Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Santa Isabel Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Santa Isabel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,371 per month in San Juan vs $1,720 in Santa Isabel, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,465 per month in San Juan vs $2,426 in Santa Isabel, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,558 per month in San Juan vs $3,133 in Santa Isabel, rent included.

San Juan costs about 38% more than Santa Isabel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Juan and Santa Isabel sit above the global median – San Juan by 77%, Santa Isabel by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.99 $18.99

$8.41 $8.41

125.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$75.3 $75.3

6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 $9.78

$6.09 $6.09

60.59%

Cappuccino

$3.65 $3.65

$2.02 $2.02

80.69%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$1.31 $1.31

30.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.21 $2.21

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.72 $3.72

22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.31 $1.31

90.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.23 $3.23

10.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.21 $2.21

-0.90%

Eggs

$6.12 $6.12

$6.14 $6.14

-0.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$8.74 $8.74

-2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$8.36 $8.36

2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 $12.67

$12.91 $12.91

-1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$5.82 $5.82

3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.66 $2.66

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.80 $3.80

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.08 $4.08

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.90 $3.90

1.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.90 $2.90

0.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.13 $3.13

-3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 $12.21

$12.23 $12.23

-0.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.81 $15.81

-0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.46 $2.46

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.13 $3.13

-0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 $30.51

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.67 $0.67

119.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 $15.23

$15.05 $15.05

1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.95 $0.95

3.16%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$23.2K $23.2K

56.35%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$22.7K $22.7K

17.01%

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

$491 $491

$490 $490

0.31%

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

$77.7 $77.7

$78.9 $78.9

-1.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$60.9 $60.9

23.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.16 $46.16

$49.32 $49.32

-6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.34 $34.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$7.31 $7.31

63.47%

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

$466 $466

-0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$10.3K $10.3K

2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.64 $45.64

$45.22 $45.22

0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$35.02 $35.02

61.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$91.1 $91.1

1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$70.6 $70.6

50.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$509 $509

207.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 $864

$371 $371

132.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,447 $2,447

$1,776 $1,776

37.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$557 $557

152.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,475 $7,475

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,403 $3,403

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,845 $2,845

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

4.75

20.21%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Isabel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in San Juan versus $509 in Santa Isabel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in San Juan versus $75.0 in Santa Isabel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $370 – making Santa Isabel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Santa Isabel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 38% more than Santa Isabel, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,557 per month in San Juan and $2,580 in Santa Isabel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Isabel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in San Juan and $75.0 in Santa Isabel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in San Juan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Isabel, where all-in costs run around $1,720, than in San Juan at $2,371. In Santa Isabel it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santa Isabel costs $1,720 versus $2,371 in San Juan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Isabel. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.