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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,390 in San Juan versus $1,467 in Dorado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,490 in San Juan versus $3,192 in Dorado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,590 in San Juan versus $4,917 in Dorado.

Living in San Juan is roughly 63% more expensive than Dorado, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 78% above, Dorado 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.13 $19.13

$18.91 $18.91

1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$80.8 $80.8

-1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 $9.58

$9.79 $9.79

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$3.53 $3.53

0.85%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.69 $1.69

4.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.38 $1.38

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.42 $4.42

4.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.42 $2.42

-0.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.59 $3.59

-3.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.17 $2.17

3.69%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$6.13 $6.13

-0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$9.05 $9.05

-5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 $8.31

$8.50 $8.50

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$12.78 $12.78

-0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.74 $2.74

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.92 $3.92

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.97 $3.97

3.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.07 $4.07

-4.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.07 $3.07

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.07 $3.07

1.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.96 $1.96

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$12.08 $12.08

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$15.68 $15.68

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.45 $2.45

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.28 $3.28

-3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.43 $30.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 $4.99

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.53 $1.53

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.92 $14.92

$14.70 $14.70

1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.92 $0.92

1.09%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

1.02%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-0.71%

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

$492 $492

$485 $485

1.41%

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

$80.7 $80.7

$28.32 $28.32

184.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$66.9 $66.9

11.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.49 $45.49

$59.2 $59.2

-23.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.43 $34.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 $11.85

$10.17 $10.17

16.52%

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

$477 $477

$306 $306

56.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,044 $5,044

105.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.96 $44.96

$45.39 $45.39

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$56.6 $56.6

-2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$90.3 $90.3

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$104 $104

2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$1,312 $1,312

21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,441 $2,441

$1,824 $1,824

33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$2,014 $2,014

-29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,435 $7,435

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 $3,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,583 $2,583

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Dorado: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,593 in San Juan and $1,312 in Dorado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80 in San Juan vs $81 in Dorado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $387 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 Dorado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dorado is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,584 in San Juan and $2,200 in Dorado to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,593 in San Juan versus $1,312 in Dorado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $477 in San Juan versus $306 in Dorado. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $1,467 in Dorado versus $2,390 in San Juan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dorado but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Dorado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dorado is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Dorado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.