Cost of Living: New York vs Puerto Rico (San Juan)
How expensive is Puerto Rico compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and USD — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- San Juan
- Price level vs US average
- 89.7 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2021); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Puerto Rico’s national average. Major cities — especially San Juan — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Puerto Rico cheaper than New York?
Yes. Puerto Rico is 20% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 80, New York = 100).
What salary in Puerto Rico equals $100,000 in New York?
About $79,683 a year buys the same standard of living in Puerto Rico as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is San Juan more expensive than Puerto Rico’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Puerto Rico’s national average price level; large cities such as San Juan typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2021 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.