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: $2,191 in San Juan versus $2,173 in Cayey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,373 in San Juan versus $3,402 in Cayey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in San Juan versus $4,630 in Cayey.

Living in San Juan is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cayey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 60% above, Cayey 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$18.76 $18.76

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$84.4 $84.4

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.46 $9.46

-1.48%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.59 $3.59

1.11%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.77 $1.77

5.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.43 $1.43

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.96 $2.96

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.10 $5.10

-2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.23 $2.23

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.60 $3.60

-1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.36 $2.36

-0.42%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$7.52 $7.52

-2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$12.28 $12.28

0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.82 $9.82

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$13.56 $13.56

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.20 $5.20

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.92 $4.92

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.84 $4.84

-2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.88 $3.88

-5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.04 $4.04

0.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.48 $3.48

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 $1.64

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$12.22 $12.22

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$15.91 $15.91

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.96 $2.96

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.98 $3.98

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 $0.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 $29.92

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.55 $2.55

-4.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.53 $1.53

-3.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$42.40 $42.40

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.02 $1.02

12.75%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-1.63%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$27.8K $27.8K

-0.79%

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

$327 $327

$316 $316

3.39%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$68.6 $68.6

1.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$70.7 $70.7

-1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

$39.49 $39.49

2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$9.87 $9.87

7.60%

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

$825 $825

$824 $824

0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$57.1 $57.1

-1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$61.4 $61.4

-1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

-0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$112 $112

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

$1,214 $1,214

50.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 $838

$793 $793

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

$2,408 $2,408

19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$1,824 $1,824

-20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,321 $3,321

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,727 $2,727

$3,728 $3,728

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cayey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,832 in San Juan and $1,214 in Cayey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $83.0 in San Juan vs $84.0 in Cayey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $418 per month, with San Juan 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 Cayey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Cayey differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,191 vs $2,173 including rent). Cayey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $1,832 in San Juan versus $1,214 in Cayey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $825 in San Juan versus $824 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 $84.0 versus $83.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,173 in Cayey versus $2,191 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 1% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.