Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Puerto de Tierra Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Puerto de Tierra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,390 in San Juan versus $1,350 in Puerto de Tierra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,490 in San Juan versus $1,993 in Puerto de Tierra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,590 in San Juan versus $2,636 in Puerto de Tierra.

Living in San Juan is roughly 77% more expensive than Puerto de Tierra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Juan 78% above, Puerto de Tierra 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.13 $19.13

$19.37 $19.37

-1.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$82.4 $82.4

-3.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 $9.58

$9.52 $9.52

0.63%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$3.69 $3.69

-3.52%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.75 $1.75

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.06 $3.06

-0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.56 $4.56

1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.79 $1.79

34.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.18 $1.18

194.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.16 $2.16

4.17%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$1.30 $1.30

368.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$8.66 $8.66

-0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 $8.31

$8.70 $8.70

-4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$12.49 $12.49

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.50 $2.50

133.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.39 $2.39

11.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.38 $2.38

61.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.46 $2.46

67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.49 $2.49

55.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.44 $2.44

20.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.08 $1.08

187.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.53 $1.53

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$11.93 $11.93

0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$15.39 $15.39

0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.61 $1.61

54.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.13 $1.13

179.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.43 $30.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.51 $1.51

1.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.92 $14.92

$15.15 $15.15

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.98 $0.98

-5.10%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.1K $36.1K

-0.26%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

0.05%

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

$492 $492

$485 $485

1.42%

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

$80.7 $80.7

$80.4 $80.4

0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$72.8 $72.8

2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.49 $45.49

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.43 $34.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 $11.85

$12.19 $12.19

-2.79%

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

$477 $477

$462 $462

3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$10.5K $10.5K

-0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.96 $44.96

$45.37 $45.37

-0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$55.7 $55.7

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$92.3 $92.3

-2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$105 $105

1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,441 $2,441

$1,770 $1,770

37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,435 $7,435

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 $3,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,583 $2,583

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 19, 2026

Last update for Puerto de Tierra: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,593 in San Juan and $0 in Puerto de Tierra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80 in San Juan vs $82 in Puerto de Tierra. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $275, with Puerto de Tierra 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 Puerto de Tierra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto de Tierra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,584 in San Juan and $2,025 in Puerto de Tierra 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in San Juan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,390 per month in San Juan versus $1,350 in Puerto de Tierra – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,350 in Puerto de Tierra versus $2,390 in San Juan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto de Tierra but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto de Tierra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto de Tierra 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 Puerto de Tierra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.