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: $2,439 in San Juan versus $1,487 in Mayaguez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in San Juan versus $2,221 in Mayaguez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,511 in San Juan versus $2,955 in Mayaguez.

Living in San Juan is roughly 64% more expensive than in Mayaguez, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 83% above, Mayaguez 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.11 $19.11

$13.06 $13.06

46.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$58.9 $58.9

38.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 $9.73

$9.07 $9.07

7.28%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.66 $3.66

-0.82%

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

$1.72 $1.72

$1.34 $1.34

28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.23 $1.23

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.05 $3.05

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.03 $4.03

10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.63 $1.63

46.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.26 $2.26

50.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.26 $2.26

-0.88%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.81 $2.81

112.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$8.65 $8.65

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$8.59 $8.59

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 $12.70

$9.00 $9.00

41.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.22 $5.22

9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.63 $2.63

4.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.23 $1.23

212.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.98 $3.98

-1.01%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.62 $1.62

151.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.13 $1.13

161.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.28 $2.28

36.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.99 $1.99

-3.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.03 $12.03

$9.99 $9.99

20.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 $15.31

$15.63 $15.63

-2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.54 $2.54

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.24 $3.24

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.61 $29.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.47 $1.47

3.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 $14.86

$15.22 $15.22

-2.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$29.9K $29.9K

22.52%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$24.6K $24.6K

7.10%

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

$484 $484

$276 $276

75.27%

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

$79.6 $79.6

$79.0 $79.0

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$65.5 $65.5

11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.56 $46.56

$35.77 $35.77

30.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.54 $34.54

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$7.92 $7.92

52.27%

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

$473 $473

$475 $475

-0.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$46.07 $46.07

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$56.9 $56.9

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$64.0 $64.0

40.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$70.9 $70.9

48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 $1,557

$590 $590

163.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 $870

$400 $400

117.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,434 $2,434

$1,773 $1,773

37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$627 $627

121.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,544 $7,544

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,419 $3,419

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,690 $2,690

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mayaguez: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,557 in San Juan and $590 in Mayaguez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in San Juan vs $59.0 in Mayaguez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $312 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 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,658 in San Juan and $2,230 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: $1,557 in San Juan versus $590 in Mayaguez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $473 in San Juan versus $475 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 $59.0 versus $81.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,487 in Mayaguez versus $2,439 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 64% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.