Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguilares and Santa Tecla Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguilares and Santa Tecla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Aguilares versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Aguilares versus $1,962 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,443 in Aguilares versus $2,548 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Aguilares costs roughly 52% less than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguilares is 51% below, Santa Tecla is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 $2.45

$7.81 $7.81

-68.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.03 $12.03

$35.13 $35.13

-65.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.09 $7.09

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.35 $3.35

$3.31 $3.31

1.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.09 $1.09

-13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.90 $0.90

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.04 $2.04

-27.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.92 $2.92

-16.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.76 $1.76

2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.55 $1.55

-3.87%

Eggs

$1.82 $1.82

$2.38 $2.38

-23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.94 $6.94

-1.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$5.62 $5.62

-19.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$10.80 $10.80

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.09 $3.09

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.66 $1.66

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.62 $2.62

-18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.62 $2.62

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.26 $2.26

-1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.13 $2.13

1.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.00 $1.00

-1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.07 $1.07

-2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.06 $4.06

-2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 $11.12

$11.21 $11.21

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.71 $1.71

-11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.53 $2.53

-3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 $0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 $64.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.44 $5.44

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.00 $3.00

-1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 $19.97

$20.18 $20.18

-1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.98 $0.98

6.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K $17.9K

$25.9K $25.9K

-30.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.5K $20.5K

$28.5K $28.5K

-28.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$28.38 $28.38

$103 $103

-72.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.80 $18.80

$19.19 $19.19

-2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.76 $34.76

$42.32 $42.32

-17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.03 $20.03

$24.70 $24.70

-18.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 $20.25

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 $3.51

$5.11 $5.11

-31.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$146 $146

$147 $147

-0.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,878 $5,878

$6,045 $6,045

-2.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.36 $25.36

$67.0 $67.0

-62.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.74 $27.74

$43.92 $43.92

-36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$114 $114

1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$106 $106

-2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.3 $74.3

$786 $786

-90.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 $606

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 $413

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aguilares: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.3 in Aguilares and $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Aguilares vs $35.00 in Santa Tecla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $248 per month, with Aguilares cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aguilares vs Santa Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $992 in Aguilares and $2,063 in Santa Tecla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $74.3 in Aguilares versus $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $146 in Aguilares versus $147 in Santa Tecla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aguilares – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $35.00 in Santa Tecla. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Aguilares versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguilares but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Aguilares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aguilares and Santa Tecla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aguilares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.