Cost of Living in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has a cost of living index of 70, making it 30% less expensive than the national average. The statewide median household income is $23,311 (69% below the US median of $75,149). Across 269 cities tracked in Puerto Rico, costs vary widely depending on location, proximity to metro areas, and local housing markets.

Housing drives most of the variation. The average median rent across Puerto Rico cities is $541/mo (59% below the national median of $1,319), and the average median home value is $112,038 (63% below the national figure of $304,900). There is a 33-point spread between the most affordable city, Guánica zona urbana (index 51), and the most expensive, Guaynabo zona urbana (index 84) — a moderate range typical of states with a mix of urban and rural areas.

When evaluating Puerto Rico, it helps to look beyond the state average. Individual city costs can deviate significantly — use the map and rankings below to compare specific locations.

The largest cities in Puerto Rico by population are San Juan zona urbana (index 67, pop. 320,691), Bayamón zona urbana (index 67, pop. 167,312), Carolina zona urbana (index 68, pop. 139,051), Ponce zona urbana (index 59, pop. 109,765), and Caguas zona urbana (index 65, pop. 72,862). Notably, all of these major cities are at or below the state average, which is unusual and suggests that smaller or resort communities are driving up the statewide figure.

Data: US Census Bureau (ACS 2023), Zillow, HUD, BEA Regional Price Parities. Updated monthly.