Cost of living in San Salvador

In San Salvador, El Salvador, living costs about $1192 per month for one person and $2712 for a family of four, including rent.

How expensive is San Salvador compared to other cities?

Overall living costs in San Salvador are 17% cheaper than the European benchmark.

How does San Salvador compare to your city?

San Salvador is 61% cheaper than New York City, without rent.

Rent in San Salvador is, on average, 76% lower than in New York City.

What drives the cost of living in San Salvador?

Who is San Salvador a good fit for?

San Salvador is a better match for people who prioritize lifestyle benefits and can afford the premium driven by transport and food. For most moderate-income households, housing costs are the main barrier.

FAQ

Why is San Salvador so expensive?

The main driver of costs in San Salvador is often attributed to housing expenses, which can be significant for many residents.

Is food expensive in San Salvador?

No, food is 23% lower than the European benchmark, making it more affordable for residents.

Is public transport affordable in San Salvador?

Public transport is 23% higher than the European benchmark, which may impact overall living expenses.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
1192 $
Without Rent
561 $
Rent & Utilities
631 $
Food
368 $
Transport
92 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
493 $
GDP per Capita
5,344 $
Freedom Index
6.85
Lifespan
72 years
Speak English
1%
Population
316.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 10.7 $
Dinner 32.8 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 8.01 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 1.97 $
Capuccino 3.76 $
Coke, 330ml 1.08 $

Compare San Salvador with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 2.05 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 1.57 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.42 $
Eggs, 12 pack 2.79 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 7.57 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.45 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 10.5 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.05 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.68 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 2.59 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 2.62 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.34 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.16 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 0.69 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 2.15 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 14.4 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 1.52 $
Cigarette pack 4.09 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 0.35 $
Monthly Pass 26.4 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.09 $
Taxi, 8 km 28.7 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 40 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 6.94 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 5.62 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 2.32 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 1.58 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 63 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 97 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 37.8 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 482 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 846 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 720 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 1,267 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 2,019 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 1,397 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 493 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 10.86%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 34.4 $
Cinema, 1 seat 6.06 $
Haircut 9.67 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 107 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 69.2 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 16 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 4,693 $

Compare San Salvador with other top cities

Cayman Islands
San Salvador vs George Town (George Town is 206% more expensive)
Bahamas
San Salvador vs Nassau (Nassau is 131% more expensive) San Salvador vs Freeport (Freeport is 84% more expensive)
Vanuatu
San Salvador vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 97% more expensive) San Salvador vs Luganville (Luganville is 156% more expensive)
United States
San Salvador vs New York City (New York City is 240% more expensive) San Salvador vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 167% more expensive) San Salvador vs Chicago (Chicago is 124% more expensive) San Salvador vs Houston (Houston is 89% more expensive) San Salvador vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 99% more expensive) San Salvador vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 113% more expensive) San Salvador vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 84% more expensive) San Salvador vs San Diego (San Diego is 181% more expensive) San Salvador vs Dallas (Dallas is 114% more expensive) San Salvador vs San Jose (San Jose is 208% more expensive)
Canada
San Salvador vs Toronto (Toronto is 116% more expensive) San Salvador vs Montreal (Montreal is 64% more expensive) San Salvador vs Calgary (Calgary is 80% more expensive) San Salvador vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 88% more expensive) San Salvador vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 50% more expensive) San Salvador vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 47% more expensive) San Salvador vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 107% more expensive) San Salvador vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 122% more expensive) San Salvador vs Brampton (Brampton is 78% more expensive) San Salvador vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 81% more expensive)
Barbados
San Salvador vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 14% more expensive) San Salvador vs Holetown (Holetown is 17% more expensive)
Panama
San Salvador vs Panama City (Panama City is 16% more expensive) San Salvador vs Colon (Colon is 1% less expensive) San Salvador vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 3% more expensive) San Salvador vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 11% less expensive) San Salvador vs David (David is 30% less expensive) San Salvador vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 20% less expensive) San Salvador vs Balboa (Balboa is 5% more expensive) San Salvador vs Pacora (Pacora is 5% more expensive) San Salvador vs Chitre (Chitre is 8% less expensive) San Salvador vs Penonome (Penonome is 8% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
San Salvador vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 4% more expensive) San Salvador vs Cayon (Cayon is 4% more expensive)
Cuba
San Salvador vs Havana (Havana is 14% less expensive) San Salvador vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 19% more expensive) San Salvador vs Holguin (Holguin is 7% more expensive) San Salvador vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 28% more expensive) San Salvador vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 12% less expensive) San Salvador vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 2% less expensive) San Salvador vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 31% more expensive) San Salvador vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 31% more expensive) San Salvador vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 8% less expensive) San Salvador vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 26% less expensive)
Costa Rica
San Salvador vs San Jose (San Jose is 4% more expensive) San Salvador vs Limon (Limon is 1% more expensive) San Salvador vs Liberia (Liberia is 25% less expensive) San Salvador vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 3% more expensive) San Salvador vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 7% more expensive) San Salvador vs Cartago (Cartago is 19% less expensive) San Salvador vs Heredia (Heredia is 5% more expensive) San Salvador vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 42% more expensive) San Salvador vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 10% more expensive)
Saint Lucia
San Salvador vs Castries (Castries is 3% less expensive) San Salvador vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 0% more expensive)
Jamaica
San Salvador vs Kingston (Kingston is 11% more expensive) San Salvador vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 34% less expensive) San Salvador vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 15% less expensive) San Salvador vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 2% less expensive) San Salvador vs May Pen (May Pen is 31% less expensive) San Salvador vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 18% less expensive) San Salvador vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 29% less expensive) San Salvador vs Linstead (Linstead is 12% less expensive) San Salvador vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 6% less expensive) San Salvador vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 4% less expensive)
El Salvador
San Salvador vs San Salvador (San Salvador has similar costs) San Salvador vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 41% less expensive) San Salvador vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 2% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 9% less expensive) San Salvador vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 3% less expensive) San Salvador vs Apopa (Apopa is 4% less expensive) San Salvador vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 1% more expensive) San Salvador vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 22% more expensive) San Salvador vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 9% less expensive) San Salvador vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 26% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
San Salvador vs St. John's (St. John's is 9% less expensive) San Salvador vs All Saints (All Saints is 9% less expensive)
Grenada
San Salvador vs St. George's (St. George's is 11% less expensive) San Salvador vs Grenville (Grenville is 11% less expensive)
Dominica
San Salvador vs Roseau (Roseau is 16% less expensive) San Salvador vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 5% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
San Salvador vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 18% less expensive) San Salvador vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 16% less expensive)
Belize
San Salvador vs Belize City (Belize City is 26% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 9% less expensive) San Salvador vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 39% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 12% more expensive) San Salvador vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 32% more expensive)
Guatemala
San Salvador vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 16% less expensive) San Salvador vs Mixco (Mixco is 46% less expensive) San Salvador vs Coban (Coban is 23% less expensive) San Salvador vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 35% less expensive) San Salvador vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 24% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 24% less expensive) San Salvador vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 27% less expensive) San Salvador vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 27% less expensive) San Salvador vs Flores (Flores is 28% less expensive) San Salvador vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 34% less expensive)
Honduras
San Salvador vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 30% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 13% less expensive) San Salvador vs Choloma (Choloma is 50% less expensive) San Salvador vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 45% less expensive) San Salvador vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 26% less expensive) San Salvador vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 27% less expensive) San Salvador vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 40% less expensive) San Salvador vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 40% less expensive) San Salvador vs Yoro (Yoro is 38% less expensive) San Salvador vs La Lima (La Lima is 27% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
San Salvador vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 33% less expensive) San Salvador vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 12% less expensive) San Salvador vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 36% less expensive) San Salvador vs Higuey (Higuey is 35% less expensive) San Salvador vs La Vega (La Vega is 52% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 30% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 39% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 56% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 48% less expensive) San Salvador vs Bonao (Bonao is 55% less expensive)
Nicaragua
San Salvador vs Managua (Managua is 35% less expensive) San Salvador vs Leon (Leon is 46% less expensive) San Salvador vs Masaya (Masaya is 40% less expensive) San Salvador vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 54% less expensive) San Salvador vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 46% less expensive) San Salvador vs Esteli (Esteli is 50% less expensive) San Salvador vs Granada (Granada is 42% less expensive) San Salvador vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 62% less expensive) San Salvador vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 44% less expensive) San Salvador vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 25% less expensive)