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: $2,404 in San Juan versus $1,342 in Isabela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,424 in San Juan versus $1,958 in Isabela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,444 in San Juan versus $2,573 in Isabela.

Living in San Juan is roughly 79% more expensive than Isabela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 80% above, Isabela 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$11.79 $11.79

59.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 $82.1

$59.7 $59.7

37.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 $9.65

$7.95 $7.95

21.38%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$3.52 $3.52

0.57%

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

$1.73 $1.73

$1.22 $1.22

41.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.28 $1.28

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.21 $2.21

38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.96 $3.96

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.90 $1.90

25.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.92 $2.92

18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.24 $1.24

75.81%

Eggs

$6.16 $6.16

$2.98 $2.98

106.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$8.65 $8.65

0.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$6.58 $6.58

30.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$12.70 $12.70

-0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.35 $4.35

37.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.69 $2.69

-0.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.92 $3.92

0.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.02 $4.02

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.08 $4.08

-4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.08 $3.08

-5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.99 $2.99

0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.89 $1.89

5.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.08 $12.08

$12.05 $12.05

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 $15.90

$15.63 $15.63

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.15 $3.15

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 $29.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.49 $1.49

2.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$15.30 $15.30

-2.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.86 $0.86

10.47%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$36.4K $36.4K

0.68%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

-2.19%

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

$480 $480

$493 $493

-2.58%

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

$79.4 $79.4

$78.2 $78.2

1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$74.9 $74.9

-2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.88 $45.88

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.62 $34.62

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 $11.97

$12.15 $12.15

-1.48%

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

$470 $470

$475 $475

-1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$10.3K $10.3K

0.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.03 $45.03

$46.43 $46.43

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$55.1 $55.1

3.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 $92.8

$90.8 $90.8

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$105 $105

1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 $843

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 $2,363

$1,765 $1,765

33.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,492 $7,492

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,326 $3,326

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,602 $2,602

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 27, 2026

Last update for Isabela: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $82.0 in San Juan vs $60.0 in Isabela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $339 per month, with Isabela 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 Isabela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isabela wins on cost – living expenses run 79% 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 $3,607 in San Juan and $2,014 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 $470 in San Juan versus $475 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 $60.0 versus $82.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,342 in Isabela versus $2,404 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 $1,342 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 79% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.