Capital city, Puerto Rico

Cost of living in San Juan

Updated October 2026Sources

How much a month costs in San Juan

For one person, including rent. A comfortable month costs about $3,000–4,500 ($3,000–4,500).

Lean$1,700–2,400$1,700–2,400 · Room or studio, local food

Comfortable$3,000–4,500$3,000–4,500 · 1-bed apartment, eating out daily

Luxury$5,500–9,000$5,500–9,000 · Upscale apartment, restaurants, taxis

Prices in San Juan

Typical 2026 ranges in USD, rounded. US$ at the 03 Oct 2026 exchange rate.

Item	USD	US$
Housing
1-bedroom apartment, center (month)	$1,500–2,800	$1,500–2,800
1-bedroom apartment, outside center (month)	$1,000–1,700	$1,000–1,700
Hostel dorm bed (night)	$35–70	$35–70
Mid-range hotel room (night)	$130–280	$130–280
Food and drink
Local meal or street food	$8–15	$8–15
Mid-range restaurant, per person	$25–45	$25–45
Cappuccino	$4–6	$4–6
Local beer, 0.5 l in a bar	$5–8	$5–8
Getting around
Public transport, one ride	$1–2	$1–2
Ride-hailing or taxi, about 5 km	$10–18	$10–18
Work and life
Gym membership (month)	$30–60	$30–60
Mobile data, 20–50 GB (month)	$25–55	$25–55

Value for money: 11/100

A value score of 11/100 means San Juan gives more quality of life per dollar than 10% of the 1,319 places we cover. Quality here scores 75/100. It's the 1st most affordable of 3 places we cover in Puerto Rico.

Quality factor	Score
Safety	75
Air quality	83
Weather	83
Friendly locals	75
English	50

Cost of living across Puerto Rico

One person, comfortable lifestyle, including rent.

Place	Comfortable month	Value
San Juan	$3,000–4,500	11/100
Rincón	$3,200–4,800	11/100
Vieques	$4,000–6,000	5/100

Cheaper alternatives to San Juan

Similar safety, lower cost, in Caribbean.

Place	Country	Comfortable month
Cabarete	Dominican Republic	$1,430–2,180
Viñales	Cuba	$1,600–2,500
Las Terrenas	Dominican Republic	$1,510–2,350
Trinidad	Cuba	$1,700–2,700
Varadero	Cuba	$2,000–3,200

Quick answers

How much money do you need per month in San Juan?

About $1,700–2,400 on a lean budget, $3,000–4,500 for a comfortable month and $5,500–9,000 for a luxury one, rent included.

How much is rent in San Juan?

A furnished 1-bedroom apartment costs $1,500–2,800 ($1,500–2,800) a month in the center and $1,000–1,700 ($1,000–1,700) outside it.

How much does food cost in San Juan?

A local meal is $8–15 ($8–15); a mid-range restaurant is $25–45 ($25–45) per person.

Is Puerto Rico expensive?

Prices in Puerto Rico are about 78% of US price levels (World Bank PPP).

More about San Juan

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Sources

Prices are SoloSquare estimates for 2026, reviewed against official and operator prices where available. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.