Puerto Rico to Miami...upgrade or downgrade? (Tampa, Hialeah: apartment, crime rate)

[NicoleDT]

Ive been doing research and reading about the city quite a lot lately. I've lived in Puerto Rico all my life and im finally realizing that Im probably not going anywhere towards my personal and professional success. I am still living at home with my father and I'm 26! Although this is acceptable in our culture I'm a bit desperate to move on with my life. The job culture is too uptight and most of the employers dont believe in entry level types of job, training or competitive salaries. I have a Bachelors Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration in a well accredited university. I write and speak fluent English and Spanish. Ive tried to find a serious job in the industry but had to deal with jobs as a waitress and banquet server. In PR you have to have a Bachelors Degree, speak fluent english and have considerable amount of experience ,but how can i gather experience if nobody gives me the chance?? I felt a slap in the face when I got offered $7.25 p/hour to be Human Resources Assistant. When I check on the internet, just for curiosity, I realize jobs in the states pay almost doble, although cost of living may be higher, but i doubt it know. PR has become extremely expensive. I read an article on the newspaper about a local study finding out 60 to 80 percent of consumer articles are more expensive in big chain stores than in any state in the US! Real state might be cheaper than Miami still, but every year prices are reaching for the "upper middle class" to "high class" creating a wider breach between classes. Ive also heard utilities expense is very similar between both places. Anyways, just to get my point through, I know every place has it's downfalls, like crime, people complain about the sames things and there is, hopefully, also a good side. What are my chances?

I also found this bussinessman's comment about his view on PR.


"Yeah and that is about all that is nicer ... I travel to Puerto Rico as it is one of the territories that I cover at work and outside of some good seafood and nice beaches it is Hialeah by the sea . Yeah it has some nice mountains in the center of the Island , but it has a huge crime problem worse than any city in Florida , unemployment is very high , the economy is in the dumps and corruption at the state level is massive ... why do you think so many Puerto Ricans are moving to Florida , Georgia and the Carolinas ?

Despite it's status as a U.S territory it is very much and in many aspects a third world country . One positive the native islanders are very friendly and a different breed from the Puerto Ricans from New York and Orlando .... oh and if you do not like hearing constant pulsing nonstop reggaeton then definitely , definitely , definitely , avoid
"Hialeah By The Sea " I mean Puerto Rico ... LOL I would much rather live in Palm Beach even with all of its problems ."

[Chelito23]

Honestly, your experience in PR sounds like most experiences in Miami. This is a tourist based economy, with no real economic activity other than construction jobs and tourism. The pay is low here and the cost of living is through the roof, well surpasing that of Puerto Rico. Basically, Miami has PR's problems on steroids.

I think if you move to Miami, you would find the same problems but that much worse. You should check out other areas of the country where there is a more affordable lifestyle and a strong need to qualified bilingual personel.

[NicoleDT]

What areas would you recommend ?

[Alphaman]

You might want to look at orlando with your degree there are also alot of PR here so it wont be a big culture shock for you.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Honestly, your experience in PR sounds like most experiences in Miami. This is a tourist based economy, with no real economic activity other than construction jobs and tourism. The pay is low here and the cost of living is through the roof, well surpasing that of Puerto Rico. Basically, Miami has PR's problems on steroids.

I think if you move to Miami, you would find the same problems but that much worse. You should check out other areas of the country where there is a more affordable lifestyle and a strong need to qualified bilingual personel.

Chelito .... I normally agree with and respect your opinions .... but you cannot compare anywhere in Puerto Rico with South Florida . Lets not compare the City of Miami which is very small ... lets compare say Dade and Broward counties with Puerto Rico . You do not have anywhere near the wealth or opportunities in Puerto Rico that you have in Broward / Dade ... crime is much , much higher in Puerto Rico especially the metropolitan San Juan area than in Dade / Broward yes crime is MUCH higher ... I have been in San Juan where there have been over TWENTY murders in one weekend !!!!

I travel to Puerto Rico three to four times a year on business as it is one of my territories ... yes I am the business man who stated that San Juan is Hialeah by The Sea and I can assure you that even with all of its problems Miami and South Florida is superior to Puerto Rico in every respect ... culture , night life , lower crime , yes lower crime , many more job opportunities especially if you are qualified and college educated , less corruption , quality of life .... why do you think that so many Puerto Ricans have moved to Miami , West Palm Beach , Orlando , Tampa , Charlotte NC , Atlanta ?

Have you ever been to Puerto Rico , well I have been there over twenty times and it is the only place I have been the victim of crime ... I was mugged and pistol whipped by three thugs in the Miramar district in 2003 and I also had my laptop , and brief case stolen from my hotel room at the Isla Verde Court Yard Marriott .... no less . I have NEVER , NEVER , been a victim of crime in South Florida yet everyone that I know in Puerto Rico has either had their cars broken into , stolen , been mugged or burglarized ... Puerto Rico truly is a "Third World " country and it is a shame because many of the people are down to earth and nice . Again I agree with many of your posts but you are dead wrong on this one and you are allowing your hatred of Miami get in the way of your better judgement .... I do not like many things about Miami , but I would prefer to live in Kendall , Pine Crest , Aventura , Brickell , Miami Beach or Miami Shores than any place on the island of Puerto Rico . Public schools are terrible to the point that anyone who can afford it has their kids in private school ... the best public high school in San Juan is no better than the worst ones in Miami ... trust me . I have a good friend ( Puerto Rican ) that taught for two years at a public school in Rio Piedras near San Juan and he assures me that even Carol City High School where he now teaches is way superior to the best public school in PR !!!!

By the way the cost of living is NOT lower in Puerto Rico than in Miami , it is an Island and other than cheaper housing every thing else is more expensive and wages are MUCH LOWER than in Miami ... your post could not be more wrong in every aspect . This person will have many more opportunities in South Florida than in Puerto Rico

[MiamiRob]

I would agree with Musclehead on this one, if you think there is a class divide in Miami go to Puerto Rico. I also have many Puerto Rican friends that go to the island to visit relatives but wouldn't dream of going back to live there. The crime rate is horrendous with many gangs. It's sad because it is a beautiful place but trust me there is no comparison to Miami or South Florida.

[blackklight]

yeah i spoke to my mom about it and she said you can't even be outside to long as people would shoot you for no apparent reason; that is usually not the case in miami, i'd say upgrade.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by blackklight

yeah i spoke to my mom about it and she said you can't even be outside to long as people would shoot you for no apparent reason; that is usually not the case in miami, i'd say upgrade.

It is a shame as there are some beautiful areas on the western side of the Island and the mountains in the central areas are nice as well ... but the crime is out of control and there is also a great amount of poverty .

By the middle of July over 350 people had been murdered on the Island and murders were on pace to break last years record !!!!

I read this in the local English language paper " The San Juan Star " ... can you imagine over 350 frickin murders in the first six months of the year in an area not much bigger than Dade , Broward and Palm Beach counties !!!

[Marlin331]

Nicole, I know several people from Guaynabo City and Río Piedras, and most of them moved to the mainland for college (in Boston and New York) and stayed after graduation. Although housing costs are generally less on the island, the jobs pay much less and the taxes are about the same and in some cases higher. It's more affordable to live in a nice, middle class neighborhood in Miami with a median salary than to do so in San Juan. The reason I say this is because in Miami, a single person making a median salary could afford to live in a nice, gated apartment/townhouse complex in an area comparable to Guaynabo City or Dorado. It would be very hard to do that on the island without a very high paying job, and for that reason lots of people live at home with mami and papi until they are 30! Good luck, and let me know if you need any more information about Miami! -Cris-

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by crisp444

Nicole, I know several people from Guaynabo City and Río Piedras, and most of them moved to the mainland for college (in Boston and New York) and stayed after graduation. Although housing costs are generally less on the island, the jobs pay much less and the taxes are about the same and in some cases higher. It's more affordable to live in a nice, middle class neighborhood in Miami with a median salary than to do so in San Juan. The reason I say this is because in Miami, a single person making a median salary could afford to live in a nice, gated apartment/townhouse complex in an area comparable to Guaynabo City or Dorado. It would be very hard to do that on the island without a very high paying job, and for that reason lots of people live at home with mami and papi until they are 30! Good luck, and let me know if you need any more information about Miami! -Cris-

Crisp444 .... good post , not as "dramatic" as mine , but sensible just the same ...