Last update: Oct 2026 3.3M

Cost of Living in Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

Across Puerto Rico, living costs for one person average $1,938 a month, including rent and utilities, which take about half of the total. Other living expenses average about $32 a day.

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🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Rico

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Puerto Rico actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Average monthly costs for a single person come to about $1,938 including rent across Puerto Rico.

$1,938 /mo

Estimated average monthly cost for a couple: $2,984 including rent across Puerto Rico.

$2,984 /mo

Average monthly costs for a family of three come to about $4,029 including rent across Puerto Rico.

$4,029 /mo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 $15.20

$10.13 $10.13

$26.34 $26.34

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$55.6 $55.6

$149 $149

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$8.97 $8.97

$11.95 $11.95

Cappuccino

$3.48 $3.48

$2.03 $2.03

$5.10 $5.10

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

$1.71 $1.71

$1.26 $1.26

$3.02 $3.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.02 $1.02

$2.04 $2.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.47 $1.47

$4.90 $4.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.05 $3.05

$5.09 $5.09

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.62 $1.62

$3.57 $3.57

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.47 $2.47

$4.74 $4.74

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.26 $1.26

$3.78 $3.78

Eggs

$5.89 $5.89

$2.95 $2.95

$8.29 $8.29

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$5.09 $5.09

$20.21 $20.21

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 $8.33

$4.92 $4.92

$13.01 $13.01

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$6.94 $6.94

$18.14 $18.14

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.91 $2.91

$6.42 $6.42

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.48 $1.48

$4.35 $4.35

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.94 $1.94

$6.54 $6.54

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$0.98 $0.98

$8.60 $8.60

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.78 $1.78

$5.12 $5.12

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.97 $1.97

$6.52 $6.52

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.55 $1.55

$4.34 $4.34

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.71 $0.71

$3.02 $3.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.57 $10.57

$14.10 $14.10

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 $15.36

$11.81 $11.81

$18.70 $18.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.98 $0.98

$3.73 $3.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.02 $2.02

$5.05 $5.05

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.74 $0.74

$1.97 $1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 $30.45

$70.1 $70.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$6.12 $6.12

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.95 $0.95

$1.54 $1.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.38 $42.38

$40.36 $40.36

$42.38 $42.38

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.82 $0.82

$1.33 $1.33

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

$40.1K $40.1K

$45.1K $45.1K

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$27.4K $27.4K

$30.9K $30.9K

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

$294 $294

$201 $201

$502 $502

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

$66.9 $66.9

$39.51 $39.51

$128 $128

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$60.5 $60.5

$101 $101

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.95 $28.95

$11.35 $11.35

$56.0 $56.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 $14.06

$6.12 $6.12

$25.48 $25.48

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 $10.07

$8.05 $8.05

$14.86 $14.86

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

$725 $725

$509 $509

$910 $910

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K $11.5K

$7,858 $7,858

$16.1K $16.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$25.15 $25.15

$80.5 $80.5

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.49 $48.49

$25.31 $25.31

$70.9 $70.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 $92.4

$79.9 $79.9

$150 $150

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 $99.4

$50.3 $50.3

$151 $151

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$654 $654

$2,187 $2,187

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 $667

$444 $444

$1,184 $1,184

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 $2,091

$1,217 $1,217

$3,399 $3,399

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$917 $917

$2,037 $2,037

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,538 $5,538

$1,856 $1,856

$8,850 $8,850

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$991 $991

$4,793 $4,793

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,751 $2,751

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

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

Last update: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Puerto Rico $1,938

Accommodation & Living

$667 34.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$433 22.3%

Groceries & Markets

$379 19.6%

Eating Out

$230 11.9%

Clothing & Footwear

$134 6.9%

Sport & Entertainment

$49 2.5%

Getting Around

$46 2.4%

Cost Breakdown

National average salary: $2,566. With average costs at $1,938, the salary-to-cost ratio is favorable for most workers.

Expect to spend about $369 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant averages $70.0 for two.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($1,938) is 44% above the global median of $1,350.

Average rent ($316) is 52% below the global median of $652.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($70.0) is 46% above the global median of $48.00.

Public transport ($5.00) is 85% below the global median of $34.00.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

05:30 5:30 AM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,285,874

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in Puerto Rico

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Aguada	41000	86	$474	$1,184	$1,004	$1,261	157.5	196.25
2	Aguadilla	10919	52	$941	$1,061	$2,279	$2,398	158.36	203.41
3	Añasco	28000	64	$996	$1,314	$2,514	$2,832	142.83	174.38
4	Arecibo	39634	62	$957	$1,281	$2,406	$2,730	82.95	196.61
5	Bayamon	165368	101	$944	$2,074	$2,399	$4,158	240.42	216.34
6	Cabo Rojo	50000	60	$911	$1,233	$2,333	$2,655	146.65	170.28
7	Caguas	70318	79	$908	$1,621	$2,377	$3,539	32.16	191
8	Candelaria	17631	64	$997	$1,320	$2,520	$2,844	50.78	197.44
9	Carolina	138304	110	$911	$2,264	$2,174	$3,998	7.36	205.35
10	Cayey	13999	105	$1,039	$2,166	$2,603	$4,764	228.09	120.9
11	Coamo	40000	83	$927	$1,704	$2,363	$3,643	14.38	175.01
12	Dorado	12172	62	$954	$1,273	$2,430	$2,750	72.05	232.11
13	Fajardo	11647	61	$926	$1,251	$2,349	$2,674	6.41	193.19
14	Guayama	18797	62	$949	$1,266	$2,395	$2,711	220.03	162.31
15	Guaynabo	68491	90	$916	$1,856	$2,333	$4,047	22.22	223.23
16	Gurabo	45000	59	$883	$1,207	$2,178	$2,502	291.67	189.08
17	Hatillo	5622	64	$1,006	$1,325	$2,542	$2,861	100.35	174.38
18	Hormigueros	11934	64	$1,000	$1,317	$2,525	$2,842	255.97	163.83
19	Humacao	14972	76	$863	$1,567	$2,041	$3,549	246.25	187.11
20	Isabela	45000	62	$946	$1,271	$2,381	$2,707	20.61	193.26
21	Jayuya	15000	65	$898	$1,355	$2,183	$2,732	27.69	143.28
22	Las Marias	9700						88.55	188.48
23	Las Muesas	18494	64	$1,001	$1,327	$2,530	$2,855	104.25	120.9
24	Las Piedras	38000	64	$999	$1,315	$2,518	$2,834	317.24	158.87
25	Levittown	29785	64	$1,001	$1,321	$2,525	$2,845	133.17	218.15
26	Luquillo	20000	61	$986	$1,260	$2,493	$2,766	161.06	197.76
27	Manati	10974	59	$888	$1,212	$2,171	$2,494	22.58	176.83
28	Mayaguez	57566	63	$971	$1,288	$2,377	$2,694	242.04	184.23
29	Naranjito	2325	91					75.48	203.2
30	Ponce	107951	94	$914	$1,945	$2,226	$3,509	158.45	176.94
31	Puerto de Tierra	-	64	$1,001	$1,321	$2,519	$2,839	-	-
32	Rincon	8973	109	$933	$2,257	$2,248	$4,271	246.78	189.08
33	Rio Grande	13467	60	$916	$1,235	$2,322	$2,641	278.57	143.78
34	Sabana Grande	25000	64	$995	$1,320	$2,513	$2,838	19.96	134.95
35	San German	35000	64	$996	$1,313	$2,515	$2,832	113.67	153.38
36	San Juan	322854	108	$1,080	$2,253	$2,691	$4,494	45.61	222.18
37	San Lorenzo	9373	61	$941	$1,260	$2,391	$2,709	39.74	143.78
38	Santa Isabel	23000	63	$974	$1,300	$2,467	$2,793	223.26	172.11
39	Toa Alta	74000	60	$917	$1,234	$2,316	$2,633	47.47	211.22
40	Trujillo Alto	43712	86	$889	$1,768	$2,259	$3,529	245.75	234.75
41	Vega Alta	40000	95	$1,001	$1,948	$2,529	$3,598	109.49	197.44
42	Vega Baja	23415	58	$964	$1,190	$2,304	$2,530	216.52	185.34

Puerto Rico Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Puerto Rico - Frequently Asked Questions

The Cost of Living in Puerto Rico tends to feel approachable for travelers, expats, and digital nomads when you compare daily basics to many mainland options. Flexible rentals, coworking spaces, and a strong local food scene help your budget go farther without sacrificing convenience. Prices vary by district: coastal areas and popular tourist towns may be brighter, inland towns often quieter and more affordable, and public transit can be practical in city centers. Seasonal shifts matter for lodging and activities, so scout multiple neighborhoods and time your stays. Tip: Identify a couple of target areas and test a few weeks before committing.

Figure out where you want to live by zoning that matches your pace and budget. In San Juan, Condado and Santurce offer easy access to co-working and nightlife, while areas like Río Piedras or Guaynabo tend to be more affordable and family-friendly. For daily meals, you’ll find abundant farmers markets and small pantries with local produce; try shared kitchens or neighborhood co-ops to stretch costs. Transport is often practical with a mix of rideshares, buses, and limited rail, but a car can unlock more remote beaches. Puerto Rico living cost tends to shift with tourist seasons, so time your search across several months. Tip: Build a short list of 3-5 neighborhoods and test them on foot or by bike.

Quality of life here grows when you balance housing, daily costs, and activities. Choose a neighborhood based on walkability, safety, and quick access to work or beaches. Use a simple budgeting framework: essentials, flexibility, and savings, then adjust with the seasons and local events. Climate affects your expenses – higher electricity use for cooling, seasonal rain, and storm planning shapes routines and storage needs. Shoulder seasons can offer calmer streets and friendlier prices, while major events bring energy but lure crowds. Tip: set a monthly cap on nonessential spends and review it after each week.

By international standards, Puerto Rico is moderately priced. Smaller cities offer better deals, while capitals run higher. Most visitors and residents find costs manageable without extreme budgeting.

Outside the capital and tourist areas, costs in Puerto Rico drop fast. Las Marias is one of the best budget options – lower costs without giving up access to essential services and everyday amenities.

$1,500 supports a modest but comfortable life in the smaller cities of Puerto Rico, but feels tight in San Juan. Rent is the deciding factor – keep housing costs low and the rest of the budget opens up.