Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in El Salvador: $1,475 a month against $2,701 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

72

Cost of Living Index in El Salvador
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El Salvador Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,475

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in El Salvador and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in El Salvador and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,475 per month in El Salvador vs $2,701 in the United States, rent included.

El Salvador $1,475
United States $2,701

A couple spends around $2,106 per month in El Salvador vs $3,980 in the United States, rent included.

El Salvador $2,106
United States $3,980

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in El Salvador vs $5,258 in the United States, rent included.

El Salvador $2,738
United States $5,258

The cost of living in El Salvador is roughly 45% lower than in the United States on average.

Both El Salvador and the United States are pricier than the global median – El Salvador by 9%, the United States by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.92 $6.92

$19.92 $19.92

-65.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.34 $44.34

$81.0 $81.0

-45.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 $7.17

$12.07 $12.07

-40.60%

Cappuccino

$3.47 $3.47

$5.55 $5.55

-37.48%

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

$1.20 $1.20

$2.67 $2.67

-55.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.09 $2.09

-56.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$5.96 $5.96

-65.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$7.76 $7.76

-54.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.05 $1.05

74.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.55 $3.55

-35.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$4.64 $4.64

-66.59%

Eggs

$2.68 $2.68

$4.18 $4.18

-35.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$12.76 $12.76

-39.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$12.63 $12.63

-52.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$17.22 $17.22

-48.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.15 $5.15

-28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.64 $1.64

7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$4.46 $4.46

-36.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.98 $4.98

-41.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.84 $2.84

1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.09 $3.09

-24.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.19 $2.19

-58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.27 $2.27

-58.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 $4.09

$10.61 $10.61

-61.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 $11.76

$14.71 $14.71

-20.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.10 $2.10

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.82 $3.82

-26.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$2.35 $2.35

-84.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 $35.39

$64.1 $64.1

-44.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 $6.45

$3.57 $3.57

80.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.85 $1.85

67.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.94 $19.94

$30.19 $30.19

-33.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.3K $35.3K

-28.22%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

9.23%

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

$105 $105

$217 $217

-51.37%

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

$22.62 $22.62

$61.4 $61.4

-63.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.67 $40.67

$74.4 $74.4

-45.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.25 $31.25

$45.08 $45.08

-30.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 $17.04

$23.07 $23.07

-26.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 $5.05

$14.79 $14.79

-65.86%

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

$166 $166

$1,480 $1,480

-88.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,386 $4,386

$25.5K $25.5K

-82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$53.0 $53.0

21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.20 $49.20

$42.75 $42.75

15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$94.3 $94.3

24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$115 $115

-9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 $726

$1,678 $1,678

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 $650

$1,313 $1,313

-50.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 $1,262

$2,649 $2,649

-52.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$886 $886

$2,183 $2,183

-59.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 $2,685

$3,374 $3,374

-20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 $1,597

$2,661 $2,661

-39.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 $438

$4,404 $4,404

-90.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.48

6.55

29.47%

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

Last update for El Salvador: October 11, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

El Salvador

$650 44.1%

United States

$1.3K 48.6% 102% $663

Groceries & Markets

El Salvador

$260 17.6%

United States

$411 15.2% 57.9% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Salvador

$169 11.4%

United States

$352 13% 109% $184

Clothing & Footwear

El Salvador

$151 10.3%

United States

$137 5.1% 9.1% $14

Eating Out

El Salvador

$144 9.8%

United States

$327 12.1% 127% $182

Getting Around

El Salvador

$59 4%

United States

$86 3.2% 46.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

El Salvador

$41 2.8%

United States

$75 2.8% 80.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $310 in El Salvador vs $1,609 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $895 in San Salvador and $2,730 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $568 in El Salvador vs $4,533 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 419% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 108% more in the United States.

Public transport is 440% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 698% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇸🇻 El Salvador

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

08:18 8:18 AM

10:18 10:18 AM

2 h ahead of El Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,029,976

340,110,988

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

El Salvador United States 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

El Salvador
United States

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

El Salvador vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Salvador is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 83% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,609 versus $310 in El Salvador.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in El Salvador, adding to the overall 83% price gap.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in El Salvador, but in the United States 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.