Moving to New York from Puerto Rico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Puerto Rico to New York? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Puerto Rico to New York, you would find that New York is 41.9% more expensive than Puerto Rico overall. A $75,000 salary in Puerto Rico would need to be roughly $106,000 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is New York cheaper than Puerto Rico?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 34.8% more
Groceries
pay 1.0% less
Transportation
pay 25.8% more
Housing
pay 70.9% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 91.6% 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 New York?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $106,000
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to New York
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Puerto Rico to New York.
people moved from Puerto Rico to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
-
5.1,829,251
Puerto Rico
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in New York compared to Puerto Rico.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
New York performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York 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
New York performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Puerto Rico performs better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), 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 Puerto Rico to New York?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Puerto Rico and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States'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 New York than Puerto Rico?
On average New York is around 42% pricier than Puerto Rico, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
Budget about $26,500 for 3 months in New York (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 New York?
From major New York cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Puerto Rico and New York are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in New York compared to Puerto Rico?
New York performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Puerto Rico, the official languages are English and Spanish.
