Moving to Puerto Rico from Haiti

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Haiti to Puerto Rico — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Haiti to Puerto Rico, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Spanish.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Haiti to Puerto Rico, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
129 ↓ 19% vs 2015

people born in Haiti live in Puerto Rico · UN DESA

Who's moving to Puerto Rico?

Top countries of origin for Puerto Rico's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Haiti and Puerto Rico stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

HT
41.1
PR
14.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HT
31.3
PR
12.5

Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Haiti across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

HT
11.1%
PR
42.4%
Suicide rate World Bank, 2021

per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support

HT
7.8
PR
5.4

Haiti generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Puerto Rico leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HT
0.3t
PR
4.8t

Haiti performs better than Puerto Rico across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HT
0.3
PR
28.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HT
13.4%
PR
19.5%

Puerto Rico generally does better on infrastructure, though Haiti leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

HT
14.9%
PR
6.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

HT
$2,694
PR
$40,620

Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Haiti across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

HT
65.1 yrs
PR
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HT
39.0
PR
6.0

Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Haiti across all family life metrics.

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Haiti and Puerto Rico. To live, work, or study long-term in Puerto Rico, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Puerto Rico's immigration authority.

Haiti passport

Haiti passport holder visiting Puerto Rico

Visa Required
Haiti passport holders need a visa to enter Puerto Rico.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Puerto Rico?

With 28.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Puerto Rico can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Haiti and Puerto Rico.

Is Puerto Rico safe for expats?

Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Haiti across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Puerto Rico is 14.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 41.1 in Haiti.

How is healthcare in Puerto Rico compared to Haiti?

Haiti generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Puerto Rico leads in suicide rate.

What language do they speak in Puerto Rico?

The official languages in Puerto Rico are English and Spanish. In Haiti, the official languages are French and Haitian Creole.

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At a Glance

HT PR
Population 11,906,095 3,184,835
Currency Haitian Gourde (HTG) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French, Haitian Creole English, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +509 +1
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 114 —