Puerto Rico’s Infrastructure

Puerto Rico offers all of the conveniences you are likely used to if visiting or relocating from any developed nation. If you are contemplating a relocation, please contact us if you have questions or would like a free consultation.

Roads in Puerto Rico

Major highways and tollways are as excellent as any found in the fifty States. The Puerto Rico highway and local road system is substantial and offers good coverage of all parts of the island. Some roads are not repaired and maintained as frequently as in many parts of the States but are still quite usable.

Electricity in Puerto Rico

There is currently only one power company in Puerto Rico – PREPA, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. PREPA is owned by the Puerto Rico government and is the only company authorized by the government to do this type of business. Dealing with PREPA can be a bit of an ordeal at times, and our concierge service can help manage this for you if you require it.

Electricity prices are a bit higher in Puerto Rico, as much as double the prices in the States, though you might find that your usage is different due to no need for artificial heat.

In some parts of Puerto Rico, electric outages occur from time to time. These are generally only for a few minutes to a few hours, but, especially in some urban areas, can be inconvenient. You can easily mitigate this risk by outfitting your home with a backup generator (or securing a residence that already has one, which is not uncommon). Additionally, it is very easy to find small power backups that offer 1-4 hours of energy for a few devices.

Water Quality

Tap water is safe to drink in Puerto Rico. As with anywhere else in the States, there are still components that can modify the flavor, and we prefer to have a filter on our tap (as we also did before relocating to Puerto Rico).

In some metropolitan residences, water shortages can occur – this varies a lot depending on the area in which you plan to live. When you are looking for a place to live in Puerto Rico, it is good to ask if the house or building has a water cistern to store a backup water supply to avoid inconvenience during these temporary shortage situations.

High-Speed Internet

High-speed internet is available in all metropolitan areas as well as smaller towns. Many find that their internet on the island is faster and more reliable than on the mainland! Prices are comparable to most areas in the States.

Cell Phone Coverage

Cell coverage is strong throughout the island. AT&T is by far the largest provider, and signals are strong in most metro areas, ranging to most rural areas as well. Claro is the largest local provider. T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon users will have coverage although the quality of coverage is not equal.

GPS

This, unfortunately, is not always reliable in Puerto Rico. If you are used to navigating by allowing a GPS device or the map application on your cell phone to tell you where you are and reroute you if you turn the wrong direction, you may have to change your habits here. GPS is fine to get overall directions and show the overall map of where you are looking to travel. However, updates are slow, and GPS sometimes gets confused in mid-trip and re-routes the trip inaccurately. It is best to look at the overall map rather than relying on turn-by-turn instructions based on GPS being able to locate your location at any moment.

Addresses are also not always accurately entered in GPS in Puerto Rico. Some GPS applications will be confused by Puerto Rico addresses as they are listed on websites and other listings, and will attempt to be helpful by giving directions to the address that most closely seems to match the one entered. It is important to make sure that the destination your GPS app has found for you is the same one you told it to find!

References

Puerto Rico road system