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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,191 in San Juan versus $1,267 in Isabela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,373 in San Juan versus $1,971 in Isabela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in San Juan versus $2,676 in Isabela.

Living in San Juan is roughly 73% more expensive than in Isabela, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 60% above, Isabela is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$18.38 $18.38

2.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$85.3 $85.3

-2.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.15 $9.15

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.72 $3.72

-2.42%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.84 $1.84

1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.94 $2.94

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.87 $4.87

2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.87 $1.87

22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.92 $2.92

21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.20 $1.20

95.83%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$2.94 $2.94

148.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$11.15 $11.15

10.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$6.64 $6.64

46.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$13.52 $13.52

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.42 $4.42

16.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.54 $2.54

5.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.84 $4.84

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.92 $4.92

-4.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.72 $3.72

-1.34%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.93 $3.93

3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.43 $3.43

2.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$11.86 $11.86

2.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$15.49 $15.49

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.07 $3.07

1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.93 $3.93

4.58%

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

$2.48 $2.48

-2.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.46 $1.46

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$42.07 $42.07

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.83 $0.83

38.55%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$40.4K $40.4K

-1.26%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$28.1K $28.1K

-1.81%

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

$327 $327

$319 $319

2.20%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$69.0 $69.0

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$69.2 $69.2

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$10.64 $10.64

-0.19%

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

$825 $825

$829 $829

-0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$56.4 $56.4

-0.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$60.9 $60.9

-0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$116 $116

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 $1,832

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 $838

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 Isabela: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $83.0 in San Juan vs $85.0 in Isabela. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $359, with Isabela 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 Isabela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isabela wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in San Juan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isabela the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,287 in San Juan and $1,901 in Isabela 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.

Childcare runs $825 in San Juan versus $829 in Isabela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Isabela – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $83.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,267 in Isabela versus $2,191 in San Juan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isabela but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Isabela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isabela delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,267 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isabela hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Juan and Isabela are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Isabela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.