Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahuachapan and Ilopango

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilopango: $1,651 a month against $1,812 in Ahuachapan, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Ahuachapan
Learn more

Ahuachapan Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Ilopango
Learn more

Ilopango Living Index

Jump to prices

Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,812

/mo nomad

Ilopango

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ahuachapan and in Ilopango

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ahuachapan and in Ilopango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,812 per month in Ahuachapan vs $1,651 in Ilopango, rent included.

Ahuachapan $1,812
Ilopango $1,651

A couple spends around $2,002 per month in Ahuachapan vs $1,885 in Ilopango, rent included.

Ahuachapan $2,002
Ilopango $1,885

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Ahuachapan vs $2,119 in Ilopango, rent included.

Ahuachapan $2,191
Ilopango $2,119

Ahuachapan costs about 10% more than Ilopango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ahuachapan and Ilopango sit above the global median – Ahuachapan by 33%, Ilopango by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 $6.58

$3.11 $3.11

111.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 $45.37

$45.31 $45.31

0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 $7.11

$5.05 $5.05

40.79%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$2.82 $2.82

26.60%

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

$1.16 $1.16

$0.87 $0.87

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.93 $0.93

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.94 $0.94

113.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.67 $1.67

117.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.17 $3.17

-42.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.43 $1.43

102.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.98 $2.98

-52.35%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.93 $2.93

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.14 $5.14

53.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$6.12 $6.12

10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$10.08 $10.08

-0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.07 $3.07

67.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.94 $1.94

-29.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.94 $1.94

37.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.02 $2.02

72.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.05 $2.05

40.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.99 $1.99

61.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.99 $0.99

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.02 $1.02

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.11 $4.11

-4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 $11.80

$11.83 $11.83

-0.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.03 $1.03

121.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.96 $1.96

43.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 $0.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 $35.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 $6.18

$7.16 $7.16

-13.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.15 $2.15

36.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.68 $19.68

$4.70 $4.70

318.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.64 $0.64

95.31%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$20.5K $20.5K

21.98%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.87%

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

$131 $131

$35.26 $35.26

271.98%

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

$21.62 $21.62

$9.87 $9.87

119.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.63 $42.63

$39.61 $39.61

7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 $40.56

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 $9.92

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 $5.14

$5.07 $5.07

1.38%

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

$165 $165

$107 $107

54.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,784 $4,784

$1,902 $1,902

151.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 $67.1

$19.99 $19.99

235.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 $47.82

$30.34 $30.34

57.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$75.6 $75.6

57.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$59.7 $59.7

92.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 $528

$672 $672

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 $1,002

$1,036 $1,036

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 $366

$592 $592

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 $396

$633 $633

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,094 $3,094

$1,748 $1,748

77.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,272 $1,272

$964 $964

32.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$570 $570

$991 $991

-42.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

41.67%

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

Last update for Ahuachapan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ahuachapan

$1K 55.3%

Ilopango

$1K 62.8% 3.5% $35

Groceries & Markets

Ahuachapan

$285 15.7%

Ilopango

$250 15.1% 12.3% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ahuachapan

$195 10.8%

Ilopango

$85 5.1% 56.6% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Ahuachapan

$157 8.7%

Ilopango

$84 5.1% 46.8% $73

Eating Out

Ahuachapan

$142 7.9%

Ilopango

$89 5.4% 37.4% $53

Getting Around

Ahuachapan

$21 * 1.2%

Ilopango

$57 3.4% 172% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Ahuachapan

$10 * 0.6%

Ilopango

$51 3.1% 393% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $528 in Ahuachapan versus $672 in Ilopango. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Ilopango, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Ahuachapan versus $45 in Ilopango. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Ahuachapan vs $250 in Ilopango – so Ilopango wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇻 Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 Ilopango

🕒 Local time

22:46 10:46 PM

Same time as Ahuachapan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,511

38,890

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ahuachapan Ilopango 91 km

From you

Ahuachapan
Ilopango

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ahuachapan vs Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,812 in Ahuachapan, $1,651 in Ilopango – Ilopango comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,718 per month in Ahuachapan and $2,477 in Ilopango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahuachapan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $528 there versus $672 in Ilopango.

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in Ahuachapan and $107 in Ilopango. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,812 in Ahuachapan and $1,651 in Ilopango. That makes Ilopango about 9% cheaper.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,812 in Ahuachapan and $1,651 in Ilopango, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.