Moving to Puerto Rico from Illinois
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Illinois to Puerto Rico — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Illinois to Puerto Rico, you would find that Puerto Rico is 14.1% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly $64,400 in Puerto Rico to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Puerto Rico cheaper than Illinois?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 13.4% less
Groceries
pay 16.2% more
Transportation
pay 11.0% less
Housing
pay 19.3% less
Childcare
pay 50.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.2% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Puerto Rico?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $64,400
To maintain the same standard of living in Puerto Rico
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Puerto Rico
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Illinois to Puerto Rico, based on official data.
people born in United States live in Puerto Rico · UN DESA
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Illinois to Puerto Rico.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Illinois performs better than Puerto Rico across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than Puerto Rico across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Illinois performs better than Puerto Rico across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Puerto Rico performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Can you move from Illinois to Puerto Rico?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Puerto Rico
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Puerto Rico than Illinois?
Yes — Puerto Rico is on average about 14% cheaper than Illinois. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Puerto Rico?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,100 in Puerto Rico on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Puerto Rico?
Usually fine from major cities in Puerto Rico. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Puerto Rico compared to Illinois?
Illinois performs better than Puerto Rico across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What language do they speak in Puerto Rico?
The official languages in Puerto Rico are English and Spanish. In Illinois, the official language is English.
