It might be easy to assume that San Juan, Puerto Rico would be a cheap destination, since it’s not really known as a wealthy place, but unfortunately this is still quite expensive. The location in the Caribbean gives it ideal weather for cold-weather people during winter, so demand is quite high, even away from the beaches.
| Population | 400,000 |
| Area | 400,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-4 |
| Currency | US dollar |
If you settle in San Juan for your vacation, you’ll notice a long list of area amenities and activities. This includes tons of dining options that range from cheap to expensive, lots of resorts and hotels, some of which offer all-inclusive packages, and nightlife.
If shopping is on your to-do list, then you’ll be happy to know that there are some good options in town, one of which is a pretty large mall with over 300 stores.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 18.00 - 40.00 |
| 52.00 - 181.00 |
| 98.00 - 217.00 |
| 152.00 - 236.00 |
| 391.00 - 540.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 12.00 - 27.00 |
Food is also fairly expensive as long as you are in the main tourist zone. Some street-side options can help to keep your overall meal total down, but sit-down meals, especially at hotels, will be more expensive than most of Mexico, by comparison. Drink specials can keep entertainment costs down a bit if you find happy hour deals. Cheap beers are easy to find if you ask around a bit. Some good news is that there are plenty of things to do in San Juan, and many of them are free or cheap.
| Budget breakfast | You'll have to follow some locals away from your hotel to find cheap breakfasts. | $4.00 - $8.00 |
| Budget lunch | Street options with pork and plantains are some of the better budget lunches. Hotel restaurants will charge much more. | $5.00 - $9.00 |
| Budget dinner | Finding cheap sit-down meals in San Juan can be a challenge. Get out of the hotel zone for better value. | $8.00 - $15.00 |
| Beer (.33l bottle) | A bottle of Medalla can be cheap in a few spots, but you have to look for them. | $1.00 - $5.00 |
A lot of resorts here will set up a tour or two for you, with snorkeling tours being the highlight for many. There are also a few bus tours you can take as well, and those usually include transportation to and from your accommodation.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 82 | 71 | 3.0 |
| February | 83 | 71 | 2.3 |
| March | 83 | 72 | 2.1 |
| April | 85 | 73 | 3.7 |
| May | 86 | 75 | 5.3 |
| June | 88 | 77 | 3.5 |
| July | 87 | 77 | 4.2 |
| August | 88 | 77 | 5.2 |
| September | 88 | 77 | 5.6 |
| October | 88 | 76 | 5.1 |
| November | 85 | 74 | 6.2 |
| December | 83 | 72 | 4.6 |
The weather in San Juan from December through March is nearly perfect, although rainfall still does occur most weeks. Daytime temperatures don’t creep up too much during the rest of the year, but the humidity can make it feel much hotter. Rainfall even during the wetter autumn months does tend to come fast and end quickly in the typical tropical pattern.
| 21 Mar | 6:28am | 6:36pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:49am | 7:04pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:13am | 6:22pm |
| 21 Dec | 6:52am | 5:53pm |
Hotels in particular are unusually expensive for a Latin American capital city, as are hostel beds. Those who look carefully can find some very cheap one-star hotel rooms, but expect the quality level to be very low. The proper 2-star and above hotels charge resort prices, even during the off season. The good news is that the main tourist zones are quite nice and feel like they are worth the money. Condado has a nice mix of posh and mid-priced, while Isla Verde is much larger and runs a wide spectrum of prices.
Hotels in San Juan have their high season from December through mid April, with an extra peak season coming around the Christmas and New Years weeks. During this period rooms can be astronomically expensive, and it’s best to book as far in advance as you can. The rest of the year prices are still fairly high, but at least it’s easy to find a room.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 18.00 - 40.00 |
| 52.00 - 181.00 |
| 98.00 - 217.00 |
| 152.00 - 236.00 |
| 391.00 - 540.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 12.00 - 27.00 |
Luckily, San Juan offers lots of different ways to get around, making it very easy to go from your hotel to a restaurant, shopping mall, or the beach. You can walk, rent a car, ride a trolley, take a taxi and more. Resorts will also help you set up transportation.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 15.00 - 25.00 |
| 3km taxi ride in San Juan | 7.00 - 10.00 |
| Ferry ride | 0.00 |
| Bus ride in San Juan | 0.00 |