Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and San Juan

For one person, living is cheaper in Caguas: $1,621 a month against $2,253 in San Juan, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Caguas
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Caguas Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in San Juan
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San Juan Living Index

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Caguas

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$1,621

/mo nomad

San Juan

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$2,253

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caguas and in San Juan

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Caguas vs $2,253 in San Juan, rent included.

Caguas $1,621
San Juan $2,253

A couple spends around $2,580 per month in Caguas vs $3,373 in San Juan, rent included.

Caguas $2,580
San Juan $3,373

A family of three spends $3,539 per month in Caguas vs $4,494 in San Juan, rent included.

Caguas $3,539
San Juan $4,494

Caguas is about 28% cheaper than San Juan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Caguas and San Juan sit above the global median – Caguas by 20%, San Juan by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$19.43 $19.43

-24.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$82.3 $82.3

0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 $8.99

$9.43 $9.43

-4.67%

Cappuccino

$2.28 $2.28

$3.56 $3.56

-35.96%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$1.83 $1.83

-38.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.45 $1.45

-14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.04 $3.04

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.13 $5.13

-19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.19 $2.19

-1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.69 $3.69

-24.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.36 $2.36

-2.12%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$7.33 $7.33

-32.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 $6.90

$12.75 $12.75

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 $9.13

$9.55 $9.55

-4.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$13.21 $13.21

-9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$5.13 $5.13

0.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.66 $2.66

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$5.00 $5.00

-52.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.92 $4.92

-7.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.71 $3.71

-30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.90 $3.90

-30.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.53 $3.53

-35.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.61 $1.61

-0.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 $10.64

$11.78 $11.78

-9.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.03 $14.03

$15.84 $15.84

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.07 $3.07

-52.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$4.10 $4.10

-46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.71 $0.71

178.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 $70.3

$29.97 $29.97

134.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.53 $2.53

-3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.46 $1.46

5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.73 $42.73

$42.26 $42.26

1.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.24 $1.24

-28.23%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$40.3K $40.3K

-24.26%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

-6.97%

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

$185 $185

$327 $327

-43.39%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$68.4 $68.4

-12.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 $56.2

$70.4 $70.4

-20.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.28 $35.28

$41.46 $41.46

-14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.9 $50.9

$7.70 $7.70

561.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 $9.83

$10.40 $10.40

-5.48%

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

$300 $300

$821 $821

-63.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$12.5K $12.5K

-1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.14 $26.14

$56.1 $56.1

-53.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.43 $35.43

$61.4 $61.4

-42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 $81.1

$109 $109

-25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$116 $116

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$1,802 $1,802

-58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 $528

$846 $846

-37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 $1,080

$2,972 $2,972

-63.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 $977

$1,476 $1,476

-33.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,422 $2,422

$7,283 $7,283

-66.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$849 $849

$3,377 $3,377

-74.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,041 $3,041

$2,704 $2,704

12.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

6.55

-25.95%

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

Last update for Caguas: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Caguas

$528 32.6%

San Juan

$846 37.6% 60.3% $318

Groceries & Markets

Caguas

$336 20.7%

San Juan

$417 18.5% 24.3% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Caguas

$301 18.6%

San Juan

$466 20.7% 54.6% $165

Eating Out

Caguas

$198 12.2%

San Juan

$265 11.8% 34.2% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Caguas

$116 7.2%

San Juan

$154 6.8% 32.7% $38

Getting Around

Caguas

$88 5.5%

San Juan

$43 1.9% 51.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Caguas

$55 3.4%

San Juan

$62 2.8% 13.3% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Caguas versus $1,802 in San Juan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Caguas, 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 $83.0 in Caguas versus $82.0 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Caguas vs $417 in San Juan – so Caguas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇷 Caguas

🇵🇷 San Juan

🕒 Local time

21:01 9:01 PM

Same time as Caguas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

70,318

322,854 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Caguas San Juan 27 km

From you

Caguas
San Juan

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

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

San Juan costs about 39% more than Caguas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Caguas and $3,379 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caguas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Caguas and $82.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,621 in Caguas and $2,253 in San Juan. That's a gap of about 39%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caguas, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in San Juan at $2,253. In Caguas it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caguas costs $1,621 versus $2,253 in San Juan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Caguas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.