Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilopango and Aguilares

For one person, living is cheaper in Aguilares: $812 a month against $1,619 in Ilopango, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ilopango outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ilopango, El Salvador
Aguilares, El Salvador
Ilopango
🇸🇻 El Salvador
$1,619
/mo nomad
Aguilares
🇸🇻 El Salvador
$812
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ilopango and in Aguilares

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Ilopango versus $812 in Aguilares.

  • Ilopango $1,619
  • Aguilares $812

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Ilopango versus $1,306 in Aguilares.

  • Ilopango $1,863
  • Aguilares $1,306

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,107 in Ilopango versus $1,800 in Aguilares.

  • Ilopango $2,107
  • Aguilares $1,800

Living in Ilopango is roughly 99% more expensive than in Aguilares, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilopango is 19% above, Aguilares is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 $3.23
$6.67 $6.67
-51.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.80 $44.80
$45.61 $45.61
-1.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.97 $4.97
$7.19 $7.19
-30.88%
Cappuccino
$2.96 $2.96
$3.50 $3.50
-15.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.12 $1.12
-22.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 $0.99
$0.87 $0.87
13.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.99 $1.99
-53.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$3.63 $3.63
-51.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.20 $3.20
$1.81 $1.81
76.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.77 $2.77
-46.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.45 $1.45
111.03%
Eggs
$2.95 $2.95
$3.09 $3.09
-4.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$7.74 $7.74
-35.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.91 $5.91
$6.86 $6.86
-13.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.20 $10.20
$10.30 $10.30
-0.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 $2.98
$5.18 $5.18
-42.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.42 $1.42
37.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.63 $2.63
-25.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 $2.04
$3.54 $3.54
-42.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.89 $2.89
-30.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.04 $2.04
$3.23 $3.23
-36.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 $0.93
$0.96 $0.96
-3.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.91 $0.91
13.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 $3.91
$3.88 $3.88
0.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.84 $11.84
$11.91 $11.91
-0.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.25 $2.25
-56.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$2.92 $2.92
-29.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 $0.88
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.26 $35.26
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.86 $6.86
$5.98 $5.98
14.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.92 $2.92
-23.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 $4.66
$19.65 $19.65
-76.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.68 $0.68
$1.30 $1.30
-47.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K $19.8K
$25.2K $25.2K
-21.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$27.7K $27.7K
-8.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$35.69 $35.69
$132 $132
-72.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.91 $9.91
$21.14 $21.14
-53.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.70 $40.70
$42.93 $42.93
-5.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.29 $40.29
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.07 $10.07
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 $5.14
$5.01 $5.01
2.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$103 $103
$161 $161
-35.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,882 $1,882
$4,805 $4,805
-60.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.18 $20.18
$67.9 $67.9
-70.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.10 $30.10
$47.09 $47.09
-36.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.3 $74.3
$119 $119
-37.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.0 $59.0
$116 $116
-49.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$672 $672
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,002 $1,002
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$592 $592
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 $619
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,689 $1,689
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$953 $953
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilopango
Aguilares
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,010 $1,010
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
8.5
-29.41%

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

Last update for Ilopango: October 20, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ilopango
$1K
Aguilares
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Ilopango
$249
Aguilares
$286 14.6% $36
Eating Out
Ilopango
$92
Aguilares
$142 54.7% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilopango
$86
Aguilares
$196 127% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Ilopango
$83
Aguilares
$158 90.8% $75
Getting Around
Ilopango
$57
Aguilares
$21 * 63.7% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Ilopango
$51
Aguilares
$10 * 80.2% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45 in Ilopango vs $46 in Aguilares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $286 per month, with Ilopango cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇻 Ilopango
🇸🇻 Aguilares
🕒 Local time
05:24 5:24 AM
05:24 5:24 AM
Same time as Ilopango
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
38,890
21,445
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ilopango Aguilares 35 km
From you
  • Ilopango
  • Aguilares

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
Ilopango vs Aguilares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ilopango or Aguilares?
Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Ilopango. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ilopango and in Aguilares?
You’d need roughly $2,429 in Ilopango and $1,218 in Aguilares to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does it cost to live in Ilopango compared to Aguilares?
All in, you’ll spend $1,619 per month in Ilopango versus $812 in Aguilares – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Ilopango or in Aguilares?
Shoppers in Ilopango pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $800/month in Ilopango or in Aguilares?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Aguilares is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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