Cooks, Restaurant pay range in San Juan
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $30,090 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in San Juan earn between $23,560 and $28,150.
- $22K10th
- $24K25th
- $26KMedian
- $28K75th
- $30K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $26,710 | $2,226 | $12.84 |
| Median | $25,500 | $2,125 | $12.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $23,560 | $1,963 | $11.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $28,150 | $2,346 | $13.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in San Juan vs. Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in San Juan earn about the same as the Puerto Rico average ($26,240) and 31% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -32% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan | $26,710 | $25,500 | $21,840 | $30,090 | 7,210 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,240 | $24,650 | $21,840 | $29,640 | 9,810 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Is San Juan a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in San Juan ($29,440). A typical home costs $138,700, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Puerto Rico cities
San Juan ranks 1st of 6 Puerto Rico metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in San Juan: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in San Juan?
$12.84 an hour on average, and $12.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in San Juan?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $23,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in San Juan than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR (41980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Census median home value (Zillow does not cover this metro). Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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