Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Bogota

For one person, living is cheaper in Bogota: $1,310 a month against $2,197 in San Juan, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Juan
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$2,197
/mo nomad
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,310
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Juan and in Bogota

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

A single person spends $2,197 per month in San Juan vs $1,310 in Bogota, rent included.

  • San Juan $2,197
  • Bogota $1,310

A couple spends around $3,317 per month in San Juan vs $2,073 in Bogota, rent included.

  • San Juan $3,317
  • Bogota $2,073

A family of three spends $4,436 per month in San Juan vs $2,836 in Bogota, rent included.

  • San Juan $4,436
  • Bogota $2,836

San Juan costs about 68% more than Bogota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

San Juan sits 64% above the global median, while Bogota is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.95 $18.95
$7.62 COP 24.3K
148.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.6 $81.6
$40.93 COP 130.4K
99.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.01 $9.01
$9.96 COP 31.7K
-9.54%
Cappuccino
$3.63 $3.63
$2.46 COP 7,851
47.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.36 COP 4,348
41.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 $1.44
$0.82 COP 2,603
75.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.01 COP 6,405
47.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.12 $5.12
$3.85 COP 12.3K
32.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.62 COP 5,160
33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.64 $3.64
$2.46 COP 7,828
47.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.65 COP 5,256
45.45%
Eggs
$7.30 $7.30
$3.45 COP 11.0K
111.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.48 $12.48
$7.69 COP 24.5K
62.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.91 $9.91
$7.02 COP 22.4K
41.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.15 $13.15
$9.72 COP 31.0K
35.29%
Apples (1kg)
$5.01 $5.01
$3.47 COP 11.1K
44.38%
Banana (1kg)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.78 COP 5,673
44.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.83 $4.83
$1.96 COP 6,240
146.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.68 $4.68
$1.75 COP 5,579
167.43%
Potato (1kg)
$3.69 $3.69
$1.40 COP 4,460
163.57%
Onion (1kg)
$3.89 $3.89
$1.39 COP 4,433
179.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.35 $3.35
$1.31 COP 4,188
155.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.16 COP 3,685
42.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.90 $11.90
$4.15 COP 13.2K
186.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.42 $15.42
$12.24 COP 39.0K
25.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 $2.98
$1.42 COP 4,528
109.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.83 COP 9,022
38.16%
🚌 Getting Around
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.78 $0.78
$1.06 COP 3,391
-26.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.65 $29.65
$48.65 COP 155.0K
-39.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.28 COP 7,259
10.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.31 COP 7,377
-33.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.18 $41.18
$9.26 COP 29.5K
344.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.26 COP 4,000
-2.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7K $39.7K
$23.4K COP 74.5M
70.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K $28.0K
$35.3K COP 112.5M
-20.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$323 $323
$121 COP 385.4K
167.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.0 $70.0
$15.63 COP 49.8K
347.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.1 $70.1
$29.00 COP 92.4K
141.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.55 $41.55
$32.55 COP 103.7K
27.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.78 $7.78
$15.14 COP 48.2K
-48.61%
Cinema Ticket
$10.57 $10.57
$7.55 COP 24.0K
40.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$814 $814
$465 COP 1.5M
75.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K $12.4K
$8,119 COP 25.9M
52.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 $55.5
$82.5 COP 262.8K
-32.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.6 $61.6
$46.69 COP 148.8K
32.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 $107
$142 COP 452.7K
-24.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$104 COP 331.7K
8.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,791 $1,791
$781 COP 2.5M
129.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$847 $847
$440 COP 1.4M
92.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,872 $2,872
$1,258 COP 4.0M
128.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 $1,496
$974 COP 3.1M
53.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,513 $7,513
$2,755 COP 8.8M
172.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,351 $3,351
$2,239 COP 7.1M
49.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Juan
Bogota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,674 $2,674
$795 COP 2.5M
236.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
12.81
-48.87%

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

Last update for San Juan: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bogota: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Juan
$847
Bogota
$440 48.1% $407
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Juan
$463
Bogota
$166 64.3% $298
Groceries & Markets
San Juan
$412
Bogota
$256 37.8% $156
Eating Out
San Juan
$261
Bogota
$147 43.7% $114
Clothing & Footwear
San Juan
$152
Bogota
$169 11.4% $17
Sport & Entertainment
San Juan
$63
Bogota
$48 24% $15
Getting Around
San Juan
$43
Bogota
$67 55.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,791 in San Juan versus $781 in Bogota. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 236% higher in San Juan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in San Juan versus $41.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $256 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇷 San Juan
🇨🇴 Bogota
🕒 Local time
07:37 7:37 AM
06:37 6:37 AM
1 h behind San Juan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
322,854 Capital
8,181,047 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Juan Bogota 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • San Juan
  • Bogota

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
San Juan vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bogota cheaper than San Juan?
Yes – San Juan is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,295 per month in San Juan and $1,966 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bogota, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in San Juan and in Bogota?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,197 in San Juan and $1,310 in Bogota. That's a gap of about 68%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 64% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in San Juan or in Bogota?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bogota, where all-in costs run around $1,310, than in San Juan at $2,197. In Bogota it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Juan or Bogota more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bogota. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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