Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and El Salvador Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Rica and El Salvador

Name: El Salvador
Address: SV

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,536 per month in Costa Rica vs $881 in El Salvador, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,320 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,271 in El Salvador, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,104 per month in Costa Rica vs $1,660 in El Salvador, rent included.

Costa Rica costs about 74% more than El Salvador on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Costa Rica sits 15% above the global median, while El Salvador is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.69 ₡4,413

$7.62 $7.62

27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₡27.2K

$30.37 $30.37

96.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ₡4,398

$7.08 $7.08

36.30%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ₡1,817

$3.44 $3.44

15.99%

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

$2.18 ₡993

$1.14 $1.14

91.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡745

$0.84 $0.84

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,387

$2.05 $2.05

48.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 ₡2,012

$3.11 $3.11

42.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡934

$1.84 $1.84

11.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 ₡1,464

$1.95 $1.95

64.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ₡1,133

$1.57 $1.57

58.60%

Eggs

$3.29 ₡1,497

$2.56 $2.56

28.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 ₡4,148

$7.51 $7.51

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 ₡4,417

$5.86 $5.86

65.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 ₡6,010

$9.42 $9.42

40.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 ₡2,063

$3.37 $3.37

34.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡715

$1.92 $1.92

-18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,460

$2.61 $2.61

22.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 ₡1,339

$2.63 $2.63

11.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 ₡1,361

$2.40 $2.40

24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,235

$2.21 $2.21

22.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡469

$0.98 $0.98

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₡1,138

$1.14 $1.14

119.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 ₡2,300

$4.10 $4.10

23.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 ₡7,372

$11.08 $11.08

46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₡1,091

$1.69 $1.69

41.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₡1,260

$2.39 $2.39

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡431

$0.37 $0.37

156.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 ₡22.3K

$28.84 $28.84

69.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₡848

$6.31 $6.31

-70.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ₡915

$2.95 $2.95

-31.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 ₡3,532

$19.77 $19.77

-60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡684

$0.99 $0.99

51.52%

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

$36.8K ₡16.8M

$25.4K $25.4K

45.00%

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

$35.5K ₡16.2M

$26.5K $26.5K

34.03%

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

$87.5 ₡39.8K

$90.1 $90.1

-2.90%

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

$25.82 ₡11.8K

$19.53 $19.53

32.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 ₡24.8K

$41.51 $41.51

31.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ₡25.7K

$30.69 $30.69

83.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.13 ₡13.3K

$19.18 $19.18

51.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ₡4,164

$4.91 $4.91

86.15%

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

$555 ₡252.8K

$143 $143

289.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,828 ₡4.5M

$4,287 $4,287

129.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 ₡33.7K

$56.0 $56.0

31.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 ₡24.7K

$40.31 $40.31

34.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₡54.0K

$111 $111

6.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ₡46.5K

$98.4 $98.4

3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ₡374.6K

$694 $694

18.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 ₡250.1K

$649 $649

-15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 ₡669.1K

$1,089 $1,089

34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ₡466.2K

$870 $870

17.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,327 ₡1.1M

$2,694 $2,694

-13.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,612 ₡734.5K

$1,573 $1,573

2.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,076 ₡490.3K

$442 $442

143.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.53

9.05

16.35%

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

Last update for Costa Rica: April 25, 2026

Last update for El Salvador: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $776 in Costa Rica vs $296 in El Salvador. For reference, capital cities sit at $872 in San Jose and $844 in San Salvador.

Average salary: $1,110 in Costa Rica vs $571 in El Salvador. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 162% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 89% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 63% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 94% higher in Costa Rica.

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

Costa Rica vs El Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Salvador is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 82% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in El Salvador, contributing to the overall 82% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in El Salvador, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

El Salvador is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.