Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ilopango

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilopango: $1,625 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Ilopango
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Ilopango Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Ilopango

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX and in Ilopango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,625 in Ilopango.

Austin, TX $2,704
Ilopango $1,625

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,858 in Ilopango.

Austin, TX $4,133
Ilopango $1,858

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,090 in Ilopango.

Austin, TX $5,562
Ilopango $2,090

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 66% more expensive than in Ilopango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Ilopango 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$3.16 $3.16

539.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$44.12 $44.12

92.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.04 $5.04

145.04%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.94 $2.94

86.05%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.93 $0.93

310.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.97 $0.97

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$0.91 $0.91

785.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$1.75 $1.75

413.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.28 $3.28

-65.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.44 $1.44

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.07 $3.07

5.86%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.92 $2.92

41.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$5.02 $5.02

160.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$5.86 $5.86

144.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$9.86 $9.86

61.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.92 $2.92

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.02 $2.02

-28.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.03 $2.03

123.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.95 $1.95

114.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.02 $2.02

30.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.97 $1.97

19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.93 $0.93

89.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.97 $0.97

122.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$3.95 $3.95

148.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.18 $12.18

20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.98 $0.98

183.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.06 $2.06

68.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.88 $0.88

69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$35.67 $35.67

13.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$7.16 $7.16

-62.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.16 $2.16

-26.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$4.71 $4.71

649.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.67 $0.67

47.76%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.9K $19.9K

79.54%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.24%

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

$219 $219

$34.38 $34.38

537.78%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$9.97 $9.97

481.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$39.70 $39.70

72.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$39.80 $39.80

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$10.04 $10.04

47.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$4.97 $4.97

184.31%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$104 $104

1344.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$1,904 $1,904

1027.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$20.18 $20.18

156.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$29.95 $29.95

47.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$75.4 $75.4

12.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$58.9 $58.9

78.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$677 $677

185.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,038 $1,038

22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$585 $585

527.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$640 $640

294.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$1,747 $1,747

335.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$949 $949

237.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$976 $976

423.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

13.17%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Ilopango

$1K 62.9% 18.4% $234

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Ilopango

$248 15% 38.3% $154

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Ilopango

$91 5.5% 73.7% $257

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Ilopango

$84 5.1% 75.7% $262

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Ilopango

$83 5% 35.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Ilopango

$50 3% 42.3% $36

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Ilopango

$57 3.5% 0.3% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $677 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 423% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $44.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $248 per month, with Ilopango cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇻 Ilopango

🕒 Local time

00:25 12:25 AM

23:25 11:25 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

38,890

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Ilopango 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
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

Austin, TX vs Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilopango wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ilopango the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 423% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $677 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,625 in Ilopango – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilopango runs roughly 14% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,625 in Ilopango versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ilopango but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ilopango 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.

Expats usually find Ilopango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.