Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Ahuachapan

For one person, living is cheaper in San Salvador: $1,646 a month against $1,848 in Ahuachapan, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ahuachapan outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

80

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Ahuachapan
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Ahuachapan Living Index

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San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,646

/mo nomad

Ahuachapan

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,848

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Salvador and in Ahuachapan

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

A single person spends $1,646 per month in San Salvador vs $1,848 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

San Salvador $1,646
Ahuachapan $1,848

A couple spends around $2,498 per month in San Salvador vs $2,014 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

San Salvador $2,498
Ahuachapan $2,014

A family of three spends $3,350 per month in San Salvador vs $2,180 in Ahuachapan, rent included.

San Salvador $3,350
Ahuachapan $2,180

San Salvador is about 11% cheaper than Ahuachapan.

Both San Salvador and Ahuachapan sit above the global median – San Salvador by 21%, Ahuachapan by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 $6.68

$6.83 $6.83

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.12 $45.12

$44.44 $44.44

1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.11 $7.11

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$3.61 $3.61

-0.55%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$1.12 $1.12

-0.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.81 $0.81

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.98 $1.98

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.49 $3.49

2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.81 $1.81

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.81 $2.81

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$3.01 $3.01

2.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.58 $7.58

4.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.83 $6.83

3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$10.36 $10.36

0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.95 $4.95

1.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.55 $2.55

3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.43 $3.43

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.90 $2.90

-0.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.20 $3.20

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.91 $0.91

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.88 $3.88

3.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.96 $11.96

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.21 $2.21

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.94 $2.94

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.98 $37.98

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.05 $6.05

0.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.05 $3.05

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.92 $19.92

$19.82 $19.82

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

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

$25.0K $25.0K

0.04%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-0.72%

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

$129 $129

$131 $131

-1.31%

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

$21.21 $21.21

$21.53 $21.53

-1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 $42.29

$42.30 $42.30

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.66 $31.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 $21.56

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 $4.97

$4.94 $4.94

0.61%

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

$163 $163

$164 $164

-0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,629 $4,629

$4,777 $4,777

-3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$67.6 $67.6

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 $47.50

$46.64 $46.64

1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$117 $117

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$119 $119

-2.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

$530 $530

69.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 $761

$1,038 $1,038

-26.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$364 $364

393.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$389 $389

255.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 $2,807

$3,064 $3,064

-8.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 $1,843

$1,291 $1,291

42.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 $384

$552 $552

-30.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

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

Last update for San Salvador: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ahuachapan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Salvador

$761 46.2%

Ahuachapan

$1K 56.2% 36.3% $277

Groceries & Markets

San Salvador

$290 17.6%

Ahuachapan

$283 15.3% 2.4% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Salvador

$193 11.7%

Ahuachapan

$195 10.6% 1.1% $2

Clothing & Footwear

San Salvador

$158 9.6%

Ahuachapan

$158 8.5% 0.5% $0.7

Eating Out

San Salvador

$142 8.6%

Ahuachapan

$144 7.8% 1.2% $1.6

Getting Around

San Salvador

$61 3.7%

Ahuachapan

$21 * 1.2% 64.9% $39

Sport & Entertainment

San Salvador

$42 2.5%

Ahuachapan

$9.9 * 0.5% 76.2% $32

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in San Salvador versus $530 in Ahuachapan. 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 44% higher in Ahuachapan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in San Salvador versus $44 in Ahuachapan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $283 – making Ahuachapan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🇸🇻 Ahuachapan

🕒 Local time

00:17 12:17 AM

Same time as San Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

316,090 Capital

110,511

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

San Salvador Ahuachapan 75 km

From you

San Salvador
Ahuachapan

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

San Salvador vs Ahuachapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ahuachapan costs about 12% more than San Salvador, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in San Salvador and $2,772 in Ahuachapan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ahuachapan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $530 there versus $901 in San Salvador.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,646 in San Salvador and $1,848 in Ahuachapan. That’s a gap of about 12%.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in San Salvador and $164 in Ahuachapan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. San Salvador has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,646 in San Salvador to $1,848 in Ahuachapan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Salvador. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ahuachapan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.