Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, OR and El Paso, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in El Paso, TX: $2,085 a month against $2,741 in Salem, OR, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Salem, OR
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Salem, OR Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
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El Paso, TX Living Index

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Salem, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,741

/mo nomad

El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,085

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salem, OR and in El Paso, TX

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

A single person spends $2,741 per month in Salem, OR vs $2,085 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Salem, OR $2,741
El Paso, TX $2,085

A couple spends around $3,927 per month in Salem, OR vs $3,161 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Salem, OR $3,927
El Paso, TX $3,161

A family of three spends $5,114 per month in Salem, OR vs $4,237 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Salem, OR $5,114
El Paso, TX $4,237

Salem, OR costs about 31% more than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Salem, OR and El Paso, TX sit above the global median – Salem, OR by 102%, El Paso, TX by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$18.44 $18.44

6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 $94.4

$77.6 $77.6

21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.11 $12.11

0.33%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$6.11 $6.11

-23.73%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$2.27 $2.27

7.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.62 $1.62

30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.85 $5.85

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$6.64 $6.64

7.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.81 $0.81

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.91 $2.91

30.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.53 $2.53

64.03%

Eggs

$4.99 $4.99

$3.54 $3.54

40.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$11.99 $11.99

20.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.60 $13.60

$11.80 $11.80

15.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$13.01 $13.01

37.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.49 $3.49

36.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.41 $1.41

26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.49 $2.49

51.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.66 $3.66

13.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.18 $2.18

40.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.70 $2.70

25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.76 $1.76

5.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.64 $1.64

35.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.62 $11.62

$9.88 $9.88

17.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$9.59 $9.59

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.04 $2.04

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.93 $4.93

-40.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 $1.51

31.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.32 $44.32

$47.94 $47.94

-7.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.67 $1.67

111.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.36 $1.36

56.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.26 $49.26

$26.92 $26.92

82.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.5K $27.5K

-7.05%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

-4.01%

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

$220 $220

$159 $159

38.94%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$72.4 $72.4

-15.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.4 $96.4

$69.2 $69.2

39.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 $45.21

$18.31 $18.31

146.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.33 $8.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$12.01 $12.01

24.40%

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

$1,061 $1,061

$575 $575

84.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$6,999 $6,999

131.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$45.33 $45.33

24.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 $46.91

$37.00 $37.00

26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 $84.6

$102 $102

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 $80.1

$173 $173

-53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 $1,548

$1,147 $1,147

34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$876 $876

57.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,348 $2,348

$1,710 $1,710

37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$1,508 $1,508

36.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 $2,973

$1,873 $1,873

58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,981 $2,981

$1,784 $1,784

67.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,709 $3,709

$3,305 $3,305

12.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.51

1.23%

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

Last update for Salem, OR: October 19, 2026

Last update for El Paso, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Salem, OR

$1.4K 50.3%

El Paso, TX

$876 42% 36.4% $502

Groceries & Markets

Salem, OR

$416 15.2%

El Paso, TX

$328 15.7% 21.3% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, OR

$378 13.8%

El Paso, TX

$300 14.4% 20.5% $77

Eating Out

Salem, OR

$307 11.2%

El Paso, TX

$315 15.1% 2.6% $8

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, OR

$121 4.4%

El Paso, TX

$161 7.7% 33.4% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, OR

$75 2.7%

El Paso, TX

$42 2% 43.6% $33

Getting Around

Salem, OR

$66 2.4%

El Paso, TX

$62 3% 5.9% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Salem, OR versus $1,147 in El Paso, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Salem, OR, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Salem, OR versus $78.0 in El Paso, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $328 – making El Paso, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, OR

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

04:20 4:20 AM

1 h ahead of Salem, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

678,815

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Salem, OR El Paso, TX 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, OR
El Paso, TX

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

Salem, OR vs El Paso, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, OR costs about 31% more than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,112 per month in Salem, OR and $3,127 in El Paso, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Paso, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,741 in Salem, OR and $2,085 in El Paso, TX. That's a gap of about 31%.

Public transport costs about 8% less in El Paso, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Paso, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,085, than in Salem, OR at $2,741. In El Paso, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salem, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Paso, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with El Paso, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salem, OR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.