Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lima vs San Juan

Lima vs San Juan

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 70% cheaper Lima +203 Mbps Low / Low

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

San Juan

Wei Zeng/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,284

Lima

$4,211

San Juan

Internet

219

Mbps

Safety

Low

Lima

Low

San Juan

Air Quality

5/5

Lima

5/5

San Juan

Healthcare

High

Lima

Moderate

San Juan

Population

8.9m

Lima

355.1k

San Juan

Lima (Peru) and San Juan (Puerto Rico) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lima is significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $1284/mo — 70% less than San Juan's $4211/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $35124.

For families, Lima costs $2188.437491200074/mo compared to San Juan's $5603.75/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima leads on internet connectivity at 219 Mbps (ranked #26 globally) versus San Juan's 16 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Lima and San Juan share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Lima offers better healthcare infrastructure than San Juan — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lima is January (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454), while San Juan peaks in January (31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 415). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LimaSan Juan

Nomad$1,284/mo$4,211/mo

Expat$794/mo$2,784/mo

Local$625/mo$1,601/mo

Family$2,188/mo$5,604/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LimaSan Juan

City Speed

219 Mbps#26

16 Mbps

Country Speed200 Mbps0 Mbps

Environment & Health

LimaSan Juan

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity7070

Quality of Life

LimaSan Juan

SafetyLowLow

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lima

San Juan

Jan

27°

0mm454

31°

0mm415

Feb

29°

0mm454

31°

2mm346

Mar

28°

0mm454

33°

1mm367

Apr

25°

0mm434

33°

3mm275

May

21°

0mm414

37°

3mm336

Jun

18°

0mm414

37°

2mm337

Jul

17°

0mm414

36°

2mm337

Aug

17°

0mm414

37°

2mm337

Sep

18°

0mm414

38°

3mm342

Oct

19°

0mm414

38°

1mm357

Nov

23°

0mm434

34°

4mm346

Dec

25°

0mm434

33°

2mm367

Who Should Choose Lima?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.9m residents
Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Who Should Choose San Juan?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Smaller city feel with 355.1k residents
Peak season in January — 31 degrees, score 415

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lima edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1284/mo it runs 70% cheaper than San Juan's $4211/mo, with 219 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Lima San Juan

ItemLimaSan JuanDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.92$6

35%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.19$26.5

16%

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.22$5.5

Cappuccino (regular)$2.66$1.62

39%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09$1.5

28%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92$2.5

36%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.86$0.66

23%

Water (0.33L)$0.57$0.57

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.22$0.87

29%

White bread (500g)$1.83$1.5

18%

White rice (1kg)$1.11$1.33

17%

Eggs (12)$1.81$1.8

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.99$3.5

30%

Beef round (1kg)$8.2$5.48

33%

Local cheese (1kg)$6.89$5.27

24%

Apples (1kg)$1.54$0.91

41%

Bananas (1kg)$1.02$0.95

Oranges (1kg)$0.93$1.24

25%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.98$1.28

23%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74$0.62

16%

Onions (1kg)$0.89$0.67

25%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.72$0.63

12%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.72$1.15

37%

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83$3.08

61%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.6$1.35

16%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.33$1.93

17%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.22$2.05

61%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.52$0.2

62%

Monthly transport pass$15.66$11.7

25%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.61$0.7

73%

Taxi per 1km$1.44$1

31%

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.27$10

37%

Gasoline (1L)$1.31$0.8

39%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,274.38$23,888.63

24%

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,697.31$27,560.5

21%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$71.32$27.75

61%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$30.91$32.59

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18$0.14

22%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$37.19—

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.4—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.48$5.69

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.5$71

67%

International primary school/yr$5,851.01$960

84%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$43.81$38.96

11%

Summer dress (chain store)$28.35$78.45

64%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.57$132.09

46%

Men's leather business shoes$68.37$72.64

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$511.24$150

71%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$349.69$125

64%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$954.12$250

74%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$701.14$200

71%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,962.17—

—

Price per m², outside centre$1,483.1—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$489.76—

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.29$45.67

82%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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