Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Rico: $2,054 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$2,054
/mo nomad
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Rico and in the United Kingdom

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,054 in Puerto Rico versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.

  • Puerto Rico $2,054
  • United Kingdom $2,462

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,047 in Puerto Rico versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.

  • Puerto Rico $3,047
  • United Kingdom $3,600

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,040 in Puerto Rico versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.

  • Puerto Rico $4,040
  • United Kingdom $4,738

Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $1,068–$2,500 in Puerto Rico. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.

Living in Puerto Rico costs about 17% less than in the United Kingdom on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Puerto Rico 51% above, the United Kingdom 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.25 $15.25
$21.48 £16.05
-29.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 $78.9
$85.7 £64.0
-7.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.20 $10.20
$10.61 £7.93
-3.86%
Cappuccino
$3.53 $3.53
$4.91 £3.67
-28.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.66 £1.99
-37.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.87 £1.39
-27.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 $2.97
$6.63 £4.95
-55.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 $4.61
$6.84 £5.11
-32.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.68 £1.26
29.76%
White Bread (500g)
$3.29 $3.29
$1.72 £1.28
91.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.17 £1.62
1.84%
Eggs
$6.09 $6.09
$4.00 £2.99
52.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.17 $11.17
$9.42 £7.04
18.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.38 $8.38
$9.19 £6.86
-8.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.46 $12.46
$14.77 £11.03
-15.64%
Apples (1kg)
$4.70 $4.70
$2.97 £2.21
58.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.65 $2.65
$1.62 £1.21
63.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$2.85 £2.13
53.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$3.52 £2.63
30.40%
Potato (1kg)
$3.51 $3.51
$1.83 £1.37
91.80%
Onion (1kg)
$3.21 $3.21
$1.61 £1.20
99.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.97 $2.97
$1.25 £0.93
137.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.66 £1.24
8.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.76 $11.76
$23.65 £17.66
-50.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.41 $15.41
$10.50 £7.84
46.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.98 £2.23
-21.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 $3.57
$3.51 £2.62
1.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 $0.89
$3.98 £2.97
-77.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.39 $30.39
$107 £80.2
-71.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 $2.45
$5.18 £3.87
-52.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.35 £1.75
-34.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.72 $41.72
$26.84 £20.04
55.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.99 £1.48
-47.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7K $39.7K
$39.4K £29.5K
0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K $28.8K
$40.5K £30.2K
-28.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$294 $294
$327 £244
-10.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.6 $68.6
$18.21 £13.60
276.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$43.60 £32.56
63.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.85 $28.85
$42.36 £31.63
-31.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.72 $13.72
$18.22 £13.61
-24.70%
Cinema Ticket
$9.87 $9.87
$13.85 £10.34
-28.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$708 $708
$1,868 £1,395
-62.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K $11.2K
$22.6K £16.9K
-50.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 $57.5
$92.9 £69.4
-38.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.49 $47.49
$45.92 £34.30
3.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 $93.4
$102 £75.9
-8.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.1 $98.1
$102 £76.4
-4.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,202 $1,202
$1,342 £1,003
-10.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$782 $782
$1,073 £802
-27.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,319 $2,319
$2,231 £1,667
3.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 $1,297
$1,742 £1,301
-25.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,281 $6,281
$5,601 £4,183
12.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,615 $3,615
$4,265 £3,185
-15.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,811 $2,811
$3,349 £2,502
-16.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
5.32
22.37%

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

Last update for Puerto Rico: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Rico
$782
United Kingdom
$1.1K 37.2% $291
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Rico
$434
United Kingdom
$389 10.4% $45
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Rico
$381
United Kingdom
$307 19.3% $73
Eating Out
Puerto Rico
$231
United Kingdom
$328 41.8% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Rico
$133
United Kingdom
$154 15.6% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Rico
$49
United Kingdom
$70 44.2% $21
Getting Around
Puerto Rico
$44
United Kingdom
$140 218% $96

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $898 in Puerto Rico, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,934 in San Juan vs $2,811 in London.

National salary averages: $2,576 in Puerto Rico, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 43% higher in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 166% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are 26% higher in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🕒 Local time
01:33 1:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
4 h ahead of Puerto Rico
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,285,874
67,326,569
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Rico United Kingdom 6,760 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Puerto Rico
  • United Kingdom

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
Puerto Rico vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom?
At $2,054 per month in Puerto Rico and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico comes out about 17% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $898 in Puerto Rico. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Puerto Rico or in the United Kingdom?
In Puerto Rico, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Puerto Rico or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: Puerto Rico wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Puerto Rico vs other spots: cost of living compared

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