Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Luquillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguada and Luquillo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,705 in Aguada versus $1,224 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,235 in Aguada versus $1,968 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,764 in Aguada versus $2,711 in Luquillo.

Living in Aguada is roughly 39% more expensive than Luquillo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguada is 27% above, Luquillo is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 $16.79

$18.91 $18.91

-11.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$75.7 $75.7

7.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 $9.41

$7.72 $7.72

21.89%

Cappuccino

$3.25 $3.25

$3.55 $3.55

-8.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.27 $1.27

33.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.04 $1.04

31.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.02 $3.02

1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.06 $2.06

98.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.38 $2.38

0.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.25 $3.25

5.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.20 $2.20

3.64%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$6.00 $6.00

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.67 $8.67

4.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 $8.33

$8.53 $8.53

-2.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$12.81 $12.81

1.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$6.04 $6.04

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.76 $2.76

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.82 $3.82

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.00 $4.00

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.08 $4.08

-3.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.61 $2.61

16.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.51 $1.51

99.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.92 $1.92

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 $11.15

$12.07 $12.07

-7.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.49 $2.49

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.18 $3.18

-1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.51 $1.51

-3.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.14 $15.14

$15.16 $15.16

-0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.83 $0.83

9.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.2K $36.2K

0.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$310 $310

$225 $225

37.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$80.6 $80.6

-2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$75.1 $75.1

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 $55.4

$37.48 $37.48

47.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 $11.58

$11.87 $11.87

-2.44%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$465 $465

$462 $462

0.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$10.3K $10.3K

2.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.68 $45.68

$45.28 $45.28

0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$80.6 $80.6

11.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 $497

$823 $823

-39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 $449

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$1,832 $1,832

-3.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,243 $2,243

$2,977 $2,977

-24.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

4.73

20.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aguada: April 25, 2026

Last update for Luquillo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Aguada and $823 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Aguada vs $76.0 in Luquillo. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $368, with Aguada cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aguada vs Luquillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguada and Luquillo differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,705 vs $1,224 including rent). Luquillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Luquillo earns 33% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Aguada versus $823 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aguada pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,705 per month in Aguada versus $1,224 in Luquillo – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,224 in Luquillo versus $1,705 in Aguada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Aguada. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aguada and Luquillo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Aguada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.