Why is Puerto Rico so expensive?

[Rican427]

There are only 6 cities in the US that are more expensive than San Juan,why?

People over here are payed 3 times less than in the US

http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving.htm

[Dreamliner]

There are only 6 cities in the US that are more expensive than San Juan,why?

People over here are payed 3 times less than in the US

http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving.htm

Simple, almost everything is imported, and most products, particularly food, is imported by a few companies. In other words, a monopoly.

[urbanguy]

Hmmm its interesting to see it higher than Honolulu. What are taxes like in PR? What is the sales tax and or other tax rates there? Also, i'm guessing that PR as far as food is concerned is probably going through the same thing as Hawaii as many of the Agricultural businesses can not compete with cheaper imports. Many farms, milk producers, egg producers, etc have been closing down cause they cant compete with the cheaper imports from places like California.

[Jaykar]

Hmmm its interesting to see it higher than Honolulu. What are taxes like in PR? What is the sales tax and or other tax rates there? Also, i'm guessing that PR as far as food is concerned is probably going through the same thing as Hawaii as many of the Agricultural businesses can not compete with cheaper imports. Many farms, milk producers, egg producers, etc have been closing down cause they cant compete with the cheaper imports from places like California.

Puerto Rico has no sales tax until November when the government is going to impose a 7% sales tax. Right now there are a few municipalities with city taxes of 1% to 1.5% for example Mayaguez 1%, San Juan 1% Caguas 1% Camuy 1.5% among others. But in November all of PR will have a 7% sales tax.

[Jaykar]

Wow, San Juan is the most costliest city in the Caribbean and Central America is the 3rd in all of Latin America the 6th in terms of US cities and the 10th in all the Americas without taking in count the 55th position among 144 worldwide cities. Well let's see San Juan's ranking next year after taking in count the new sales tax and the new tax imposed to hotels thanks to Mayor Santini. I think San Juan's ranking is more or less that of all Puerto Rico. Each day the island is getting more expensive but the salaries are remaining the same. How bad is that.

[urbanguy]

^Wow thats a large start for an introductory sales tax. In Hawaii its around 4% maybe 4.6%? but it has a state tax of about 4% too so either way somebodys getting ya.

However, in Hawaii, the excuse is that the state benefits from the sales tax because of the extra revenue generated by tourist purchases. Its still BS though, 'cause everybody suffers in the end as things are expensive as is.

Jaykar, i think our government is treating Hawaii and its territories like 3rd world countries by flooding the local markets with cheap corporate goods that local producers can't compete with. Maybe, i need to re-word my statement but something doesn't seem right at all. Because both Hawaii and PR were very self-sustainable with their own agriculture and other industries and now its all going away and local folks can't compete, so they have to close shop.

[Jaykar]

^Wow thats a large start for an introductory sales tax. In Hawaii its around 4% maybe 4.6%? but it has a state tax of about 4% too so either way somebodys getting ya.

However, in Hawaii, the excuse is that the state benefits from the sales tax because of the extra revenue generated by tourist purchases. Its still BS though, 'cause everybody suffers in the end as things are expensive as is.

Jaykar, i think our government is treating Hawaii and its territories like 3rd world countries by flooding the local markets with cheap corporate goods that local producers can't compete with. Maybe, i need to re-word my statement but something doesn't seem right at all. Because both Hawaii and PR were very self-sustainable with their own agriculture and other industries and now its all going away and local folks can't compete, so they have to close shop.

Over here the government was trying to define how large the sales tax was going to be, but there was differences between what the governor wanted and what the Senate and the House of Representative was going to approve since the governor is from one party and the Senate and the Legislature is controlled by the opposition. The governor wanted the 7% tax but the opposition was saying that it was too much and that they were willing to approve just a 4% tax. That controversy cause the government to shut down for a couple of days. Because of PR's public debt and by recomendation of almost all secretaries and directors of gubernamental agencies they finally approved the 7% tax.

About been treated like 3rd world countries, I totally share your opinion but dont worry because our situation is worst. Since we aren't a state we can even vote for the president (just if u live in PR, if u move to the states we can) and we have only one representative in the Congress who has voice but no vote and he has to almost beg other congressmen to get things to the island and although now the amount of money assigned to PR is almost equal to that assigned to states in some areas we still treated like what we are: a US colony

[urbanguy]

So with that in mind, is there any talk about becoming a state again? Like is there a strong movement in PR?

[Rican427]

People have been talking about becoming a state forever...Last time statehood lost by about 2% I think...

[Jaykar]

So with that in mind, is there any talk about becoming a state again? Like is there a strong movement in PR?

[urbanguy]

I think Guam is another that has been debating the same thing but as far as i know they've never voted on it. Don't know about the U.S. Virgin Islands or American Samoa, though?

Unlike people born in Guam, Puerto Rico, USVI, Northern Mariana Islands, etc people born in American Samoa are not U.S. Citizens at birth, they have to actually go through the naturalization process to become U.S. citizens. However, they don't need to go through INS and all that if they want to live and work or go to school anywhere in the U.S.

On the other side of the spectrum there are and have been movements (although a minority) to become independent in Hawaii and i think Alaska too.

[Jaykar]

I think Guam is another that has been debating the same thing but as far as i know they've never voted on it. Don't know about the U.S. Virgin Islands or American Samoa, though?

Unlike people born in Guam, Puerto Rico, USVI, Northern Mariana Islands, etc people born in American Samoa are not U.S. Citizens at birth, they have to actually go through the naturalization process to become U.S. citizens. However, they don't need to go through INS and all that if they want to live and work or go to school anywhere in the U.S.

On the other side of the spectrum there are and have been movements (although a minority) to become independent in Hawaii and i think Alaska too.

[urbanguy]

^Hey btw after PR became known as Puerto Rico instead of Boriken/Boriquen was it originally spelt as Porto Rico or always as Puerto Rico? The reason why i ask is because many old documents and articles from Hawaii that mention the immigration from Puerto Rico to Hawaii has it spelt as "Porto Rico" which in actuality is the Portuguese way of spelling. The Portuguese were one of the larger immigrant groups that migrated and or were hired there for work so they may have influenced the spelling in Hawaii way back when.

Also, just as a side note, in Hawaii, Puerto Ricans are often referred to as "Borinki(s)" by locals instead of Puerto Rican or Boricua which of course stems from the original island name used by the Taino.

[Rican427]

Really few Portuguese came here...

Weird..most people were I studied over there in Hawaii said puerto rican

[Dreamliner]

^Hey btw after PR became known as Puerto Rico instead of Boriken/Boriquen was it originally spelt as Porto Rico or always as Puerto Rico? The reason why i ask is because many old documents and articles from Hawaii that mention the immigration from Puerto Rico to Hawaii has it spelt as "Porto Rico" which in actuality is the Portuguese way of spelling. The Portuguese were one of the larger immigrant groups that migrated and or were hired there for work so they may have influenced the spelling in Hawaii way back when.

Also, just as a side note, in Hawaii, Puerto Ricans are often referred to as "Borinki(s)" by locals instead of Puerto Rican or Boricua which of course stems from the original island name used by the Taino.

[urbanguy]

Rican427, they probably knew that you were not from Hawaii, cause the term Borinki is very old school and pretty common amongst locals on Oahu and Hilo on the Big Island when mentioning/referring to Puerto Ricans. However, It is mainly a Hawaii Creole term though (mainland ex-pats, immigrants and some of the younger people don't usually use it or may not even know it), just as Popolo is for Black/African American....Pake (pah-kay) for Chinese...Book-Book or Flip for Filipino, Sole (So-lay for Samoan, etc.

Dreamliner, but wasn't the island called or referred to as Boriken during "pre-Spanish" times by the indigenous people? 'Cause San Juan Bautista is obviously Spanish and not Taino which preceded the Spaniards. I've also seen it spelt as Boriquen but adding the "que" to the spelling seems more of a Spanish influence than Carib. No?

[Jaykar]

Rican427, they probably knew that you were not from Hawaii, cause the term Borinki is very old school and pretty common amongst locals on Oahu and Hilo on the Big Island when mentioning/referring to Puerto Ricans. However, It is mainly a Hawaii Creole term though (mainland ex-pats, immigrants and some of the younger people don't usually use it or may not even know it), just as Popolo is for Black/African American....Pake (pah-kay) for Chinese...Book-Book or Flip for Filipino, Sole (So-lay for Samoan, etc.

Dreamliner, but wasn't the island called or referred to as Boriken during "pre-Spanish" times by the indigenous people? 'Cause San Juan Bautista is obviously Spanish and not Taino which preceded the Spaniards. I've also seen it spelt as Boriquen but adding the "que" to the spelling seems more of a Spanish influence than Carib. No?

[urbanguy]

I think i like Puerto Rico better as the island name i think that San Juan as an island name would sound funny especially if you for the people because they would be called San Juanian versus Puerto Rican in English. Puerto Rican sounds better.

[Jaykar]

I think i like Puerto Rico better as the island name i think that San Juan as an island name would sound funny especially if you for the people because they would be called San Juanian versus Puerto Rican in English. Puerto Rican sounds better.