Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in San Pedro Sula versus $567 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,873 in San Pedro Sula versus $893 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,509 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,219 in El Progreso.

Living in San Pedro Sula is roughly 118% more expensive than El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro Sula 8% lower, El Progreso 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 HNL 209

$5.72 HNL 153

37.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.70 HNL 818

$24.78 HNL 661

23.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 HNL 229

$7.88 HNL 210

8.76%

Cappuccino

$2.21 HNL 58.8

$1.47 HNL 39.24

50.34%

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

$1.34 HNL 35.68

$1.01 HNL 26.89

32.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.58

$1.03 HNL 27.38

7.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 HNL 49.73

$1.16 HNL 31.05

61.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 HNL 89.5

$1.99 HNL 53.0

68.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.27

$1.29 HNL 34.35

13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 HNL 52.2

$2.08 HNL 55.5

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 HNL 41.64

$1.22 HNL 32.63

27.87%

Eggs

$2.59 HNL 69.0

$2.04 HNL 54.4

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 HNL 245

$4.45 HNL 119

106.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 HNL 159

$3.89 HNL 104

53.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 HNL 292

$7.84 HNL 209

39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 HNL 115

$2.97 HNL 79.3

45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 HNL 42.12

$1.44 HNL 38.34

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 HNL 101

$1.45 HNL 38.66

160.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 HNL 56.2

$1.52 HNL 40.51

38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 HNL 58.1

$1.60 HNL 42.66

36.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 HNL 67.5

$1.35 HNL 35.88

87.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 HNL 23.90

$0.89 HNL 23.69

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 HNL 43.86

$1.67 HNL 44.45

-1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 HNL 83.8

$2.47 HNL 65.9

27.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.01 HNL 347

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 HNL 30.87

$1.33 HNL 35.58

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.27

$1.80 HNL 48.01

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.97 HNL 959

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 HNL 99.8

$4.35 HNL 116

-14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 HNL 39.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.03 HNL 187

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 28.01

$1.08 HNL 28.79

-2.78%

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

$21.4K HNL 570.1K

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

9.58%

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

$16.6K HNL 442.5K

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

-14.57%

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

$135 HNL 3,588

$80.7 HNL 2,150

66.83%

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

$9.70 HNL 258

$9.07 HNL 242

6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.73 HNL 1,299

$41.37 HNL 1,103

17.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.79 HNL 1,007

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.81 HNL 555

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 HNL 143

$5.73 HNL 153

-6.11%

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

$147 HNL 3,929

$245 HNL 6,538

-39.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,244 HNL 86.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 HNL 1,374

$45.56 HNL 1,214

13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 HNL 1,002

$35.67 HNL 951

5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 HNL 2,178

$111 HNL 2,952

-26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 HNL 2,474

$103 HNL 2,750

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 HNL 15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 HNL 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 HNL 23.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 HNL 19.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,000 HNL 26.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$437 HNL 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 HNL 16.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

-6.33%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: June 9, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in San Pedro Sula vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $181 per month, with El Progreso cheaper across the board.

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

San Pedro Sula vs El Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,856 in San Pedro Sula and $850 in El Progreso 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in San Pedro Sula. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in San Pedro Sula versus $567 in El Progreso – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $1,237 in San Pedro Sula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in San Pedro Sula. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso 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.

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in San Pedro Sula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.