Moving to Spain from Puerto Rico
What to Expect
Considering a move from Puerto Rico to Spain? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Puerto Rico to Spain, you would find that Spain is 13.4% cheaper than Puerto Rico overall. A $75,000 salary in Puerto Rico would need to be roughly €58,000 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Puerto Rico and Spain.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €58,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 11.8% more
Groceries
pay 35.6% less
Transportation
pay 10.5% more
Housing
pay 19.4% less
Childcare
pay 24.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.6% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Spain compared to Puerto Rico.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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 Spain leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs significantly better than Puerto Rico 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
Spain 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 performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Spain 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), The World Factbook (2021–2022), Puerto Rican Department of Treasury (2016), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Puerto Rico and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.
Spain 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 Spain than Puerto Rico?
On average Spain is about 13% less expensive than Puerto Rico, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
Budget about €14,500 for 3 months in Spain (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 Spain?
Connectivity is usually fine (Spain: 39.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Spain offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Spain safe for expats?
Spain performs significantly better than Puerto Rico across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 14.6 in Puerto Rico.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in adult obesity rate.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Puerto Rico, the official languages are English and Spanish.
