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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,431 in San Juan versus $1,517 in Mayaguez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,514 in San Juan versus $2,215 in Mayaguez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,596 in San Juan versus $2,913 in Mayaguez.

Living in San Juan is roughly 60% more expensive than Mayaguez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 82% above, Mayaguez 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.22 $19.22

$12.79 $12.79

50.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$60.1 $60.1

34.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 $9.40

$9.06 $9.06

3.75%

Cappuccino

$3.68 $3.68

$3.51 $3.51

4.84%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.29 $1.29

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.23 $1.23

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.93 $2.93

3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.93 $3.93

17.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.63 $1.63

49.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.28 $2.28

50.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$2.79 $2.79

118.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$8.74 $8.74

2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 $8.23

$8.41 $8.41

-2.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 $12.93

$8.93 $8.93

44.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.52 $5.52

7.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.71 $2.71

-1.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.29 $1.29

193.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.12 $4.12

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.61 $1.61

152.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.12 $1.12

174.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.28 $2.28

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.94 $1.94

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.86 $11.86

$9.98 $9.98

18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.44 $15.44

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.47 $2.47

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.19 $3.19

1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.11 $30.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.47 $1.47

4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.15 $15.15

-2.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$29.9K $29.9K

21.68%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

7.60%

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

$490 $490

$279 $279

75.35%

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

$79.8 $79.8

$79.1 $79.1

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 $73.0

$65.9 $65.9

10.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.19 $46.19

$36.43 $36.43

26.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.25 $35.25

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$8.03 $8.03

50.81%

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

$474 $474

$462 $462

2.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$10.6K $10.6K

-1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.10 $45.10

$46.69 $46.69

-3.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$55.7 $55.7

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$63.9 $63.9

43.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$69.1 $69.1

51.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$593 $593

170.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 $875

$397 $397

120.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 $2,425

$1,782 $1,782

36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$621 $621

128.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,344 $7,344

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,319 $3,319

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,836 $2,836

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

3.25

75.69%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mayaguez: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in San Juan and $593 in Mayaguez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in San Juan vs $60.0 in Mayaguez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $313 per month, with Mayaguez 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 Mayaguez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mayaguez is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,646 in San Juan and $2,276 in Mayaguez 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: $1,603 in San Juan versus $593 in Mayaguez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $474 in San Juan versus $462 in Mayaguez. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mayaguez – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $81.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,517 in Mayaguez versus $2,431 in San Juan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mayaguez but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Mayaguez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mayaguez is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Juan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mayaguez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.