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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,191 in San Juan versus $2,167 in Guayama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,373 in San Juan versus $2,433 in Guayama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in San Juan versus $2,699 in Guayama.

Living in San Juan is roughly 1% more expensive than in Guayama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 60% above, Guayama 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$18.20 $18.20

3.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$85.6 $85.6

-2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.15 $9.15

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.75 $3.75

-3.20%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.86 $1.86

0.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.01 $5.01

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.29 $2.29

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.90 $2.90

22.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.40 $2.40

-2.08%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$4.75 $4.75

53.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$11.34 $11.34

8.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.90 $9.90

-1.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$8.60 $8.60

55.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.27 $2.27

126.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.55 $2.55

4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.93 $4.93

0.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.92 $4.92

-4.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.84 $3.84

-4.43%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.00 $4.00

1.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.46 $3.46

1.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.57 $1.57

0.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$11.90 $11.90

2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$15.41 $15.41

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.08 $3.08

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.06 $4.06

1.23%

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

$0.96 $0.96

54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$41.22 $41.22

0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.11 $1.11

3.60%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$39.6K $39.6K

0.77%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$28.0K $28.0K

-1.42%

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

$327 $327

$322 $322

1.40%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$69.6 $69.6

-0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$68.7 $68.7

1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$10.53 $10.53

0.85%

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

$825 $825

$816 $816

1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$12.5K $12.5K

-1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$55.9 $55.9

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$61.3 $61.3

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$107 $107

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

$416 $416

340.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 $838

$899 $899

-6.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

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

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 Guayama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,832 in San Juan and $416 in Guayama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $83.0 in San Juan vs $86.0 in Guayama. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $367, with Guayama 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 Guayama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Guayama differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,191 vs $2,167 including rent). Guayama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,287 in San Juan and $3,250 in Guayama 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: $1,832 in San Juan versus $416 in Guayama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $825 in San Juan versus $816 in Guayama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Guayama – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $83.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,167 in Guayama versus $2,191 in San Juan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Guayama but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Guayama 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 Guayama 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.