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My parents were born in Puerto Rico, moved to the states to work and retired back to P.R. in the early 1980s. They never seemed to have any problems living off of their S.S. checks. My dad did invest in land and a home back then so they did not have a mortgage. The big difference is that they retired to the West coast of the Island in the town my dad was born called Cabo Rojo. Beautiful beaches, nice weather, and, IMO, a much lower cost of living than the metro San Juan area. It is also MUCH safer than the SJ area. My wife and I presently live in Savannah, Ga. in a home we bought 4 years ago to use as a retirement home. We love it here but my wife has a job where she works 70-80 hours a week on a fixed salary which I find abusive. I, unfortunately, was laid off from a telecom job for the first time in my life last February and cannot find a job here. We are seriously considering a 'final" more to P.R. where we own a plot of land on a hill overlooking the Caribbean. The west coast of the Island has a lot to offer a retiree besides the beautiful weather and beaches. All you need is to make some local contacts and get in the loop regarding homes for rent. There are literally hundreds of condos for sale or rent along the coast that people can no longer afford to keep or use as a vacation home. If you are on one of the many hills facing the ocean you will not need aircon thus reducing your power bill to reasonable levels. Buy food at the local markets and produce stands and you get bargains. Mayaguez in 15 minutes away from Cabo Rojo and has all of the stores you'd expect to find in much bigger cities. (Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot, furniture stores, chain restaurants,etc.) It also has a pretty big mall on the Cabo Rojo side of the city. There are also, unfortunately, casinos at the Holiday Inn and Hilton hotel in Mayaguez. we plan on opening a tourism based business and hope to earn just what we need to live comfortably (eat, drink and be merry).It helps that we have a place to stay for free with my Mother in a huge hilltop home. Again, the trick is to stay away from the San Juan metro area and to come to P.R. with the expectations a much slower pace of life. Hey, Isn't that what retirement is all about?
You can live reasonably well in Puerto Rico on $1600. If you reach out to the rural areas you can find beautiful peaceful places at very low cost. You can rent a furnished apartment with utilities included for less than 600 a month.
we are retired and have always wanted to live on the beach and warmer weather. We live in California but are considering Puerto Rico. Any suggestions?
I live in Luquillo Puerto Rico and have traveled the entire island looking for a place to retire. When I found Playa Azul (3 buildings 22 stories high on the beach) I found what I was looking for. Moving here is like going to most any State, We don't need a pass port the currency us USD and the post office is the USPS. There are fancier locations on the island but if you want ocean and local culture this is the place.
In response to everyone saying that the rent is so high in P.R. - I have went through Craigslist and found many great deals, some are under 00 a month with utilities included. Am I missing hidden fees or something?
In response to everyone saying that the rent is so high in P.R. - I have went through Craigslist and found many great deals, some are under 00 a month with utilities included. Am I missing hidden fees or something?
I go through my local craigslist rental ads every day and every day there are scams to flag. When an ad isn't a scam but is offering accommodation for an unusually low rent, that rental is in an area in which many/most would feel very uncomfortable living. "Great deals" are few and far between. If it looks too good to be true then it is.
My parents were born in Puerto Rico, moved to the states to work and retired back to P.R. in the early 1980s. They never seemed to have any problems living off of their S.S. checks. My dad did invest in land and a home back then so they did not have a mortgage. The big difference is that they retired to the West coast of the Island in the town my dad was born called Cabo Rojo. Beautiful beaches, nice weather, and, IMO, a much lower cost of living than the metro San Juan area. It is also MUCH safer than the SJ area. My wife and I presently live in Savannah, Ga. in a home we bought 4 years ago to use as a retirement home. We love it here but my wife has a job where she works 70-80 hours a week on a fixed salary which I find abusive. I, unfortunately, was laid off from a telecom job for the first time in my life last February and cannot find a job here. We are seriously considering a 'final" more to P.R. where we own a plot of land on a hill overlooking the Caribbean. The west coast of the Island has a lot to offer a retiree besides the beautiful weather and beaches. All you need is to make some local contacts and get in the loop regarding homes for rent. There are literally hundreds of condos for sale or rent along the coast that people can no longer afford to keep or use as a vacation home. If you are on one of the many hills facing the ocean you will not need aircon thus reducing your power bill to reasonable levels. Buy food at the local markets and produce stands and you get bargains. Mayaguez in 15 minutes away from Cabo Rojo and has all of the stores you'd expect to find in much bigger cities. (Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot, furniture stores, chain restaurants,etc.) It also has a pretty big mall on the Cabo Rojo side of the city. There are also, unfortunately, casinos at the Holiday Inn and Hilton hotel in Mayaguez. we plan on opening a tourism based business and hope to earn just what we need to live comfortably (eat, drink and be merry).It helps that we have a place to stay for free with my Mother in a huge hilltop home. Again, the trick is to stay away from the San Juan metro area and to come to P.R. with the expectations a much slower pace of life. Hey, Isn't that what retirement is all about?
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Thank you for your post. I just discovered this site and have been reading a lot of negativity about PR and I really like what you said.
I've been visiting PR for over 10 years and I LOVE IT THERE! We've toured so many places and I have to say that I love the South and Southwest sides of the island. It is not as humid and has beautiful scenery.
Good luck moving back to that lovely island and good luck in your new ventures.
Hope we can meet one day. Me and my husband are planning on moving there in 9 years. (retirement). We haven't decided on which part yet, although, his mother left him a house in Arrecibo, so, we'll stay there for now and do some updating and in the meantime we'll search where we want to land and leave the house for siblings who want to come and vacation.
I agree that San Juan is over-rated. Its a must if you work there, but, if you don't than find a place away from the city.
Like maybe Vieques!!!!!
My parents were born in Puerto Rico, moved to the states to work and retired back to P.R. in the early 1980s. They never seemed to have any problems living off of their S.S. checks. My dad did invest in land and a home back then so they did not have a mortgage. The big difference is that they retired to the West coast of the Island in the town my dad was born called Cabo Rojo. Beautiful beaches, nice weather, and, IMO, a much lower cost of living than the metro San Juan area. It is also MUCH safer than the SJ area. My wife and I presently live in Savannah, Ga. in a home we bought 4 years ago to use as a retirement home. We love it here but my wife has a job where she works 70-80 hours a week on a fixed salary which I find abusive. I, unfortunately, was laid off from a telecom job for the first time in my life last February and cannot find a job here. We are seriously considering a 'final" more to P.R. where we own a plot of land on a hill overlooking the Caribbean. The west coast of the Island has a lot to offer a retiree besides the beautiful weather and beaches. All you need is to make some local contacts and get in the loop regarding homes for rent. There are literally hundreds of condos for sale or rent along the coast that people can no longer afford to keep or use as a vacation home. If you are on one of the many hills facing the ocean you will not need aircon thus reducing your power bill to reasonable levels. Buy food at the local markets and produce stands and you get bargains. Mayaguez in 15 minutes away from Cabo Rojo and has all of the stores you'd expect to find in much bigger cities. (Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot, furniture stores, chain restaurants,etc.) It also has a pretty big mall on the Cabo Rojo side of the city. There are also, unfortunately, casinos at the Holiday Inn and Hilton hotel in Mayaguez. we plan on opening a tourism based business and hope to earn just what we need to live comfortably (eat, drink and be merry).It helps that we have a place to stay for free with my Mother in a huge hilltop home. Again, the trick is to stay away from the San Juan metro area and to come to P.R. with the expectations a much slower pace of life. Hey, Isn't that what retirement is all about?
That sounds like an absolutely beautiful plan. I would definitely make the move and at least give it a try. You'll never know what you can do unless you try. I love living in PR and have no desire to ever return stateside. My family is from here too, and after visiting this lovely place all of my childhood, I decided to come and move here. I have also found that the farther you get out of the San Juan metropolitan area, the safer and more beautiful the island becomes. It feels more like other Caribbean islands I've visited. The homes along the west that overlook the ocean are magnificent. Your family must have a real jewel.
I hope to retire in the south or southwest of Puerto Rico one day. Either in the outskirts of Ponce (where my family is from) or closeby.
Retiring to Puerto Rico will depend on the life style you want and, your budget. If you live in a large East or West coast city and USE ITS CULTURAL facilities, and don't mind the rumble and tumble of city life, retiring to San Juan will not change much. In fact, Senior citizens are respected in that they get huge discounted tickets to the movies and all cultural activities. If your prime cultural activity is the yearly Puerto Rican day parade and visiting malls, then San Juan and most of the island is a bore. How far can just beautiful scenery go? A car is a necesity where ever you live.
Living far from the metro area is O.K., that is, if you have close familiy and Friends, whom after so many years of separation, will be almost completely be unrecognized people. Puerto Rico has changed much since 1965, a fact many returnees don't understand or accept. Everyday life will be like living in rural Alabama or Mississippi without the prejudice. Folks in "la Isla" are simple and socializaton in the plaza's is past history. Daily life is basically watching the soaps, gossip and sitting on the balcon killing mosquitos and listensing to coquis.
Although the San Juan metro area has all the problems of a big city, traffic, crime, and high cost of living, it is the most Americanized part of the island, except the language. English is prevalent the closer you are to the beach but once you get away and hit Carolina, Bayamon, Rio Piedras etc. etc. English is heard less and less. In fact the closer you are to the beach the higher the prices for apartments and houses.
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Retire in Puerto Rico
Thank you!
