Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of California, you would:

Health

live 2.7 years longer

In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Puerto Rico, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

make 48.8% less money

California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $43,000 as of 2023.

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be 16.9% more likely to be unemployed

In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2023.

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Basic Needs

be 16.1% less likely to have internet access

In California, approximately 92.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Puerto Rico, about 77.7% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: California vs. Puerto Rico
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Puerto Rico is 28.9% cheaper than California
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Size Comparison · See true size
California is about 44 times bigger than Puerto Rico.
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Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
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How big is Puerto Rico compared to California? See an in-depth size comparison.

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