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: $2,191 in San Juan versus $1,295 in Mayaguez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,373 in San Juan versus $1,975 in Mayaguez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in San Juan versus $2,655 in Mayaguez.

Living in San Juan is roughly 69% more expensive than in Mayaguez, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 60% above, Mayaguez is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$12.96 $12.96

44.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$67.1 $67.1

24.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 $9.32

$9.15 $9.15

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.63 $3.63

$3.57 $3.57

1.68%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.23 $1.23

52.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.12 $1.12

34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.08 $3.08

-1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.35 $4.35

14.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.22 $2.22

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.67 $3.67

-3.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.43 $2.43

-3.29%

Eggs

$7.31 $7.31

$7.62 $7.62

-4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$12.46 $12.46

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.76 $9.76

$9.51 $9.51

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$13.23 $13.23

1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.05 $5.05

1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.81 $4.81

2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.67 $4.67

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.76 $3.76

-2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.89 $3.89

4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.44 $3.44

2.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.60 $1.60

-1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.20 $12.20

$12.11 $12.11

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$15.78 $15.78

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.04 $3.04

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.06 $4.06

1.23%

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

$2.45 $2.45

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.47 $1.47

0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$42.71 $42.71

-3.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.93 $0.93

23.66%

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

$39.9K $39.9K

$40.5K $40.5K

-1.38%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$27.5K $27.5K

0.51%

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

$327 $327

$325 $325

0.32%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$68.0 $68.0

1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$69.0 $69.0

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

$27.56 $27.56

47.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 $10.62

$10.48 $10.48

1.34%

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

$825 $825

$819 $819

0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$55.3 $55.3

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 $60.8

$60.6 $60.6

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$109 $109

0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$113 $113

0.87%

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 Mayaguez: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $83.0 in San Juan vs $67.0 in Mayaguez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $414 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,287 in San Juan and $1,942 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.

Childcare runs $825 in San Juan versus $819 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 $67.0 versus $83.0 in San Juan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,295 in Mayaguez versus $2,191 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 69% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.