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: $1,259 in San Pedro Sula versus $565 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in San Pedro Sula versus $896 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,504 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,227 in El Progreso.

Living in San Pedro Sula is roughly 123% more expensive than in El Progreso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Pedro Sula 6% lower, El Progreso 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 HNL 209

$5.87 HNL 157

32.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.22 HNL 808

$24.96 HNL 667

21.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 HNL 229

$7.76 HNL 208

10.44%

Cappuccino

$2.23 HNL 59.6

$1.46 HNL 39.03

52.74%

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

$1.34 HNL 35.71

$1.00 HNL 26.70

34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HNL 29.62

$0.98 HNL 26.18

13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 HNL 50.4

$1.17 HNL 31.19

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 HNL 85.7

$1.99 HNL 53.1

61.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 HNL 41.05

$1.33 HNL 35.57

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 HNL 55.0

$2.10 HNL 56.1

-1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 HNL 40.06

$1.22 HNL 32.66

22.95%

Eggs

$2.62 HNL 70.1

$2.10 HNL 56.2

24.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 HNL 248

$4.28 HNL 114

116.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 HNL 166

$3.69 HNL 98.7

67.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 HNL 299

$7.77 HNL 208

44.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 HNL 114

$3.00 HNL 80.4

42.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 HNL 41.71

$1.46 HNL 38.94

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 HNL 104

$1.44 HNL 38.46

170.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 HNL 56.5

$1.59 HNL 42.45

32.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 HNL 60.1

$1.62 HNL 43.19

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 HNL 67.4

$1.36 HNL 36.43

85.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 HNL 23.58

$0.83 HNL 22.28

6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 HNL 43.37

$1.71 HNL 45.83

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 HNL 83.0

$2.44 HNL 65.3

27.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 HNL 346

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 HNL 30.96

$1.29 HNL 34.46

-10.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 HNL 42.11

$1.80 HNL 48.27

-12.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 HNL 16.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.19 HNL 994

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 HNL 101

$4.25 HNL 114

-11.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 HNL 39.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 HNL 190

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 HNL 29.44

$1.08 HNL 28.81

1.85%

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

$21.3K HNL 568.8K

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

9.17%

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

$16.6K HNL 444.5K

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

-12.58%

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

$133 HNL 3,546

$81.4 HNL 2,176

63.02%

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

$9.99 HNL 267

$8.78 HNL 235

13.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.96 HNL 1,336

$40.49 HNL 1,083

23.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 HNL 1,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.78 HNL 556

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 HNL 149

$5.93 HNL 159

-6.24%

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

$145 HNL 3,877

$246 HNL 6,584

-41.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,189 HNL 85.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 HNL 1,385

$45.70 HNL 1,222

13.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.69 HNL 1,008

$35.35 HNL 945

6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 HNL 2,253

$109 HNL 2,923

-22.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 HNL 2,527

$104 HNL 2,791

-9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 HNL 15.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 HNL 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 HNL 23.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 HNL 19.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,003 HNL 26.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$440 HNL 11.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 HNL 16.4K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for El Progreso: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in San Pedro Sula vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 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 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,889 in San Pedro Sula and $848 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 50% higher in San Pedro Sula. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in San Pedro Sula versus $565 in El Progreso – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in El Progreso versus $1,259 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 123% less than in San Pedro Sula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.