Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and San Juan Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and San Juan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Arecibo versus $2,215 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Arecibo versus $3,318 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Arecibo versus $4,422 in San Juan.

Living in Arecibo costs roughly 42% less than in San Juan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arecibo is 6% below, San Juan is 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.05 $12.05

$18.92 $18.92

-36.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$82.5 $82.5

3.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 $8.31

$9.32 $9.32

-10.84%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$3.71 $3.71

-8.36%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.77 $1.77

5.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.44 $1.44

0.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.95 $2.95

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 $5.01

$4.94 $4.94

1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.28 $2.28

-17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.68 $3.68

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.40 $2.40

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$7.55 $7.55

-39.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$12.38 $12.38

1.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$9.73 $9.73

-3.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.48 $13.48

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$5.13 $5.13

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.61 $2.61

-0.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.87 $4.87

-0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.74 $3.74

-1.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.99 $3.99

-2.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.54 $3.54

-3.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.59 $1.59

-1.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$12.17 $12.17

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$15.64 $15.64

0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.99 $2.99

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 $0.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 $39.73

$30.40 $30.40

30.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.47 $2.47

-1.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.49 $1.49

2.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$41.18 $41.18

3.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.16 $1.16

-23.28%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$39.7K $39.7K

2.31%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$28.1K $28.1K

-1.54%

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

$324 $324

$326 $326

-0.80%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$69.0 $69.0

0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$70.1 $70.1

-8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.23 $40.23

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 $7.67

Cinema Ticket

$10.35 $10.35

$10.36 $10.36

-0.10%

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

$820 $820

$837 $837

-1.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$12.4K $12.4K

-0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 $62.0

$60.5 $60.5

2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$108 $108

2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

-0.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 $846

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 $2,909

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,363 $7,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,334 $3,334

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 $1,192

$2,743 $2,743

-56.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for Arecibo: August 30, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

San Juan pays 130% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Arecibo vs $82.0 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $394 vs $418, with Arecibo 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

Arecibo vs San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 130% lower in San Juan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in San Juan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $82.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Arecibo versus $2,215 in San Juan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arecibo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Arecibo and San Juan 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 Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.