Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Puerto Rico Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $1,568 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,221 per month in Australia vs $2,391 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,257 per month in Australia vs $3,214 in Puerto Rico, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 39% higher than in Puerto Rico on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Puerto Rico are pricier than the global median – Australia by 64%, Puerto Rico by 18%.

Cost ranges are similar: Australia spans $1,608–$2,789, Puerto Rico $1,060–$2,431. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 A$23.14

$15.24 $15.24

6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$113

$73.9 $73.9

7.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 A$14.08

$8.92 $8.92

10.76%

Cappuccino

$3.57 A$5.09

$3.21 $3.21

11.21%

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

$2.59 A$3.70

$1.60 $1.60

61.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.05

$1.28 $1.28

67.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 A$9.18

$2.54 $2.54

153.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.96

$4.11 $4.11

70.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 A$2.16

$2.08 $2.08

-26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 A$3.53

$3.16 $3.16

-21.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.99

$2.30 $2.30

-8.70%

Eggs

$4.25 A$6.06

$4.98 $4.98

-14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 A$12.89

$9.81 $9.81

-7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 A$12.31

$8.66 $8.66

-0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 A$20.04

$11.52 $11.52

22.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 A$4.69

$5.26 $5.26

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 A$4.00

$2.68 $2.68

4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.05

$4.04 $4.04

-29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 A$6.30

$4.53 $4.53

-2.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 A$3.53

$3.20 $3.20

-22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.08

$2.70 $2.70

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 A$3.24

$2.68 $2.68

-15.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 A$2.14

$1.81 $1.81

-17.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.89 A$44.04

$10.81 $10.81

185.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 A$19.93

$15.77 $15.77

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 A$6.31

$2.34 $2.34

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 A$6.91

$3.43 $3.43

41.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 A$4.15

$1.71 $1.71

70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 A$138

$40.65 $40.65

137.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 A$5.25

$5.95 $5.95

-38.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 A$2.50

$0.98 $0.98

78.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.19 A$54.4

$27.87 $27.87

37.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.64

$0.92 $0.92

25.00%

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

$29.2K A$41.6K

$35.6K $35.6K

-18.03%

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

$22.4K A$31.9K

$27.4K $27.4K

-18.41%

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

$178 A$254

$299 $299

-40.43%

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

$26.86 A$38.29

$70.1 $70.1

-61.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 A$75.1

$67.3 $67.3

-21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.75 A$66.6

$33.87 $33.87

38.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 A$23.57

$33.39 $33.39

-50.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 A$19.40

$9.07 $9.07

50.06%

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

$1,612 A$2,298

$434 $434

271.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K A$17.8K

$7,547 $7,547

65.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 A$101

$48.28 $48.28

46.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$73.0

$46.20 $46.20

10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$147

$87.1 $87.1

18.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$156

$98.6 $98.6

10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 A$1,988

$811 $811

72.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 A$1,540

$613 $613

76.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 A$3,233

$1,606 $1,606

41.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 A$2,479

$1,132 $1,132

53.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,445 A$10.6K

$5,454 $5,454

36.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,628 A$8,023

$2,436 $2,436

131.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,996 A$5,696

$2,687 $2,687

48.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

5.62

12.99%

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

Last update for Australia: June 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Rico: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $429 in Puerto Rico. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,583 in Canberra and $1,603 in San Juan.

Average salary: $3,853 in Australia vs $2,404 in Puerto Rico. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 187% higher in Australia.

Public transport is 857% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 60% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Australia vs Puerto Rico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Rico is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 26% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Puerto Rico, contributing to the overall 26% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Puerto Rico, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Puerto Rico is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.