Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Rojo and Carolina

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabo Rojo: $1,236 a month against $2,257 in Carolina, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,236
/mo nomad
Carolina
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$2,257
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cabo Rojo and in Carolina

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cabo Rojo and in Carolina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $2,257 in Carolina, rent included.

  • Cabo Rojo $1,236
  • Carolina $2,257

A couple spends around $1,948 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $3,121 in Carolina, rent included.

  • Cabo Rojo $1,948
  • Carolina $3,121

A family of three spends $2,660 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $3,986 in Carolina, rent included.

  • Cabo Rojo $2,660
  • Carolina $3,986

Cabo Rojo is about 45% cheaper than Carolina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Cabo Rojo sits 9% below the global median, while Carolina is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.19 $10.19
$13.48 $13.48
-24.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.4 $83.4
$54.6 $54.6
52.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.78 $8.78
$10.16 $10.16
-13.58%
Cappuccino
$3.63 $3.63
$3.19 $3.19
13.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$2.96 $2.96
-37.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.73 $1.73
-15.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.51 $1.51
$3.03 $3.03
-50.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 $3.41
$5.07 $5.07
-32.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 $2.15
$2.01 $2.01
6.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.73 $3.73
$3.44 $3.44
8.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.34 $2.34
$1.71 $1.71
36.84%
Eggs
$7.32 $7.32
$4.62 $4.62
58.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.39 $12.39
$7.21 $7.21
71.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.79 $9.79
$8.53 $8.53
14.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.09 $13.09
$12.70 $12.70
3.07%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$3.02 $3.02
64.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.65 $2.65
$2.50 $2.50
6.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$2.52 $2.52
93.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$3.63 $3.63
31.96%
Potato (1kg)
$3.83 $3.83
$2.98 $2.98
28.52%
Onion (1kg)
$3.89 $3.89
$3.33 $3.33
16.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.55 $3.55
$2.09 $2.09
69.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.03 $2.03
-18.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.81 $11.81
$9.84 $9.84
20.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.82 $15.82
$18.32 $18.32
-13.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.91 $2.91
7.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 $4.02
$4.89 $4.89
-17.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$3.07 $3.07
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.06 $40.06
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.47 $2.47
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 $1.47
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.41 $42.41
$49.79 $49.79
-14.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.17 $1.17
-35.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K $34.2K
$39.8K $39.8K
-14.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$29.8K $29.8K
-7.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$325 $325
$599 $599
-45.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.1 $65.1
$51.0 $51.0
27.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$79.1 $79.1
-12.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$10.70 $10.70
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.93 $29.93
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.39 $10.39
$8.20 $8.20
26.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$818 $818
$509 $509
60.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K $12.7K
$9,423 $9,423
35.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.6 $55.6
$89.7 $89.7
-37.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.4 $60.4
$25.49 $25.49
136.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 $108
$90.7 $90.7
19.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 $114
$88.7 $88.7
27.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,078 $1,078
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$746 $746
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,913 $1,913
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,210 $1,210
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,479 $3,479
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,307 $2,307
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cabo Rojo
Carolina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,288 $4,288
$1,964 $1,964
118.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
6.23
5.14%

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

Last update for Cabo Rojo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Carolina: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cabo Rojo
$459
Carolina
$729 58.8% $270
Groceries & Markets
Cabo Rojo
$416
Carolina
$350 15.8% $66
Eating Out
Cabo Rojo
$179
Carolina
$221 23.3% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Cabo Rojo
$152
Carolina
$133 12.7% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Cabo Rojo
$21 *
Carolina
$27 30.4% $6.3
Getting Around
Cabo Rojo
$9.8 *
Carolina
$52 * 433% $43
Accommodation & Living
Cabo Rojo
- *
Carolina
$746

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Cabo Rojo are about 2.2 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Cabo Rojo versus $55 in Carolina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $350 – making Carolina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇷 Cabo Rojo
🇵🇷 Carolina
🕒 Local time
13:45 1:45 PM
13:45 1:45 PM
Same time as Cabo Rojo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
50,000
138,304
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cabo Rojo Carolina 130 km
From you
  • Cabo Rojo
  • Carolina

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cabo Rojo vs Carolina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cabo Rojo or Carolina?
Carolina costs about 83% more than Cabo Rojo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cabo Rojo and in Carolina?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Cabo Rojo and $3,385 in Carolina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Cabo Rojo compared to Carolina?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,236 in Cabo Rojo and $2,257 in Carolina. That’s a gap of about 83%.
How do childcare costs compare in Cabo Rojo and in Carolina?
Kindergarten costs $818 per month in Cabo Rojo and $509 in Carolina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cabo Rojo or in Carolina?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,236 in Cabo Rojo and $2,257 in Carolina. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Cabo Rojo or Carolina?
It depends on your priorities. Carolina has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,236 in Cabo Rojo to $2,257 in Carolina. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Cabo Rojo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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