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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Luquillo costs roughly 28% less than in Aguada, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.91 $18.91

$16.79 $16.79

12.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$81.1 $81.1

-6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 $7.72

$9.41 $9.41

-17.96%

Cappuccino

$3.55 $3.55

$3.25 $3.25

9.23%

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

$1.27 $1.27

$1.69 $1.69

-24.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.37 $1.37

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.08 $3.08

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$4.09 $4.09

-49.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.40 $2.40

-0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.42 $3.42

-4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.28 $2.28

-3.51%

Eggs

$6.00 $6.00

$4.32 $4.32

38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 $8.67

$9.04 $9.04

-4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 $8.53

$8.33 $8.33

2.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 $12.81

$12.95 $12.95

-1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.73 $5.73

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.74 $2.74

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.92 $3.92

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.08 $4.08

-1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.94 $3.94

3.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.05 $3.05

-14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 $1.51

$3.01 $3.01

-49.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.97 $1.97

-2.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.15 $11.15

8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.58 $2.58

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.14 $3.14

1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.46 $1.46

3.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 $15.16

$15.14 $15.14

0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.91 $0.91

-8.79%

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)

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.21%

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

$225 $225

$310 $310

-27.49%

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

$80.6 $80.6

$78.7 $78.7

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.1 $75.1

$72.0 $72.0

4.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 $37.48

$55.4 $55.4

-32.29%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$11.58 $11.58

2.50%

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

$462 $462

$465 $465

-0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$10.6K $10.6K

-2.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 $45.28

$45.68 $45.68

-0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

-0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$89.7 $89.7

-10.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$497 $497

65.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 $449

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

$1,773 $1,773

3.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,977 $2,977

$2,243 $2,243

32.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

5.71

-17.16%

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

Last update for Luquillo: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aguada: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $823 in Luquillo and $497 in Aguada. 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: $76.0 in Luquillo vs $81.0 in Aguada. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 vs $346, 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

Luquillo vs Aguada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Luquillo pays 33% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $823 in Luquillo versus $497 in Aguada. 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 $1,224 per month in Luquillo versus $1,705 in Aguada – 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, Luquillo and Aguada 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.