San JuanvsSan José
💰
San José saves you $1,200/month
41% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
San Juan has 2x faster internet
150 Mbps avg download speed
🌡️
Tropical Wet vs Tropical Monsoon climate
Different weather patterns year-round
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San Juan
San José
Total Budget
$2,900/mo
$1,700/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$1,500/mo
$670/mo ✓
Coworking
$400/mo
$175/mo ✓
Meal Out
$10
$6 ✓
Coffee
$4.5
$3 ✓
San José is $1,200/mo cheaper (71% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 San Juan
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-4
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West7h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London7h
🇩🇪 Berlin6h
🇨🇷 San José
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San Juan
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days207/year
Best months: January, March, June
San José
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp20°C
Rainy Days231/year
Best months: February, January, March, April
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
25°20°
Apr
25°21°
Jul
28°21°
Oct
28°19°
San JuanSan José
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍San Juan
🇨🇷San José
💰
Monthly Budget
$2,900
$1,700
Winner📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner80 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.5/5
3.2/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
3.8/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
7/10
6/10
👥
Community
medium
large
Winner1
San Juan wins
vs
2
San José wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
San José
$1200/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
San Juan
150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
San José
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🌍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
🇨🇷San José
Pros
- +Gateway to Costa Rica's natural wonders
- +Digital nomad visa available since 2022
- +Excellent healthcare system
- +Year-round spring-like weather
Cons
- −Higher cost than other LATAM cities
- −Traffic congestion is severe
- −Downtown safety concerns at night
- −No beach or surf in city
