New York City vs San Juan
💰
San Juan saves you $1,300/month
📶
New York City has 2x faster internet
🌡️
Continental vs Tropical Wet climate
🛂
Puerto Rico offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
New York City
San Juan
Total Budget
$4,200/mo
$2,900/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$4,000/mo
$1,500/mo ✓
Coworking
$380/mo ✓
$400/mo
Meal Out
$20
$10 ✓
Coffee
$5
$4.5 ✓
San Juan is $1,300/mo cheaper (45% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇺🇸 New York City
📶 Internet300 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h
🌍 San Juan
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-4
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West7h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London7h
🇩🇪 Berlin6h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
New York City
ClimateContinental
Avg Temp13°C
Rainy Days118/year
Best months: June, August, September, May
San Juan
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days207/year
Best months: January, March, June
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
1°25°
Apr
12°25°
Jul
26°28°
Oct
14°28°
New York CitySan Juan
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇺🇸New York City
🌍San Juan
💰
Monthly Budget
$4,200
$2,900
Winner📶
Internet Speed
300 Mbps
Winner150 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.6/5
3.5/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4.4/10
Winner3.8/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
10/10
Winner8/10
🚶
Walkability
9/10
Winner7/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
5
New York City wins
vs
1
San Juan wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
San Juan
$1300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
New York City
300 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
New York City
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
New York City
World-famous nightlife scene
🇺🇸New York City
Pros
- +One of the world's biggest hubs for tech, media, finance and the creative industries with endless networking opportunities
- +Insane cultural density: museums, galleries, concerts, theatre, comedy and events every single day
- +Fast, reliable internet and plenty of high-end coworking spaces across Manhattan and Brooklyn
- +Truly walkable core with a 24/7 subway system and good bus coverage
Cons
- −Extremely high cost of living and rent – one of the most expensive cities on the planet for long stays
- −Small apartments, high competition for housing and often long commutes from more affordable areas
- −Hot, humid summers and cold winters with heatwaves and snowstorms possible
- −Can feel intense, crowded and noisy; not ideal if you want a slow or quiet base
🌍San Juan
Pros
- +No visa required for US citizens
- +Act 60 tax incentives (4% corporate tax)
- +Same timezone as US East Coast
- +Excellent fiber internet coverage
Cons
- −Higher cost of living than mainland US cities
- −Hurricane season June-November
- −Some areas have safety concerns
- −Car often needed outside tourist areas