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 $1,061 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,076 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $3,132 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $4,188 in Timaru, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 49% cheaper than Timaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Juan del Sur sits 21% 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

$15.16 NZ$25.95

-71.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.73 NIO 1,235

$79.5 NZ$136

-57.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$9.76 NZ$16.70

-43.24%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NIO 88.8

$3.39 NZ$5.79

-28.32%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.88

$2.20 NZ$3.76

-64.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.45

$1.96 NZ$3.36

-65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.78

$6.01 NZ$10.27

-77.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$5.89 NZ$10.08

-65.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.32

$1.64 NZ$2.81

-23.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.0

$1.95 NZ$3.34

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NIO 42.74

$1.20 NZ$2.05

-2.50%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.3

$6.32 NZ$10.81

-70.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 NIO 285

$10.09 NZ$17.27

-22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 NIO 237

$10.54 NZ$18.04

-38.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 NIO 298

$16.82 NZ$28.77

-51.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 146

$2.52 NZ$4.30

58.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.35

$2.44 NZ$4.17

-65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 NIO 67.2

$3.09 NZ$5.28

-40.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 NIO 79.4

$5.84 NZ$9.98

-62.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 NIO 118

$2.61 NZ$4.47

23.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.2

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 NIO 39.10

$2.91 NZ$4.98

-63.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$1.16 NZ$1.98

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 NIO 99.4

$29.22 NZ$49.99

-90.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 NIO 366

$7.09 NZ$12.13

40.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 51.9

$4.63 NZ$7.91

-69.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NIO 80.8

$6.94 NZ$11.87

-68.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 NZ$108

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$2.88 NZ$4.93

-48.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 NIO 251

$32.24 NZ$55.2

-78.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.37

$1.60 NZ$2.74

-22.50%

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

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

$30.2K NZ$51.7K

-25.47%

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

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

$17.8K NZ$30.4K

47.04%

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

$42.79 NIO 1,567

$191 NZ$328

-77.65%

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

$10.45 NIO 383

$23.77 NZ$40.67

-56.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.21 NIO 1,326

$60.1 NZ$103

-39.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 NIO 1,111

$37.44 NZ$64.1

-19.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.01 NZ$20.55

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 NIO 297

$13.01 NZ$22.26

-37.74%

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

$123 NIO 4,499

$502 NZ$859

-75.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

$6,932 NZ$11.9K

-13.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 NIO 2,780

$87.2 NZ$149

-12.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.9 NIO 2,668

$50.1 NZ$85.8

45.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NIO 4,914

$96.9 NZ$166

38.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,951

$282 NZ$483

-61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 NIO 17.0K

$981 NZ$1,678

-52.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 NIO 14.7K

$787 NZ$1,346

-48.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 NIO 35.2K

$1,580 NZ$2,703

-39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 NIO 35.2K

$1,434 NZ$2,454

-33.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,862 NZ$8,318

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 NZ$5,764

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 NIO 13.0K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Timaru: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in San Juan del Sur versus $981 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 $79.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $357 – 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: $1,061 in San Juan del Sur, $2,076 in Timaru – roughly 96% apart. Timaru costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,592 per month in San Juan del Sur and $3,113 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 $79.0 in Timaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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 $1,061, than in Timaru at $2,076. 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 $1,061 in San Juan del Sur to $2,076 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.