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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,439 in San Juan versus $2,244 in Cayey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in San Juan versus $3,438 in Cayey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,511 in San Juan versus $4,633 in Cayey.

Living in San Juan is roughly 9% more expensive than in Cayey, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 83% above, Cayey 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.11 $19.11

$18.96 $18.96

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$80.1 $80.1

1.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 $9.73

$9.37 $9.37

3.84%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.65 $3.65

-0.55%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$1.69 $1.69

1.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.43 $1.43

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.08 $3.08

-3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.53 $4.53

-1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.47 $2.47

-3.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.54 $3.54

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.26 $2.26

-0.88%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$6.03 $6.03

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$8.79 $8.79

2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$8.43 $8.43

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 $12.70

$12.83 $12.83

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.76 $5.76

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.70 $2.70

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.92 $3.92

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.01 $4.01

-1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.05 $4.05

0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.01 $2.01

-4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$11.98 $11.98

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 $15.31

$15.84 $15.84

-3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.52 $2.52

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.18 $3.18

2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.61 $29.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.49 $1.49

2.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 $14.86

$15.21 $15.21

-2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.93 $0.93

2.15%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.4K $36.4K

0.89%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.03%

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

$484 $484

$487 $487

-0.54%

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

$79.6 $79.6

$77.6 $77.6

2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$72.4 $72.4

0.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.56 $46.56

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.54 $34.54

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$11.90 $11.90

1.34%

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

$473 $473

0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$10.5K $10.5K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$45.99 $45.99

-1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$56.5 $56.5

1.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$92.3 $92.3

-2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$104 $104

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 $1,557

$1,221 $1,221

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 $870

$814 $814

6.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 $2,434

$1,764 $1,764

38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$1,804 $1,804

-22.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,544 $7,544

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,419 $3,419

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,690 $2,690

$3,659 $3,659

-26.47%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Cayey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,557 in San Juan and $1,221 in Cayey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in San Juan vs $80.0 in Cayey. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $386, with San Juan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cayey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Cayey differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,439 vs $2,244 including rent). Cayey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Cayey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,557 in San Juan versus $1,221 in Cayey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $473 in San Juan versus $473 in Cayey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cayey – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $81.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,244 in Cayey versus $2,439 in San Juan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cayey but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Cayey 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.

Expats usually find Cayey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.