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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,191 per month in San Juan vs $1,650 in Caguas, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,373 per month in San Juan vs $2,619 in Caguas, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,555 per month in San Juan vs $3,588 in Caguas, rent included.

San Juan costs about 33% more than Caguas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Juan and Caguas sit above the global median – San Juan by 60%, Caguas by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$15.15 $15.15

23.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$84.2 $84.2

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$8.65 $8.65

7.75%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$2.36 $2.36

53.81%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.16 $1.16

61.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.17 $1.17

29.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.46 $1.46

108.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.97 $3.97

25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.23 $2.23

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.79 $2.79

27.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.32 $2.32

1.29%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$4.97 $4.97

47.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$6.97 $6.97

77.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.44 $9.44

3.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$12.01 $12.01

11.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.01 $5.01

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.52 $2.52

96.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.31 $4.31

9.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.44 $2.44

50.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.77 $2.77

46.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.27 $2.27

55.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.66 $1.66

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$10.44 $10.44

16.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$14.11 $14.11

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.50 $1.50

108.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.23 $2.23

84.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 $0.74

$2.05 $2.05

-63.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 $29.92

$70.2 $70.2

-57.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.56 $2.56

-5.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.46 $1.46

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$41.96 $41.96

-1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.93 $0.93

23.66%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$29.7K $29.7K

34.36%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

7.28%

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

$327 $327

$186 $186

76.01%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$58.6 $58.6

18.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$56.6 $56.6

22.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

$34.92 $34.92

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

$49.62 $49.62

-85.03%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$10.18 $10.18

4.32%

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

$825 $825

$297 $297

178.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$12.7K $12.7K

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$25.89 $25.89

116.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$35.79 $35.79

69.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$80.0 $80.0

36.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$116 $116

-1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

$762 $762

140.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 $838

$534 $534

56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

$1,103 $1,103

160.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$965 $965

49.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,404 $2,404

206.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,321 $3,321

$865 $865

283.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,727 $2,727

$3,041 $3,041

-10.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

4.85

35.05%

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

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Caguas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,832 in San Juan versus $762 in Caguas. 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 12% higher in Caguas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in San Juan versus $84.0 in Caguas. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in San Juan vs $338 in Caguas – so Caguas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Caguas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 33% more than Caguas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,287 per month in San Juan and $2,475 in Caguas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caguas, 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 $83.0 in San Juan and $84.0 in Caguas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,191 in San Juan and $1,650 in Caguas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caguas, where all-in costs run around $1,650, than in San Juan at $2,191. In Caguas it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caguas costs $1,650 versus $2,191 in San Juan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Caguas. 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.