Moving to Puerto Rico

Looking for updated information on moving to San Juan.  My husband and I will be moving there in late October 2014.  We are in our late 50's.  We have visited several times and fell in love with and decided to move.  Need good advice on most economical places/areas near transportation.  We won't have cars initially.  We are so excited about this upcoming move.  October can't get here soon enough.  Seeking any type of advice that we can get.  Any realtors?

Without a car, I'd only recommend Old San Juan. It has the San Juan metro area bus terminal and an express bus to the first train station not too far away.

We were given a suggestion of Coradondo and/or Isla Verdes.  What about those areas?  Do you know of a good realator that could assist us?

Isla Verde is awful for public transport. I've waited for the bus there for over an hour on many, many occasions. Naturally, the bus schedule is complete fantasy. The taxis charge exorbitant amounts as well because they're used to hosing tourists who have no choice and are more willing to spend. Those who live there never take taxis. For instance, it would cost you $35 one way just to go a few miles up or down the highway.

Condado would be better. You could walk to restaurants, banks, and the supermarket, and the bus would come by more often. That said, if you wanted to take the bus to, say, Hato Rey, you'd have to take the bus all the way into OSJ, which is basically in the other direction, switch buses at the terminal there, and then take one heading back out to Hato Rey (OSJ is on its own islet). It would take a very long time to get there or anywhere else on the bus other than OSJ itself.

I can't recommend a realtor but others on the site have in the past. I'd try the search function at the top of the page. Good luck.

i have found that numbeo site to be way off base on a lot of things. I have been checki g them for some time now. I havelearned to use them as a loose guidline. thanks for the suggestion.

Hello dcarterbriscoe,

I created a new thread with your post on the Puerto Rico forum for more visibility and for a better interaction with the other members.

Thank you,

Priscilla

Hi .... Be curious what ya come up with ... and what area you decide on ...

I would recommend the metro area, mainly around San Juan.  There's a neighborhood called University Gardens and AABC both of these are lovely neighborhoods and are located near a train station and if you go a little further a mini-mall, a gas station etc... They're around "carretera número 1".  Also you should have great transportation near the Rio Piedras area. Never lived there but I always see a lot of buses moving around. Plus anywhere there's tourist, there's taxis. Good Luck.

Could you come down for a week before you move and check out the metro area? This would give you a chance not to land here unprepared. We took six months off work to check things out before we moved down and it was worth every inconvenience. Can you ship a car? Having access to a car will allow you to live in a better place for less money and more conveniences. Do you know the metro area is very expensive? I take it you will not need to work or will work out of your home. I would not count on employment here. That being said, PR is one of the greatest places I have ever lived, I wish you the best.