Moving to Italy from Puerto Rico
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Puerto Rico to Italy — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Puerto Rico to Italy, you would find that Italy is 9.8% cheaper than Puerto Rico overall. A $75,000 salary in Puerto Rico would need to be roughly €60,200 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Italy cheaper than Puerto Rico?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 21.8% more
Groceries
pay 24.4% less
Transportation
pay 29.9% more
Housing
pay 30.1% less
Childcare
pay 13.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Italy?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €60,200
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Italy
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Puerto Rico and Italy stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Italy 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 Italy leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Puerto Rico performs better than Italy 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
Italy generally does better on infrastructure, though Puerto Rico leads in water stress level.
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 Italy 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Italy generally does better on family life, though Puerto Rico leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021–2022), Puerto Rican Department of Treasury (2016), Italian Revenue Agency (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from Puerto Rico to Italy?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Puerto Rico and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
Italy passport holder visiting Puerto Rico
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Italy than Puerto Rico?
Generally yes: Italy runs about 10% cheaper than Puerto Rico on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €15,050 in Italy for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Italy?
With 31.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Italy can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Puerto Rico and Italy.
Is Italy safe for expats?
Italy performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Puerto Rico.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Italy leads in adult obesity rate.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Puerto Rico, the official languages are English and Spanish.
