Cooks, Restaurant Salary
Cooks, Restaurants in Guayama, PR make a median of $23,380 a year, or about $11.24 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $29K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $23,380 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $475/month, or 28.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $23K get you in Guayama?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Guayama’s Regional Price Parity (100). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cooks, restaurants
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What this looks like in Guayama
Pay for cooks, restaurant in Guayama runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $37K. Rent runs $475/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cooks, restaurants in metros near Guayama, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas | $26K | $26K |
| Aguadilla | $23K | $23K |
| Ponce | $23K | $23K |
| Mayaguez | $23K | $23K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Guayama, PR
Entry-level cooks, restaurants (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $23K. Top earners bring in $29K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Cooks, Restaurant pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cooks, Restaurant salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $47K | +25% | 35,140 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +23% | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +22% | 29,570 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +21% | 11,090 |
| Vermont | $45K | +21% | 2,360 |
| Maine | $45K | +21% | 5,130 |
| California | $45K | +20% | 152,250 |
| New York | $44K | +17% | 71,530 |
| Oregon | $43K | +15% | 21,550 |
| Colorado | $42K | +11% | 30,600 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | +8% | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $40K | +7% | 2,350 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +6% | 14,830 |
| Arizona | $39K | +3% | 30,870 |
| Nevada | $39K | +3% | 27,250 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +3% | 26,080 |
| New Jersey | $38K | +3% | 28,800 |
| Montana | $38K | +2% | 7,580 |
| Delaware | $38K | +1% | 5,280 |
| Maryland | $38K | +1% | 17,690 |
| Illinois | $38K | +1% | 53,540 |
| Nebraska | $37K | -1% | 4,750 |
| Florida | $37K | -1% | 124,040 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 39,100 |
| Missouri | $37K | -1% | 25,990 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 2,710 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 40,310 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -2% | 54,100 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -2% | 25,410 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -2% | 6,950 |
| Utah | $36K | -2% | 10,520 |
| North Dakota | $36K | -2% | 4,490 |
| Idaho | $36K | -3% | 8,130 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -3% | 28,220 |
| South Dakota | $36K | -3% | 1,890 |
| Georgia | $36K | -4% | 46,350 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -4% | 25,890 |
| Iowa | $36K | -5% | 12,270 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 46,910 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -5% | 50,150 |
| Indiana | $35K | -6% | 26,960 |
| Kansas | $35K | -6% | 11,620 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -6% | 7,810 |
| Texas | $35K | -7% | 126,620 |
| Kentucky | $35K | -7% | 13,510 |
| Alabama | $32K | -14% | 16,260 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -15% | 17,050 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -19% | 11,270 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -21% | 6,450 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -21% | 10,770 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -22% | 14,910 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cooks, restaurant salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Guayama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooks, restaurant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Guayama?
Yes — at the median salary of $23K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $475/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cooks, restaurants in Guayama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooks, restaurants typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,310/month. At HUD’s $475/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooks, restaurant a high-paying job in Guayama?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $23K here vs. $37K nationally.
How does Guayama compare to the national average for cooks, restaurants?
Guayama pays $23K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $23K — below the national median.
How much do cooks, restaurants make in Guayama, PR?
The median is $23,380 a year, that works out to about $11 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,840, and experienced cooks, restaurants can clear $28,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $23K enough to live in Guayama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,729/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $475/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a cooks, restaurant salary go in Guayama?
Guayama has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cooks, restaurant salary is worth about $23,380 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooks, restaurants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.