Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Aguada Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Aguada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,346 in San Juan versus $1,742 in Aguada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in San Juan versus $2,252 in Aguada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,602 in San Juan versus $2,762 in Aguada.

Living in San Juan is roughly 35% more expensive than in Aguada, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 76% above, Aguada 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.67 $18.67

$16.82 $16.82

11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$79.4 $79.4

0.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$9.64 $9.64

2.18%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.37 $3.37

7.72%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$1.70 $1.70

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.38 $1.38

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.98 $2.98

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.05 $4.05

7.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.35 $2.35

2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.45 $3.45

-1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.24 $2.24

0.45%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.32 $4.32

40.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$8.88 $8.88

-2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$8.73 $8.73

-0.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$12.73 $12.73

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.87 $5.87

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.62 $2.62

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.01 $4.01

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$4.10 $4.10

1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.91 $3.91

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.91 $2.91

3.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.03 $3.03

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.00 $2.00

-3.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.13 $12.13

$11.17 $11.17

8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.56 $2.56

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.29 $3.29

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.56 $30.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.48 $1.48

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.85 $14.85

$14.79 $14.79

0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.93 $0.93

5.38%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

2.31%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

2.06%

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

$490 $490

$320 $320

53.19%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$77.7 $77.7

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$72.3 $72.3

2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 $45.21

$55.2 $55.2

-18.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.14 $35.14

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 $11.78

$11.63 $11.63

1.29%

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

$475 $475

$473 $473

0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

-0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.84 $45.84

$46.64 $46.64

-1.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 $57.3

$55.5 $55.5

3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$89.5 $89.5

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$105 $105

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$499 $499

216.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 $875

$447 $447

95.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,787 $1,787

34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,397 $7,397

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,386 $3,386

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,702 $2,702

$2,209 $2,209

22.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

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

Last update for San Juan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Aguada: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,581 in San Juan and $499 in Aguada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Juan pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in San Juan vs $79.0 in Aguada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $347 per month, with Aguada cheaper across the board.

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 vs Aguada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Aguada differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,346 vs $1,742 including rent). Aguada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in San Juan, 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: $1,581 in San Juan versus $499 in Aguada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in San Juan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,346 per month in San Juan versus $1,742 in Aguada – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,742 in Aguada versus $2,346 in San Juan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Aguada but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Aguada 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, San Juan 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 Aguada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.