Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Timaru Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Timaru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,040 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,990 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,663 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,038 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,285 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $4,086 in Timaru, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 48% cheaper than Timaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Juan del Sur sits 24% below the global median, while Timaru is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$14.65 NZ$24.86

-70.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$64.0 NZ$109

-48.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$11.34 NZ$19.23

-50.18%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$3.44 NZ$5.84

-27.03%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$2.21 NZ$3.74

-60.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$1.84 NZ$3.11

-60.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$6.09 NZ$10.34

-76.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$6.63 NZ$11.25

-69.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.21 NZ$2.05

-2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$1.92 NZ$3.25

-20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$1.19 NZ$2.03

-2.52%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$6.00 NZ$10.18

-61.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$8.61 NZ$14.61

-8.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$9.67 NZ$16.40

-35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$17.33 NZ$29.39

-58.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$3.09 NZ$5.23

19.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$2.40 NZ$4.08

-75.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$3.28 NZ$5.57

-46.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$5.28 NZ$8.95

-58.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$1.97 NZ$3.34

61.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$1.87 NZ$3.17

14.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$2.47 NZ$4.20

-59.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$0.59 NZ$1.01

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$21.76 NZ$36.91

-87.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$5.85 NZ$9.93

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$3.31 NZ$5.62

-55.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$1.30 NZ$2.21

77.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$2.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.1 NZ$161

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$2.31 NZ$3.92

-28.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$2.09 NZ$3.54

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$29.53 NZ$50.1

-76.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.61 NZ$2.73

-16.77%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$26.7K NZ$45.2K

-14.28%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$26.8K NZ$45.5K

-2.10%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$114 NZ$194

-47.23%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$23.51 NZ$39.87

-54.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$54.5 NZ$92.5

-34.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$40.19 NZ$68.2

-23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$10.74 NZ$18.22

-19.93%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$606 NZ$1,029

-61.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$13.1K NZ$22.2K

-52.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$62.8 NZ$106

13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$37.25 NZ$63.2

94.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$96.4 NZ$164

35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$141 NZ$238

-24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$907 NZ$1,539

-53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$895 NZ$1,517

-56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$1,509 NZ$2,559

-38.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$1,550 NZ$2,629

-50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 NZ$9,711

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,686 NZ$6,252

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

7.07

44.98%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Timaru: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $907 in Timaru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $64.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $313 – making San Juan del Sur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

San Juan del Sur vs Timaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,040 in San Juan del Sur, $1,990 in Timaru – roughly 91% apart. Timaru costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,561 per month in San Juan del Sur and $2,985 in Timaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan del Sur, 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 $33.00 in San Juan del Sur and $64.0 in Timaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Timaru, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,040, than in Timaru at $1,990. In San Juan del Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timaru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Juan del Sur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,040 in San Juan del Sur to $1,990 in Timaru. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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