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 $1,022 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,072 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,719 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,190 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,417 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $4,308 in Timaru, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 51% cheaper than Timaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Juan del Sur sits 24% below the global median, while Timaru is 55% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 NIO 156

$14.97 NZ$25.27

-71.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 NIO 1,238

$77.8 NZ$131

-56.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 NIO 202

$9.46 NZ$15.97

-41.65%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NIO 86.0

$3.44 NZ$5.81

-31.69%

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

$0.85 NIO 31.14

$2.17 NZ$3.67

-60.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 25.06

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.48

$5.96 NZ$10.06

-78.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 73.9

$5.95 NZ$10.05

-66.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.20

$1.58 NZ$2.66

-20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 NIO 54.1

$1.87 NZ$3.16

-20.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.88

$1.18 NZ$1.98

-0.85%

Eggs

$1.96 NIO 71.7

$6.53 NZ$11.02

-69.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NIO 285

$9.80 NZ$16.55

-20.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 NIO 234

$10.89 NZ$18.39

-41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 NIO 292

$16.40 NZ$27.68

-51.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$2.57 NZ$4.33

49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.90

$2.53 NZ$4.27

-66.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.1

$3.05 NZ$5.15

-41.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$5.85 NZ$9.88

-61.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 NIO 115

$2.64 NZ$4.46

18.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$2.38 NZ$4.02

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.99

$2.94 NZ$4.97

-65.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.93

$1.11 NZ$1.88

-9.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 NIO 95.4

$28.77 NZ$48.56

-90.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 NIO 354

$7.27 NZ$12.27

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$4.83 NZ$8.16

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NIO 81.9

$7.11 NZ$12.01

-68.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.9

$2.78 NZ$4.69

-47.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 NIO 250

$31.79 NZ$53.7

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.66

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-24.70%

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

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

$29.4K NZ$49.7K

-22.20%

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

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

$17.7K NZ$29.9K

46.38%

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

$41.71 NIO 1,528

$191 NZ$322

-78.14%

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

$10.58 NIO 388

$23.74 NZ$40.08

-55.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.56 NIO 1,339

$60.0 NZ$101

-39.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 NIO 1,087

$36.24 NZ$61.2

-18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.65

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 NIO 286

$13.53 NZ$22.84

-42.35%

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

$123 NIO 4,505

$492 NZ$831

-75.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

$7,030 NZ$11.9K

-15.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 NIO 2,884

$86.4 NZ$146

-8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.8 NIO 2,702

$49.33 NZ$83.3

49.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,761

$96.0 NZ$162

35.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,025

$279 NZ$471

-60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 NIO 16.9K

$976 NZ$1,648

-52.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 NIO 15.0K

$801 NZ$1,352

-48.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 NIO 35.0K

$1,553 NZ$2,622

-38.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 NIO 35.1K

$1,452 NZ$2,452

-34.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,560 NZ$7,698

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,465 NZ$5,850

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 NIO 10.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

6.74

52.08%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: May 31, 2026

Last update for Timaru: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in San Juan del Sur versus $976 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $78.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $359 – 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: $1,022 in San Juan del Sur, $2,072 in Timaru – roughly 103% apart. Timaru costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,532 per month in San Juan del Sur and $3,107 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur and $78.0 in Timaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 $1,022, than in Timaru at $2,072. 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 $1,022 in San Juan del Sur to $2,072 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.