandescent lights on outside even during the day. Insane.
People here complain about the high cost of water yet I see them water their driveway almost every day on my way to work. Our water bill is only $15 a month.
But then you also need to figure in the costs of the utilities being unreliable. I have a huge cistern and a water pump, also a generator. $$$
Super practical overview. This post also gives folks outside of PR an inside look at the life there beyond tourism. Hope you do a post sometime on the medical care there; it would be interesting.
Cassie, your info is great. It gives us a great insight into what life is going to be or us when we move down hopefully at the end of April from NY. I was also not aware that there is an Ikea there, which I love. Looking forward to finding a rental house in the north east part of the island and retiring there peacefully.
Wow! Glad this post was so helpful to you all. And also WOW I did not know Ikea was so popular -haha.
Rick-thanks for the point about military benefits. We don’t receive those, so we know nothing about that. And I agree, NO SNOW must be worth something right? 🙂
Laura -yes I have been having a blast here. The few minor things like bugs and living in small quarters I sort of take as a badge of pride. It has definitely been an adjustment, but sleeping in every day, working when I want and basically living in a never-ending summer vacation with my best friend is the most awesome experience of a lifetime. The trade is TOTALLY worth it to wake up with Britton on a February morning and wander around in my skivvies tending to plants and baby chicks at basically our personal tropical park and then hang out with friends or play at the beach 🙂
We don’t currently see a “need” for a cell phone or other conveniences, but that may change. We’ll see. I know it drives Mom crazy ;-). As for hot water, some people still don’t have it, but many use different systems like solar, electric or propane heaters for small/instant-on systems. We currently use just an electric plug in one that heats just the water you use in the shower.
Fran- thanks for the additional info on housing costs/taxes. It sounds like the taxes on higher priced houses will affect the east side/metropolitan region much more than the rural and central/west. I am interested in seeing how the ACA affects PR since PR is exempt from the individual insurance mandate and is using the federal funds to increase Medicaid rather than have an exchange. I can’t imagine it would increase costs too much since people just don’t have as much money and much fewer have health insurance.
Jeff- Lots of good info. Thanks. Our car is not worth $4,000 so the Marbete is sufficient for us and I don’t think it’s a scam. The base registration for a cheap car in CO was $70/year and you didn’t get insurance with it!
The 50:1 ratio is hard to calculate because the actual costs of out-of-pocket in the states is so hidden, but I recently read that to have a baby in CO or the US it averages about $50,000 for a “normal delivery/birth”. We have friends who have had babies at Bella Vista, the private hospital in Mayaguez, who paid $1,000 out of pocket with no insurance coverage. So it may vary based on the procedure but in general it seems that modern health insurance is a bigger part of the problem than the solution. As for prescriptions, BK’s one Rx is less expensive here than it was in CO with insurance!
Rents are cheap, but if you own the house outright, it is pure profit and you don’t share the rental income with the mortgage holder (bank) and since property taxes are so low it also increases the spread. Sounds ok to me.
Agree with you that conservation efforts are not strong here for water or electricity. That could save people quite a bit.
Everyone- thanks for your comments!
Cassie, this is why I made the comment because people don’t understand. The Marbete is only LIABILITY insurance and only covers any damage you make at $4K per accident. One bumper can cost more than that. It does NOT pay for your car if it’s your fault. Its standard LIABILITY ONLY. You are on the hook for any damage over $4K to OTHER PEOPLE. I don’t know about you but I can’t afford to pay $20K+ if I hit a new car or cause any medical problems. Most people here only have the Marbete and some don’t even have that.
Therefore if they hit you and cause any injuries to you or cause your car to hit others then YOU don’t get more than $4K. Please look into this. You have something to lose. Others don’t so they could care less about you. If I hit someone then I want them compensated fairly. We have CAICO.
Rent is NOT pure profit if you own the house. It costs the owner big time. You have to run the numbers. $150K in a 10 year CD can earn 3.3% that’s $5K a year or That’s over $400 a month you can earn on that investment with NO risk. Say you rent for $600/month, then you have $200/month to pay for all the rest to break even. All the rest is: $150/month Property Tax because you don’t live there, $50/month Homeowners insurance, roof maintenance $300+/ year(Crossco/Denosa), Paint, appliances that wear out, and to many other things to mention. And how many months a year is it rented? If it’s not rented for any time you lose even more money.
Jeff: The homeowner’s exemption is $150K plus an additional 25K for veterans. It is not $200k. Appraisals for property tax purposes come in low, and ours was appraised in 2011 for $175k. CRIM explained clearly to us that Steve’s vet exemption put us at the max exemption.
Cassie: I, too, would be interested in the downstream effect of the ACA here too. Have only heard rumors and opinions. I keep up with local news by watching PM newscasts, reading (Spanish) newspapers, and of course, reading (English language) Caribbean Business, but many times rumors get ahead of the facts.
As an additional note for comparisons for those thinking of making the move and considering options to rural life: We live in a nice-but-not-fancy gated community in Humacao (Eastern PR. pop. 60,000) — 1800 sf two story house (Not Palmas Del Mar). We use energy-efficient inverter AC units (6 of them, usually 1 or 2 at a time) when we are at home, and being retired, we are home a lot. The house came with an electric stove, and we won’t go with gas until that one gives out. We, like everyone else we know out here, use hot water! We have an energy efficient on-demand water heater and it serves us well. So…depending on the season, our electric bill is between $150 and $300 a month. (We are at sea level and I really cannot live without AC!) In California, between gas and electric, it was always $250-$400 (I hear heating costs are outrageous in the northeastern US). In CA, we paid $52/month for sewer and garbage service, and $40/month for water. Here we pay $35-40 for water (which includes sewer service) and $0.00 for garbage and recycling service. The 250-home community has a 24-hour guard at the gate, roving security patrols, a very nice pool, A/C gym, tennis court, half basketball court and a very large covered activities area. Also, sidewalks and streetlights! (The downside is that the streets do have potholes, as do all streets in Humacao.) All for a monthly HOA fee of $80. We’re literally 5 minutes away from Walmart, Sam’s, Walgreen’s, Marshall’s, coming-soon-Home Depot, etc., and a lot of restaurants including Chili’s and coming-soon Applebee’s. 45 freeway minutes from San Juan, an hour to LMM International Airport. 7 minutes away from N/S fwy (PR53) and from E/W fwy (PR30/60). 10 minutes from Palmas Del Mar, where there is a great marina, beaches, restaurants, and expensive real estate. I think PR has plenty of lifestyle and budget options for those willing to embrace a different culture and be adventurous. — Fran
Jeff, I was thinking about your assessment of the rental situation and how ‘someone could rent a $150k dollar property for $600/mo and make a profit’. In your assessment you are assuming a lot. Below is another scenario of the hypothetical property situation from an optimistic viewpoint.
First off the “$150k” is not actualized money, that is to say it doesn’t exist. For all we know, Grandma left it to Uncle Louie and it has been Uncle Louie’s only property here for many many years. Uncle Louie works and lives in NJ. As such the tax assessment is very low. Now his nephew Tommy does the upkeep on the property and rents it out to some friends for $600/mo cash. This is to say that just by changing one factor, that the house is family owned outright, the numbers work out totally different which I think happens quite a bit here in PR.
Current rates on 5 year CDs are 1.5%-2% so you’re at ~$15k profit before tax after 5 years time where you cannot touch YOUR money without penalty. In the property at $600/mo you’re looking at ~$36K profit after 5 years tax free (remember it’s cash in the informal economy). Even if you end up spending lets say $6k on repairs (which would be a lot as Tommy does all the work) you’re still looking at more than double what you would earn in the CD that is monitored and generates an interest statement and is reported to the IRS.
Also since Tommy’s money isn’t locked up and he knows construction, he spent the $30k and built another cabana (did all the work, hired friends and didn’t get permits, all very common in an informal economy) on the property three years ago. It rents for $500 and the taxes and costs have stayed the same for the property so now he is turning 66,000 every 5 years and his renters are very happy because their cost of living is so low. Sounds like a win/win to me.
Insurance is gambling that something will go wrong. We self insure on most things and are OK with that wager. Now that isn’t to say that betting that something bad will happen can be very useful, and we are waiting to see how the health insurance debacle works out. At least here in PR we are on the periphery and not in the middle of the storm!
Thanks so much for the cost comparisons. I do think lifestyle expectations can make a difference-but that’s true no matter where you live.
Comparing Puerto Rico FROM Where all you people are from is not fair at all.It seem comparing like orange from apples. It looks more real comparing PR from Barbados.If you looking for a job in PR star learning Spanish from now or better jet move to Dubbai heard that medical care is free to everybody.Remember PRis what it is different from your from originally so good luck Amigos Gringos
Hi Cassie, just wanted to ask you some questions but not leave a public post, can’t get the question posting site to work, is there an e mail I can contact. I am looking at a job in PR and just trying to make sure I thought everything through before diving in. thank you
I left p.r. in 1952,when I was14.I returned about 25 yrs. ago and I am doing very good.I own my home & car.I live on social security only! I travel to the states every year to see my kids, grand-kids and great grand-kids;how wonderful is that!
Thanks so much for your posts on moving to PR. I presently live in Warren, MI, and I have a job offer on Fort Buchanan as an IT specilist for Army Child, Youth and School Services. I love my job as tech support to Army families and would love to live in sunny weather, but my fear of the unknown is holding me back. As a single, 40+ woman, my greatest fear is where whould I live safe and affordable ( close to the base), as on base housing is not an option for me.
Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thank you.
Lisa
Lisa
My advice to you is take a trip to PR and check the area out. I have been to Fort Buchanan many times it’s a very nice base. A lot of retired military use the facilities on the base. There is a lot of housing around the base it’s only about 20 minutes from San Juan. The closer you get to San Juan the housing will be more expensive. And as for security where there is large populations of people there is crime. Don’t believe everything you here about crime in Puerto Rico it mostly has to do with the drug trade. One other thing to consider is there is a lot of traffic in this area. Hope this will help you Puerto Rico is a beautiful Island.
Rick
Hi, Cassie,
Nice to read your blog.
Just a quick question.
I have two school kids – one is 7th grade and another is 9th grade in high school.
Do you know there is any private middle and high school in the Rincon area?
I try to search a lots and cannot find anyone near Rincon.
I see one is ” the Lapalma Academy school” in Lapalma Del Mar which is quite affordable to me.
But feel the Rincon more interesting for me to relocate.
Thank you for your any advise.
Tess
Hello Tess!
I am not as familiar with the schools here because we don’t have kids, but I have heard of MASIS in Añasco and SESO in Mayaguez. There is also a new Waldorf school in Aguada called Semillas but I think it is only elementary at this point. I have heard some good things about the public schools in Rincón as well.
Cassie,
I too have enjoyed reading your site/blog.
Here is my scenario:
68
VA 100% Disabled (Between the ears at one time)
Extremely Healthy
Sober
Out door boy
Construction background/very self sufficient
Recently Separated after 28 years of marriage
Oregon grown/all over the place
ND working for the last 4 years/in winter time
Have monthly/consistent income (Enough)
Make money monthly trading
Live in a 26 ft tipi now in SE Oregon/very comfortable
Considering Rincon area off the beach in the country for 6 months plus a year.
Will river raft/kayak the other months of the year, May to Oct + or -. Last trip was the entire Snake River from the S. Border of the Yellowstone to the Columbia River. Next long trip is the Yellowstone to the Missouri, Missouri to the Mississippi then down the Mississippi to the Gulf.
I would be looking for something rural, more in the Rincon area. One can always go to the “beach”. I would pay the price to have an older Class B/camper high top van shipped with an enclosed trailer with personal items/tools/etc.
Any suggestions/comments from you or anybody else would be appreciated.
I would like to think with being older, no partner, no kids, no dogs, no cats and no baggage, as independent, capable and with a ton of life’s experiences, a move like this for a “new view” would be a fairly seamless process for a guy like me.
Let’s start a conversation there.
Dave
David,
Sounds like you would do great here!
Good evening Cassie,
I am looking at moving back down to Puerto Rico from Colorado. I use to live in the town of Sabana Grande, with my grandparents and have always wanted to move back. I was getting discouraged but after reading some of the posts I have begun to see that this is a possibility. The area that I am struggling is finding any jobs that are in the Substance Abuse field. With the drug problem as bad as it is, I would think that there would be many jobs for Addiction Counselors. Do you know who I would need to contact to find out more information? Thank you for your time.
Mark.
Hi Mark,
I am not sure specifically about being an Addiction Counselor, but I know that Surf House (http://surfhousepuertorico.com/) is always looking for mentors for their young adults in transition. Most people find jobs after moving here. There are a lot of people who come down but don’t stick around, so the people who are hiring like to see that you are going to be here a while and not just dreaming. For “gringos” that don’t speak Spanish, most jobs are in the service sector. There are some bartenders who have master’s degrees and gave up $100k/jobs to live here. Since your family is Puerto Rican (and you probably know more Spanish), you may have more options. Definitely don’t expect to make a bunch of money. People move here not to make money, but to make a new life. Cost of living is lower as are wages. I would suggest saving up enough to cover at least 6 months worth of expenses and start looking for a job (or making your own job) right away once you arrive. Good luck!
Hi Cassie –
Thanks so much for this blog! My boyfriend and I are 99.9% sure we are going to move to PR in the fall when our lease is up. We live in NYC –Manhattan of all places– and are both finally at an age where we don’t see the point in wasting our incomes trying to survive, when it seems like we could actually live life in Puerto Rico.
Our biggest dilemma right now is where to live. I’ve been to Rincon once, but over a decade again, so I’m sure it’s changed a lot. I’ve heard it’s “expensive”, but compared to NYC, I don’t know what that means — unless its as much as here, we stand to save money! We are gravitating toward the West Coast in general. But, we don’t want to live in area that’s all gringos, we want local culture as well. (gentrification is we are trying to get away from…I am white though lol. He’s Dominican and fluent in Spanish).
Do you think it’s possible to find a place in Rincon – or surrounding towns (and which surrounding towns) for around $500-$1000 a month? Ideally we prefer an actual house or villa to an apartment, but are open at this point. Whenever I google anything about renting in PR – it’s all airbnb type sites, geared for tourists. Would $40K a year be enough to live in a nice, clean rental (no amenities aside from internet and ac necessary), have a car, eat out maybe 2X a week tops (we hope to grow some of our own food and fish), but indulge a few times a month in recreational activities (scuba, surfing, hiking, etc) ?
I have my own business and can’t say that Act 20 doesn’t factor into our decision – but still researching that. Seems complex.
Anyway, I appreciate any response in advance. Can’t wait to live in PR (I’ve lived in many developing countries, so I know , in some regards, what to expect from PR, and wouldn’t be constantly comparing life there to life in the mainland -which is exactly what I want to escape).
Thanks so much for all your info!
Bekah
Hi Bekah!
Puerto Rico is awesome. I think you will love it. Rincón does have a lot more gringos than some other places, but it is still about 70/30 Puerto Rican to gringo and the number of “Americanos” drops significantly during the summer. With that said, there are some things that gringos really like to have and so are more common in Rincón than elsewhere. For instance: you are more likely to find certain foods that are harder to find in other areas, there’s an organic farmer’s market on Sunday, lots of animal rescue organizations, environmental groups/volunteer trash clean up crews and recycling (they even banned single-use plastic bags-the first place on the island to do so!), internet pretty much everywhere, more English is spoken and there’s a little more money in general. I wouldn’t say it has become totally gentrified though. It is still very much Puerto Rico in all the best ways.
Because there are more people willing to spend a lot more money here, buying a house in or close to Rincón, at least in our experiences looking, costs sometimes double what it would be on the other side of the 2. We thought we were priced out of Rincón, but a deal (this property) fell into our laps. Rents are still cheap though. You could easily find a place for between $400-1000. If you live in Puntas it will be closer to the $1000 side, if you live in the hills up in Cruces or in Añasco/Aguada it will be closer to the $400. Depends on the place, but a whole houses with 2-3 bedrooms you could probably get for around $800. AirBnB/Craigslist/VRBO is more for short-term rentals, though it could be a good transition so you can meet all the property managers and take your time looking for a long-term one.
You could totally live off $40,000/year. That’s about 3x as much as most people live on here. Britton and I live on about $1000-1200/month and that covers fun activities too. But we do grow a good fraction of our food and we have virtually no housing or car expenses. Our water bill is about $20/month and electric is about $20-$25 too (we have no a/c and sun dry all our clothes).
Buena suerte and we hope to meet you sometime here in PR!
Hello everyone,
I will throw my 2 cents in here on the last 2 comments, the latest one from Bekah, the one before that from Mark, then the one from Cassie back to me several months ago. Cassie was right, “I am doing great here”. I have been here now 5 weeks, which is not a long time, but I am 68 1/2, been around and moving here on a one way ticket, not knowing a soul, is just another chapter in the book for me. Which helps is I am very healthy and active. In fact, in just the last month, I feel 10 years younger, and I felt 50 when I got here.
I will track Cassie and her husband down, but it probably won’t be for a while, but I look forward to and enjoy seeing the progress they are making on their house and on their property from their updates on their website/blog. If I was younger, I would be doing the same thing, albeit, it would be easier from me I think when it comes to building the house, because that is all I have done all my life is be in construction.
Mark, on your comment about trying to find a job in the Substance Abuse area. I am a “sober guy” almost 18 years now, and substance abuse at one time was my middle name. Alcohol fortunately, no drugs. I have not yet, taken the time to “seek out” any AA Meetings. However, I do know “The Puerto Rican’s” I see on a daily basis in La Parguera I don’t think are looking for an AA Meeting. I should think in the populated areas, IE, San Juan and close to the Army Base Ft. Buchannan, I would think you might have some results. As any where, there is always a need, and that need will never go away. I would go to the Ft. Buchannan web site and find a phone number and call and see if they have a substance abuse center and if they do, that could lead to some leads if they do not have a need.
Bekah, if your husband is Puerto Rican and you have a business, I should think you guys from what I am learning would be fine. $40,000 a year would be the bear minimum I think. Let’s face it, I don’t care where you live, everything you do, to include walking out the front door cost money.
However, there are some things to keep in mind, that are just what it is. The economy is not getting better here, it is getting worse. Their are very few “new” jobs for anybody, even those with Engineering Degrees etc. People are leaving every week by the 100’s to go to the States to seek out work, and of course most of them go to the Puerto Rican enclaves around the States and there are several, as I am sure you are aware. These people are not leaving because they want to, they have to. What that is leaving from what I am observing, is the young, the old and they are all over the place, those already working and doing well and those working and barely getting by. Vehicles left because they can’t sell them or give them away. Abandoned houses and properties.
The country/the State Government is in trouble. They will stay in trouble, until it is possible to becomes a State, or they are allowed by an Act of Congress to let some of the State Agencies file Bankruptcy, or they are allowed to refinance/sell more bonds, or debt is outright forgiven. It is not a pretty picture. This is easily substantiated, I am not just talking off the top of my head. Tourism is not doing well, nor well it from my opinion. That is too bad, because one of the great things is being able to come to PR without a Passport/Visa and they are part of the Federal Banking System.
As for living in Rincon, I thought about it, but decided for me, being a loner, and wanting a more “remote” type of living atmosphere, I choose La Parguera, which so far has turned out to me a very good decision.
I don’t think you will find anything in Rincon for $500 for the 2 of you that you would be happy with. $1,000 yes, and probably multiple choices. I am paying $900, which includes all utilities, pool, internet/TV plenty of parking, the best view possible in La Parguera. I do a daily journal, send it out to some of the family/friends once a week, you can go to my website http://www.1indsob.com and read/view the pictures.
As for my limited experience on what it cost for food, I eat will, very will. I don’t eat any meat, so I don’t have that expense. I think it will settle in at about $80 to $125 a week. I don’t have any vehicle expense yet, but will and there won’t be a car payment, so gas/maintenance/registration (which I believe includes limited insurance in in PR) ETC, shouldn’t be more than $200/less a month without a lot of driving. I walk around town, wouldn’t drive even if I had a vehicle at this time. I have no other expenses, I live very, very comfortably. My cell is AT&T and works very well. I had read internet was unreliable, but mine is great, I trade every day early AM on line and have had no problems. Rincon will be more hectic, more people, more chaos, more night life, etc, but that might suit you. But there are times of the year where there is absolutely nobody on the beaches. I only have a few dogs that should go to the pound and a couple of roosters that should end up on the grill and that is all that I hear for any kind of out side noise.
I hope this helps. Cassie and her husband are invaluable and have been gracious to everybody from my observation and every single thing I have seen them post is right on, not embellished and as close to the truth as can be.
Good luck
Great information from everyone. Thank you!
This is very good and very helpful. It is pretty much the same that we experienced on our trip to PR. We are going back later this year for a test drive so to speak. I have a good job and I work from home. As long as I can get high speed internet, I can work from anywhere. I didn’t realize the electricity was so expensive. We are planning to buy some land on our next trip and start planning our retirement home, along with having enough space to grow our own fruit, coffee, some vegetables, raise chickens, maybe some goats and have a couple horses. Solar power is becoming very popular there. New construction of single family homes requires a solar hot water heater. I am planning on a solar system that will power everything I have now, which will run about $8500. The import tax on vehicles can be quiet expensive. I have a Chevy truck and car. They both cost about the same new, but the car is considered luxury and the tax is almost double that of the truck. I will take my truck because I cannot replace it there with what I currently, close to the same price and mileage. One thing I have seen is that the used cars a pretty expensive, with very high mileage. It not unusual for a 10 year old car to have 150k miles. I’ve even seen 150k+ miles on a 5 year old car. Beware of very cheap cars on craigslist, especially on VI. If the price is too good to be true, it’ a scam.
Regarding housing, it depends on which part of the island you want to be on. We are looking for land on the east side of the island and that is where we will be staying on our next trip. There are more furnished apartments and condo at a lower price on the west side. Just as stated, it depends on what you want. Gated community, beach access, country living, furnished, you can find it all. It appears that the east side and the closer you are to the airport are both a little more expensive. Being a US Territory, I thought I would encounter a lot more English speaking people. This was only true at the airport, car rental company, resort where we stayed and most main stream restaurants. But at Wal-Mart, gas station, convenient store, road side stops, most didn’t speak English. People there live a much slower pace of life, so don’t expect anything to happen fast. Many of the businesses don’t have their own web sites. It seems that most advertise or list on puertorico.en.craigslist.org or http://www.clasificadosonline.com. We didn’t find out there was a Costco until our last day. Wal-Mart is pretty much just like walking into a Wal-Mart here. My wife being Mexican, she did have difficulty finding the right items to cook. If you like the interior of Mexico, you will love PR! If you haven’t been, you need to.
This blog is great!! 3 adults (including me) are planning to move out of Texas (although we live in Austin, we just don’t want to retire here. We are considering PR, CO, and Oregon, with PR being top contender. This blog & comments are fascinating and SO helpful. Essentially, we want to rent a house and environmental aesthetics are very important to us. We can spend about $1500/month and would like to find part-time work nearby or telecommute. We are all learning Spanish very diligently! Mountains, lakes, ocean, forest – we’re open. What cities would you suggest we research? Thank you so much!
Forgot to check notify box – pls respond to this post so I can read any follow-up! – Blaine
I have lived on the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii for over 35 years now. And I can’t wait to leave! I find the Hawaiian culture very violent, cruel and backward. Extremely cruel attitude towards animals. This is an attitude all to pervasive even in the mainland population that moves here. In short a lot of very “weird” people here. Is Puerto Rico the same thing? Is it an island mentality? Not much value placed on education or any other culture but their own primitive one?
Interesting!! And upsetting. I couldn’t live in a culture that doesn’t value human and animal welfare. That must be so difficult for you to live with! I would be very interested to know what ppl who have spent time in PR have to say. I’ve been doing a lot of research, especially in the Isabela/Rincon/Mayaguez/Cabo Rojas areas. They’re in the top 10 of places to live for quality of life (we are not the country club, golfing, gated community types!). Any and all experiences in these areas would be awesome!!!
Hi Blaine,
Puerto Rico is definitely quite affordable in regards to most things, as mentioned in this post. Even with the recent increase in sales taxes (11.5%!), it is still relatively low cost for most things. $1500 for 3 adults would certainly be doable at least on the west coast. Even in Rincón where it is a bit higher due to the winter influx of tourists, long-term rent for a 3 bed/2 bath is generally only about $700-$1000/month. I am partial to the west coast, but some people like the hustle and bustle of the metro area. With that, however, comes higher costs and higher population density. If you wanted to live more remotely like in Lares, San Sebastian, Utuado, Maricao or Las Marias for instance, rent could be super cheap (like maybe only $200/month even), but you may feel somewhat isolated especially without the ability to speak Puerto Rican “jibaro” style Spanish which is different even from mainstream Puerto Rican Spanish. For that reason, I think Isabela, Rincón, Aguada, Aguadilla, Mayaguez, and Cabo Rojo would be great cities to check out. One thing to factor in is that jobs may be hard to come by unless you come with your own business or income stream.
As for what Miriam wrote, it is a little off-topic for cost of living, but I will say that there is a slightly different mentality towards animals here than I found in the states. I would call it more of a “live and let live (or die)” philosophy. Instead of rounding up all the stray dogs and cats (or even horses) as they do in the states and sending them to a shelter where they will most likely be euthanized (killed) after a time, they live out on the streets, mating, begging for food and (sometimes) dying but from the perspective of the locals here, they are not condemned to death as they would in a shelter. I wouldn’t say people are generally cruel to animals though. In some cities like Rincon there are many volunteer organizations that spay/neuter, give vet treatments, foster and try to find homes for these strays, so you don’t see as many “satos” running loose around here.
Thank you so much for all that great information!! Sounds like we’re on the right path. Curious about travel within PR – is it fairly easy to explore? Some of the interior areas I’ve researched look enchanting. Again, thank you for providing this perfect insight into life in PR!
This is for Cassie- This is the Hawaiian attitude and there is nothing benevolent about it. The fact is the majority of the people do not care enough about the animals to care for them. These animals, dogs, cats, horses are not wild animals. They are domesticated animals that have not been cared for and have been left to fend for themselves. This is for the most part a miserable life for them. Starvation is a real possibility and a slow miserable death. I am not advocating euthanasia; I am advocating responsibility. Take these animals in; have them spayed and neutered, feed and water them every day. From what you said in your response to me PR is very similar to what Hawaii is. The real shame is that since these are island states if everyone would help these conditions could be stopped. In Hawaii it is part of the culture I’ve seen and locals have even said to me that they were never taught to be kind to animals. I want for animals to have a free and good life; I don’t want them caged and killed. And it is beyond me why more people won’t help to meet this end. Next time you see animals roaming the street or beach stop and leave them some food and water. It will make you a better person. I won’t be coming to Puerto Rico to live.
Miriam Wallwin let me tell you something while i was living in PuertoRico in the 70s an 80s i have never witness any animal cruelty.If you want to be an activist you could be great if you go to China or Koreo that dogs are a delicatessen or protects the deer in the Rocky Mountains from hunters.Could have your own TV show on Animal Planet or better yet become a vegan,don’t eat a steak anymore.If you don’t like to live in Puerto Rico or Hawaii thats fine you will find your paradise somewhere.Good Luck
Reinaldo- You make my point. I bet you don’t SEE much!!
FYI – When I get a response like I did from Reinaldo; and the 70’s and 80’s were a long time ago, it tells me there is an “island mentality” similar to Hawaii. And anyone who is “an animal activist” will have a hard time living there. This is from a charity organization called “Greater Good”:
Help rebuild the Las Marias shelter so it can re-open its doors and save more lives!
The Las Marias Animal Shelter is a small, inoperable shelter facility in rural west-central Puerto Rico. Originally founded and run by a dedicated woman and her husband who wanted to help the many street animals on their island, the shelter has deteriorated in recent years as the woman’s health has declined. She sadly passed away this past spring, leaving over 50 animals at the shelter. Today the facility is rundown and without upkeep will continue to deteriorate.
Luckily, the rescue was recently bequeathed to The Puerto Rico Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and GreaterGood’s Rescue Rebuild programs has been asked to get the Las Marias shelter in working order so PAWS can operate it as a satellite facility. Rescue Rebuild will help PAWS renovate the dog kennels and build roofs over them to protect the dogs from the blazing Puerto Rican sun while they await adoption. Our team also has the opportunity to start renovation of an exam room on the new property so the dogs can be treated and cared for by the PAWS veterinarian on site reducing cost and stress for the pet.
You can help. Your donation will help re-open the doors of the Las Marias shelter, and provide safe shelter space for so many pets that deserve a safe and comfortable life until they find forever homes! Right now, Mars, Inc. will match your donation dollar for dollar to make this project a reality!
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100% of your donation will go to the program described above as a grant through GreaterGood.org. GreaterGood stores do not receive any profit from donations through this Gift That Gives More™; we bring it to you in the spirit of the greater good. We even pay the credit card transaction fee, so every cent of your donation goes to charity.
I apologize for breaking the animal welfare thread, but would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who has moved to Puerto Rico successfully. What is the best way to locate rental properties? Should I meet up with a Realtor who specializes in my area of interest – or – are rental properties better found by simply driving around desirable areas and looking for
rental postings? If the former, I would tend to use the internet to locate a Realtor; is that the best way? Any other tips greatly appreciated! Many thanks!!
Miriam, the animal cruelty in Puerto Rico is the number one reason we had to leave. Your comment is spot on.
Thank you; people don’t seem to get it. That neglect is abuse. I suspected that it might be the same there as in Hawaii.
It’s not only the animal cruelty (letting domestic animals fend for themselves) it was all the garbage. Sure the US was this way 40 years ago but its now now. Some time in the past we had slavery but we don’t now. I hate all reasons that are given, excuses, excuses. PR is love hate. I miss so much of it but I don’t miss all of it.
Jeff
Hi Blaine,
I would suggest you come out to visit. In our area, there are at least 4 different charity animal organizations plus individuals who take in and care for animals they find, as well as a temporary shelter (Villa Michelle). Because of this as well as so many people from the states moving to this area, we rarely see a sato anymore in Rincon (or garbage). I am not sure about other areas. I think this topic probably deserves its own post so as to not hijack this thread and I will work on that. UPDATE: I have interviewed three people involved with animal welfare in Puerto Rico to help better understand this topic. http://www.lifetransplanet.com/2015/09/05/animal-welfare-in-puerto-rico-expert-interviews/
As for your relevant question for finding housing. You can do it in all of the ways you mentioned. Driving around and asking people in person, contacting a realtor or rental mgt company, Craigslist or Clasificadosonline (be prepared to call multiple times). But the most common way is still word of mouth, which is difficult until you have moved here. You might try staying with someone in their home (through AirBnB, VRBO or Craigslist) and more than likely you’ll hear about the most recent housing options that come up. Many of them are for 6 months -either high season (winter) or low season (summer)- and the price can change depending. During high season, people often want to rent to the short term market or the owners themselves come back into town. But in the summer (March/April until about Oct) you can find stuff that would otherwise be empty for as low as $400-500/month for a 2 bedroom house! When you get closer to the move, let us know and we’ll connect you to some of our contacts. Don’t stress about it, people move here all the time and you’ll find something. Good luck!
You are awesome and this blog is SO helpful. We will be coming soon to do our preliminary scouting before I put my house here in Austin up for sale. According to the statistics I have found, the cost of living on Puerto Rico is @ 79, with the US median being 100. Austin is currently at about 111, so that means overall we should expect a 30% cost of living decrease which should make our $5000/month income stream more than sufficient. We should be coming with mid-6 figures from house sale; all your information makes us believe we can enjoy a very nice quality of life there. We are focused on the Isabela/Rincon/ Mayaguez/Cabo Rojo west coast areas. I have lived in urban centers for most of my life and am looking forward to retiring to an aesthetically lovely, relaxing way of life. Mayaguez sounds like a lovely mid-sized city to be near and all in all, the cost of living seems to be somewhat lower than the eastern part of the island.
Anyone reading this blog have any experience in these areas? Would love to read about it.
Thank you again for keeping up with this blog; we love it – so valuable!
Hello, Cassie!
I’m relocating to Puerto Rico in the next year and a half and I’ve been trying to do all my research now. I’m curious that you mentioned fishing to help supply your own food. I’m planning on growing about 95% of my own food though I’d like to supplement this with fish. Everywhere I’ve looked about fishing in PR however just takes me to a touristy-type thing! Have you ever gone fishing for food? Also, I’ve yet to peek around your backyard hens posts but I was wondering if you’ve ever raised quail? Their eggs are much more nutritious and are used to cure a lot of things like eczema and hay fever!
We followed your advice, went to Rincon and asked around for rentals, realtors. Our first evening the woman tending bar at Casa Verde gave us the name of a wonderful realtor from Rincon and, within a couple of days, we had signed the lease for a beautiful place right on the beach! We are so excited – Rincon is everything we hoped for. We visited a supermarket and prices were higher than in the States but not unmanageable. We will try to take advantage of the truck farmers and farmers markets to get as much local produce as possible and, beyond that, plan to indulge in local seafood. We are planning to ship our car from the States and understand that there’s a hefty import tax but balanced that with the cost of a new car in Puerto Rico and think it will be slightly advantageous to ship. All in all, I got a tremendous amount of help from your blog and hope you will continue posting. All the insights you offer are really cool. Thanks again! – Blaine
My husband and I come down every year to our home in Arecibo (definitely not a trendy or pretentious municipality) and on every trip we visit Crash Boat not necessarily for the beach because it’s a little too congested for us but for the fish market located behind the beach. Freshest fish and CHEAP! The best chillo (red snapper) ever. Can’t wait to make the final move in two years.