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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Santa Isabel vs $2,191 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,036 per month in Santa Isabel vs $3,373 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,774 per month in Santa Isabel vs $4,555 in San Juan, rent included.

Santa Isabel is about 41% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Santa Isabel sits 5% below the global median, while San Juan is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 $18.74

$18.78 $18.78

-0.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$83.5 $83.5

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 $9.04

$9.32 $9.32

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$3.77 $3.77

$3.63 $3.63

3.86%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$1.87 $1.87

-0.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.51 $1.51

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.04 $3.04

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.97 $4.97

-1.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.30 $2.30

-42.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.55 $3.55

-4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.35 $2.35

-0.43%

Eggs

$6.29 $6.29

$7.31 $7.31

-13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$12.34 $12.34

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$9.76 $9.76

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$13.37 $13.37

0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$5.14 $5.14

-1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.67 $2.67

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.95 $4.95

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.70 $4.70

4.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.67 $3.67

3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.05 $4.05

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.52 $3.52

-0.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$12.20 $12.20

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 $15.66

$15.76 $15.76

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.12 $3.12

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.11 $4.11

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 $0.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 $29.92

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.43 $2.43

4.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.48 $1.48

-57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.46 $39.46

$41.26 $41.26

-4.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.15 $1.15

-8.70%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$39.9K $39.9K

1.31%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$27.6K $27.6K

2.82%

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

$327 $327

0.01%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$69.4 $69.4

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$69.5 $69.5

0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 $40.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 $7.43

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 $10.38

$10.62 $10.62

-2.26%

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

$825 $825

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$12.3K $12.3K

0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$56.1 $56.1

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 $61.2

$60.8 $60.8

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$110 $110

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$114 $114

1.00%

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 Santa Isabel: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Santa Isabel versus $83.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $416 – 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

Santa Isabel vs San Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan costs about 69% more than Santa Isabel, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,948 per month in Santa Isabel and $3,287 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Santa Isabel and $83.0 in San Juan. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Isabel, where all-in costs run around $1,298, than in San Juan at $2,191. 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 $1,298 versus $2,191 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.