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

Name: Mexico
Address: MX

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $883 per month in El Salvador vs $1,121 in Mexico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,275 per month in El Salvador vs $1,790 in Mexico, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,666 per month in El Salvador vs $2,459 in Mexico, rent included.

El Salvador is roughly 21% cheaper than Mexico on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both El Salvador and Mexico are more affordable than the global median – El Salvador 34% lower, Mexico 16% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: El Salvador spans $0–$1,766, Mexico spans $708–$2,335. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 $7.59

$10.78 MX$187

-29.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.22 $30.22

$41.75 MX$724

-27.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 $6.82

$7.88 MX$137

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$3.37 $3.37

$3.28 MX$56.8

2.74%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$1.33 MX$22.97

-17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.99 MX$17.09

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.31 MX$40.07

-11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.31 MX$74.7

-29.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.45 MX$25.13

31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.55 MX$44.27

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.69 MX$29.24

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.55 $2.55

$2.47 MX$42.73

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$8.38 MX$145

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$7.48 MX$130

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 $9.93

$10.94 MX$190

-9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.70 MX$46.86

23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.51 MX$26.20

21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.85 MX$32.08

38.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.78 MX$30.79

56.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.97 MX$34.13

21.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.03 MX$35.19

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.32 MX$22.85

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 MX$18.26

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 $3.94

$4.30 MX$74.6

-8.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 $10.83

$11.60 MX$201

-6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.60 MX$27.79

1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.06 MX$53.1

-21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.64 MX$11.12

-42.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.08 $29.08

$26.00 MX$451

11.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 $6.68

$2.59 MX$44.97

157.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.93 MX$33.40

58.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.80 $19.80

$10.68 MX$185

85.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.32 MX$22.94

-24.24%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$20.2K MX$349.6K

22.58%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$22.8K MX$395.9K

14.65%

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

$92.2 $92.2

$62.5 MX$1,082

47.67%

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

$19.80 $19.80

$22.92 MX$397

-13.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.72 $41.72

$28.40 MX$492

46.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 $30.55

$35.89 MX$622

-14.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 $18.87

$18.16 MX$315

3.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 $5.11

$4.63 MX$80.3

10.37%

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

$140 $140

$256 MX$4,433

-45.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,207 $4,207

$5,566 MX$96.5K

-24.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$53.0 MX$919

8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.42 $40.42

$41.00 MX$711

-1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$93.1 MX$1,613

20.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 $95.7

$86.5 MX$1,498

10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 $700

$645 MX$11.2K

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 $632

$439 MX$7,602

44.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 $1,116

$1,202 MX$20.8K

-7.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 $855

$864 MX$15.0K

-1.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 $2,729

$2,796 MX$48.4K

-2.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 $1,598

$1,604 MX$27.8K

-0.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 $435

$835 MX$14.5K

-47.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.05

11.45

-20.96%

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

Last update for El Salvador: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $296 in El Salvador vs $530 in Mexico. For reference, capital cities sit at $844 in San Salvador and $1,000 in Mexico City.

Average salary: $571 in El Salvador vs $775 in Mexico. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 79% higher in Mexico.

Dining out costs 44% more in Mexico.

Public transport is 38% more expensive in Mexico.

Salaries are 36% higher in Mexico.

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 Mexico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Salvador is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 72% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in El Salvador, contributing to the overall 72% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in El Salvador, but in Mexico 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.