Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Puerto Rico Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in United States versus $1,415 in Puerto Rico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in United States versus $2,178 in Puerto Rico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,033 in United States versus $2,941 in Puerto Rico.

Living in United States is roughly 86% more expensive than in Puerto Rico on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United States 90% above, Puerto Rico 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$13.97 $13.97

41.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$80.7 $80.7

-2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$9.95 $9.95

22.51%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.35 $3.35

66.87%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.67 $1.67

66.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.38 $1.38

57.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.05 $3.05

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$3.91 $3.91

105.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.17 $2.17

-50.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.21 $3.21

14.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.30 $2.30

102.61%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$5.74 $5.74

-26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$10.63 $10.63

20.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.54 $8.54

45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$12.25 $12.25

37.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.66 $4.66

12.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.86 $2.86

-41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.55 $4.55

-4.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.66 $4.66

6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.53 $3.53

-20.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.15 $3.15

-1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.86 $2.86

-23.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.81 $1.81

24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$12.14 $12.14

-14.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.46 $15.46

-4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.31 $2.31

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.43 $3.43

6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.22 $1.22

95.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

$30.13 $30.13

114.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.55 $2.55

38.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.52 $1.52

22.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$41.24 $41.24

-26.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.97 $0.97

3.09%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$39.6K $39.6K

-10.17%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$30.3K $30.3K

-14.61%

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

$222 $222

$292 $292

-23.94%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$68.9 $68.9

-11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$73.2 $73.2

2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 $44.49

$32.51 $32.51

36.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 $22.35

$14.14 $14.14

58.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$10.10 $10.10

48.81%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$686 $686

108.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$11.4K $11.4K

126.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$54.3 $54.3

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.46 $43.46

$52.3 $52.3

-16.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$91.3 $91.3

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$102 $102

11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$1,021 $1,021

59.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$689 $689

92.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$2,005 $2,005

29.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$1,277 $1,277

72.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$5,873 $5,873

-43.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$2,408 $2,408

10.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$2,684 $2,684

60.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.46

-3.87%

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

Last update for United States: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Rico: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,604 in United States, $376 in Puerto Rico. Capital cities: $1,360 in Columbia, TN vs $1,809 in San Juan.

National salary averages: $4,526 in United States, $2,383 in Puerto Rico. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 327% higher in United States.

Public transport is 286% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 90% higher in United States.

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

United States vs Puerto Rico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,133 per month in Puerto Rico and $3,142 in United States, there's a 177% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Puerto Rico: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Puerto Rico across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Puerto Rico, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Puerto Rico wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.