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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,191 per month in San Juan vs $1,928 in Guaynabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,373 per month in San Juan vs $3,089 in Guaynabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,555 per month in San Juan vs $4,251 in Guaynabo, rent included.

San Juan costs about 14% more than Guaynabo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Juan and Guaynabo sit above the global median – San Juan by 60%, Guaynabo by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$80.6 $80.6

3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.13 $9.13

2.08%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$1.80 $1.80

101.67%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.37 $1.37

36.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.27 $1.27

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.04 $2.04

49.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.11 $4.11

20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.25 $2.25

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.14 $3.14

13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.43 $2.43

-3.29%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$6.39 $6.39

14.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$12.35 $12.35

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.68 $9.68

0.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$13.16 $13.16

1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.10 $5.10

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.62 $2.62

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.73 $4.73

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.73 $4.73

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.70 $2.70

35.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.02 $2.02

100.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.52 $1.52

131.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.66 $1.66

-4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$10.94 $10.94

11.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$15.81 $15.81

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.80 $2.80

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.93 $2.93

40.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.54 $1.54

-51.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 $29.92

$25.29 $25.29

18.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.60 $0.60

146.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$41.95 $41.95

-1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.08 $1.08

6.48%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$35.7K $35.7K

11.91%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$28.0K $28.0K

-1.38%

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

$327 $327

$316 $316

3.40%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$49.37 $49.37

40.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$68.4 $68.4

1.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

$35.35 $35.35

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

$24.81 $24.81

-70.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$10.59 $10.59

0.28%

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

$825 $825

$812 $812

1.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$12.4K $12.4K

-0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$57.3 $57.3

-2.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$57.9 $57.9

5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$104 $104

4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$116 $116

-1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

$890 $890

105.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 $838

$620 $620

35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 $2,872

$2,499 $2,499

14.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$1,353 $1,353

6.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,321 $3,321

$1,761 $1,761

88.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,727 $2,727

$2,989 $2,989

-8.79%

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 Guaynabo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,832 in San Juan versus $890 in Guaynabo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Guaynabo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in San Juan versus $81.0 in Guaynabo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $387 – making Guaynabo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guaynabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,191 in San Juan, $1,928 in Guaynabo – roughly 14% apart. San Juan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,287 per month in San Juan and $2,892 in Guaynabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guaynabo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in San Juan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in San Juan and $81.0 in Guaynabo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Guaynabo, where all-in costs run around $1,928, than in San Juan at $2,191. In Guaynabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Juan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,928 in Guaynabo to $2,191 in San Juan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guaynabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.