Courtesy of Jarrell Chalmers
- Jarrell Chalmers and his partner, Jose Diaz, moved to Puerto Rico to escape high rents in Jersey City.
- They work remotely in marketing but have also started a coffee company to support local farms.
- Despite higher grocery prices, they find life in Puerto Rico rewarding and have integrated well.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jarrell Chalmers, a 31-year-old marketing consultant in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I'm from Jersey City, and my partner, Jose Diaz, is from Hartford, Connecticut. We lived in Jersey City before moving to San Juan, Puerto Rico, last April.