Moving to Canada from Puerto Rico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Puerto Rico to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Puerto Rico to Canada, you would find that Canada is 3.8% more expensive than Puerto Rico overall. A $75,000 salary in Puerto Rico would need to be roughly CA$111,000 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Puerto Rico and Canada.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CA$111,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 9.4% more
Groceries
pay 17.9% less
Transportation
pay 7.2% more
Housing
pay 8.6% more
Childcare
pay 14.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Puerto Rico to Canada.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
172.541
Puerto Rico
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Puerto Rico.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Puerto Rico performs better than Canada across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Canada performs significantly 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Puerto Rico generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), Puerto Rican Department of Treasury (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Puerto Rico and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Canada 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 Canada than Puerto Rico?
On average Canada is around 4% pricier than Puerto Rico, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Budget about CA$27,750 for 3 months in Canada (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Puerto Rico.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in adult obesity rate.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Puerto Rico, the official languages are English and Spanish.
