Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilopango and Zaragoza, El Salvador

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaragoza: $635 a month against $1,651 in Ilopango, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ilopango outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Ilopango
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Ilopango Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Zaragoza
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Zaragoza Living Index

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Ilopango

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,651

/mo nomad

Zaragoza

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ilopango and in Zaragoza

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 Zaragoza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,651 in Ilopango versus $635 in Zaragoza.

Ilopango $1,651
Zaragoza $635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,885 in Ilopango versus $1,036 in Zaragoza.

Ilopango $1,885
Zaragoza $1,036

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Ilopango versus $1,437 in Zaragoza.

Ilopango $2,119
Zaragoza $1,437

Living in Ilopango is roughly 160% more expensive than in Zaragoza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ilopango is 21% above, Zaragoza is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 $3.11

$6.95 $6.95

-55.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.31 $45.31

$29.51 $29.51

53.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 $5.05

$6.96 $6.96

-27.44%

Cappuccino

$2.82 $2.82

$1.54 $1.54

83.12%

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

$0.87 $0.87

$1.11 $1.11

-21.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.81 $0.81

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.24 $1.24

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.12 $2.12

-21.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.78 $1.78

78.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.27 $2.27

-37.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.97 $0.97

207.22%

Eggs

$2.93 $2.93

$2.50 $2.50

17.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$7.49 $7.49

-31.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.92 $3.92

56.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$5.36 $5.36

88.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.99 $3.99

-23.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.42 $1.42

36.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.14 $2.14

-5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.96 $2.96

-30.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.82 $1.82

9.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.96 $0.96

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.79 $0.79

29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.77 $3.77

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$8.20 $8.20

44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.60 $1.60

-35.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.21 $2.21

-11.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.48 $1.48

-37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 $35.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 $7.16

$4.90 $4.90

46.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.93 $2.93

-26.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 $4.70

$20.10 $20.10

-76.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.12 $1.12

-42.86%

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

$20.5K $20.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

-17.36%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$24.6K $24.6K

2.86%

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

$35.26 $35.26

$46.09 $46.09

-23.50%

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

$9.87 $9.87

$21.21 $21.21

-53.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 $39.61

$35.34 $35.34

12.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 $40.56

$34.94 $34.94

16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 $9.92

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 $5.07

$5.03 $5.03

0.80%

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

$107 $107

$150 $150

-28.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,902 $1,902

$4,759 $4,759

-60.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.99 $19.99

$67.3 $67.3

-70.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.34 $30.34

$46.68 $46.68

-35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 $75.6

$112 $112

-32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 $59.7

$69.5 $69.5

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 $672

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 $1,036

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 $592

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 $633

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 $1,748

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$964 $964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 $991

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

-29.41%

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

Last update for Ilopango: October 25, 2026

Last update for Zaragoza: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ilopango

$1K 62.8%

Zaragoza

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Ilopango

$250 15.1%

Zaragoza

$217 34.1% 13.3% $33

Eating Out

Ilopango

$89 5.4%

Zaragoza

$113 17.8% 26.9% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ilopango

$85 5.1%

Zaragoza

$103 16.2% 21.1% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Ilopango

$84 5.1%

Zaragoza

$133 20.9% 58.9% $49

Getting Around

Ilopango

$57 3.4%

Zaragoza

$25 * 4% 55.1% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Ilopango

$51 3.1%

Zaragoza

$45 7.1% 11.2% $5.7

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45 in Ilopango vs $30 in Zaragoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $217 per month, with Zaragoza cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇻 Ilopango

🇸🇻 Zaragoza

🕒 Local time

14:35 2:35 PM

Same time as Ilopango

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,890

11,749

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Ilopango Zaragoza 28 km

From you

Ilopango
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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 Zaragoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zaragoza is about 62% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,477 in Ilopango and $953 in Zaragoza 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.

Childcare runs $107 in Ilopango versus $150 in Zaragoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaragoza – a meal for two runs $30 versus $45 in Ilopango. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $635 in Zaragoza versus $1,651 in Ilopango, a $800 budget is realistic in Zaragoza but tight or insufficient in Ilopango. The gap between the two cities makes Zaragoza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.