Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and Brazil

Name: Brazil
Address: BR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $882 per month in El Salvador vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,268 per month in El Salvador vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in El Salvador vs $1,681 in Brazil, rent included.

El Salvador costs about 15% more than Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both El Salvador and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – El Salvador 34% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 $7.40

$5.34 R$26.73

38.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.89 $29.89

$28.68 R$144

4.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.33 R$31.68

12.01%

Cappuccino

$3.46 $3.46

$1.77 R$8.84

95.48%

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

$1.14 $1.14

$1.08 R$5.40

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.66 R$3.28

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.81 R$9.08

9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.76 R$13.79

15.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.93 R$4.67

107.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.47 R$7.36

38.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.18 R$5.89

34.75%

Eggs

$2.57 $2.57

$2.05 R$10.26

25.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$8.34 R$41.75

-9.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.77 R$18.88

52.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 $9.90

$7.26 R$36.34

36.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.07 R$10.38

63.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.27 R$6.36

51.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.13 R$5.64

127.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.45 R$7.25

84.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.13 R$5.67

104.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.11 R$5.54

94.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.72 R$3.60

34.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.69 R$3.43

57.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.15 R$10.74

88.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 $10.94

$8.09 R$40.47

35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.17 R$5.86

40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.13 R$10.66

11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.86 R$4.31

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.47 $28.47

$40.93 R$205

-30.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.06 R$5.29

509.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.90 R$4.48

225.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.79 $19.79

$7.33 R$36.68

169.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.04 R$5.20

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$21.3K R$106.5K

15.80%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$27.5K R$137.6K

-1.90%

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

$90.0 $90.0

$68.1 R$341

32.31%

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

$19.72 $19.72

$14.08 R$70.4

40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.19 $41.19

$19.45 R$97.3

111.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.05 $30.05

$23.15 R$116

29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 $19.18

$22.55 R$113

-14.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 $4.87

$6.36 R$31.84

-23.43%

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

$141 $141

$289 R$1,445

-51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,238 $4,238

$7,444 R$37.3K

-43.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$49.66 R$249

14.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 $39.87

$41.98 R$210

-5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$77.4 R$387

41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 $97.8

$63.0 R$316

55.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 $700

$326 R$1,632

114.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 $640

$229 R$1,144

180.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 $1,108

$634 R$3,170

74.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 $859

$452 R$2,263

89.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 $2,744

$1,906 R$9,537

43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,573 $1,573

$1,257 R$6,293

25.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 $439

$536 R$2,683

-18.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.05

11.16

-18.91%

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

Last update for El Salvador: June 2, 2026

Last update for Brazil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $293 in El Salvador vs $304 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $827 in San Salvador and $408 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $574 in El Salvador vs $494 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Public transport is 388% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 16% higher in El Salvador.

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

El Salvador vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 7% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 7% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in El Salvador it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Brazil 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.