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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,421 in San Juan versus $1,888 in Fajardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,503 in San Juan versus $3,131 in Fajardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,584 in San Juan versus $4,374 in Fajardo.

Living in San Juan is roughly 28% more expensive than Fajardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 80% above, Fajardo 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.31 $19.31

$9.95 $9.95

94.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 $82.3

$81.1 $81.1

1.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$9.73 $9.73

1.64%

Cappuccino

$3.52 $3.52

$3.63 $3.63

-3.03%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$1.73 $1.73

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.43 $1.43

-2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.96 $2.96

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.54 $4.54

1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.47 $2.47

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.10 $3.10

11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.23 $2.23

-0.90%

Eggs

$5.88 $5.88

$5.82 $5.82

1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$5.10 $5.10

74.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$8.62 $8.62

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$12.60 $12.60

1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.75 $2.75

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.00 $4.00

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.08 $4.08

-1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.96 $3.96

2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.90 $2.90

1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.02 $3.02

-1.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.96 $1.96

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$11.62 $11.62

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$10.21 $10.21

52.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.56 $2.56

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.28 $3.28

-3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.56 $29.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.48 $1.48

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 $15.21

$15.11 $15.11

0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.94 $0.94

1.06%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.88%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.18%

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

$483 $483

$350 $350

38.08%

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

$80.3 $80.3

$79.5 $79.5

1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 $73.6

$68.9 $68.9

6.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.31 $45.31

$101 $101

-55.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.32 $34.32

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 $11.97

$11.94 $11.94

0.25%

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

$478 $478

$466 $466

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$10.4K $10.4K

1.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 $45.55

$45.77 $45.77

-0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$57.2 $57.2

-0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$91.2 $91.2

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$108 $108

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$713 $713

123.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$610 $610

42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$1,626 $1,626

47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,587 $1,587

-13.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,369 $7,369

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 $3,442

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 $2,800

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.5

3.82%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 9, 2026

Last update for Fajardo: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in San Juan and $713 in Fajardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in San Juan vs $81.0 in Fajardo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $360 per month, with Fajardo 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 Fajardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fajardo wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in San Juan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fajardo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,632 in San Juan and $2,832 in Fajardo 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: $1,597 in San Juan versus $713 in Fajardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in San Juan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,421 per month in San Juan versus $1,888 in Fajardo – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,888 in Fajardo versus $2,421 in San Juan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fajardo but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Fajardo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Fajardo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,888 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fajardo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Fajardo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.