Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahuachapan and San Salvador

For one person, living is cheaper in San Salvador: $1,646 a month against $1,848 in Ahuachapan, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ahuachapan outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Ahuachapan
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Ahuachapan Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index

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Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,848

/mo nomad

San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,646

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ahuachapan and in San Salvador

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 San Salvador actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,848 per month in Ahuachapan vs $1,646 in San Salvador, rent included.

Ahuachapan $1,848
San Salvador $1,646

A couple spends around $2,014 per month in Ahuachapan vs $2,498 in San Salvador, rent included.

Ahuachapan $2,014
San Salvador $2,498

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Ahuachapan vs $3,350 in San Salvador, rent included.

Ahuachapan $2,180
San Salvador $3,350

Ahuachapan costs about 12% more than San Salvador.

Both Ahuachapan and San Salvador sit above the global median – Ahuachapan by 36%, San Salvador by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 $6.83

$6.68 $6.68

2.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 $44.44

$45.12 $45.12

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.94 $6.94

2.45%

Cappuccino

$3.61 $3.61

$3.59 $3.59

0.56%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$1.11 $1.11

0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.87 $0.87

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.59 $3.59

-2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.89 $1.89

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.90 $2.90

-3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

Eggs

$3.01 $3.01

$3.09 $3.09

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$7.92 $7.92

-4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$7.09 $7.09

-3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 $10.36

$10.45 $10.45

-0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$5.03 $5.03

-1.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.63 $2.63

-3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.48 $3.48

-1.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.89 $2.89

0.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.28 $3.28

-2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.94 $0.94

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.03 $4.03

-3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 $11.96

$12.18 $12.18

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.28 $2.28

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.93 $2.93

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.98 $37.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 $6.05

$6.06 $6.06

-0.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.02 $3.02

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$19.92 $19.92

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

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

$25.0K $25.0K

-0.04%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

0.73%

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

$131 $131

$129 $129

1.33%

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

$21.53 $21.53

$21.21 $21.21

1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.30 $42.30

$42.29 $42.29

0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.66 $31.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 $21.56

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 $4.94

$4.97 $4.97

-0.60%

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

$164 $164

$163 $163

0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,777 $4,777

$4,629 $4,629

3.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 $67.6

$68.2 $68.2

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.64 $46.64

$47.50 $47.50

-1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$120 $120

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$116 $116

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 $530

$901 $901

-41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$761 $761

36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 $364

$1,797 $1,797

-79.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 $389

$1,379 $1,379

-71.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,064 $3,064

$2,807 $2,807

9.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 $1,291

$1,843 $1,843

-29.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 $552

$384 $384

43.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

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

Last update for Ahuachapan: October 18, 2026

Last update for San Salvador: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ahuachapan

$1K 56.2%

San Salvador

$761 46.2% 26.7% $277

Groceries & Markets

Ahuachapan

$283 15.3%

San Salvador

$290 17.6% 2.4% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ahuachapan

$195 10.6%

San Salvador

$193 11.7% 1.1% $2

Clothing & Footwear

Ahuachapan

$158 8.5%

San Salvador

$158 9.6% 0.5% $0.7

Eating Out

Ahuachapan

$144 7.8%

San Salvador

$142 8.6% 1.1% $1.6

Getting Around

Ahuachapan

$21 * 1.2%

San Salvador

$61 3.7% 185% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Ahuachapan

$9.9 * 0.5%

San Salvador

$42 2.5% 321% $32

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Ahuachapan versus $901 in San Salvador. 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 44% higher in Ahuachapan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Ahuachapan versus $45 in San Salvador. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $290 – making Ahuachapan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇻 Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🕒 Local time

16:09 4:09 PM

Same time as Ahuachapan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,511

316,090 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ahuachapan San Salvador 75 km

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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 San Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ahuachapan costs about 12% more than San Salvador, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,772 per month in Ahuachapan and $2,469 in San Salvador. 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 $530 there versus $901 in San Salvador.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,848 in Ahuachapan and $1,646 in San Salvador. That’s a gap of about 12%.

Kindergarten costs $164 per month in Ahuachapan and $163 in San Salvador. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. San Salvador has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,646 in San Salvador to $1,848 in Ahuachapan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Salvador. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ahuachapan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.