My husband and I recently moved to PR in Feb. Being Puerto Rican myself and the ability to telework certainly made the decision easy. I've been here many times throughout my life, spent summers with family, but nothing compares to living here full-time. As such, I recommend the following:
1. Be patient with everything. Every single thing!
2. Visit a few times before you make the decision.
3. Get a budget - housing can vary depending on your needs. Living in a safe area with a lot of amenities could be costly.
4. You will need a car. If you are shipping a car, prepare for the excise tax. If not, prepare to spend a 20-25% markup on certain cars. Luxury cars could be more. No leasing options like the states. Car insurance process is also different.
5. If you can afford an expeditor, GET ONE. They can help with so much and make your life easier.
6. If you don't speak Spanish, start practicing sooner than later.
7. Do research. Yes, the island is beautiful, but don't romanticize the thought of moving here. It can be challenging at times.
8. Get multiple realtors to help with housing, but only message in Spanish- they often won't respond and they aren't keen on Americans coming because they attribute it to the tax break wave. Be leery as well, because not all housing is legit.
9. Rely on clasificadosonline.com for housing. Things move at lightning speed, so be prepared with your entire package (income verification, and snapshot of credit, background check) - process is not the same *e.g., they don't actually run credit, or at least in my experience. If you have money, that's what mattered, blah blah.
10. There are challenges with certain infrastructure like plumbing - be prepared. And, I live in a very wealthy and posh neighborhood and yes there's issues with plumbing.
11. Grocery shopping can be daunting - slightly more expensive and not always great quality. I shop at several stores to get what we need. There is no Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, but you'll manage.
12. Everything is not easily accessible and convenient - including getting utilities turned on, hence the expeditor. And, if you aren't fluent, that could be a challenge. My husband is trying, but its easier when I'm there to navigate and interpret.
13. Condense all items to save money on the move. We used pods to move and it was perfect, but expensive. Remember, once you get here it will be challenging to get furniture - even at Ikea. It takes weeks/ months even. So when you see it - buy it, my new motto. And, again, I'm able to buy anything I want, but I still am forced to wait. My expeditor helps though.
14. Wifi may dictate where you live. My husband and I are attorneys and must have quality service. It can be challenging with rolling electric outages and bandwidth structure. We've paid to ensure we're never without.
This is not the mainland. Yes, structurally you may think, oh, they have TJ Maxx and Cheesecake- yes, we do, but it's an island. The creature comforts and ease are not the same. But, you will have endless sun, beautiful weather, and a slow pace to actually relax. That's what you're getting.
Don't try to make it like the states - its not! This was a lot of info, I know, but you must research and join forums to get the truth. I'm certainly available if you have any specific questions. I don't regret moving - it was a good decision. Just be prepared for reality too and you'll appreciate all the island has to offer. I do love it.